An Early Frost

From the twilight years of when TV movies were worthwhile--this one was a BFD at the time. NBC pulled out all the stops casting it--they even exhumed Sylvia Sidney, who got a lovely scene. There are issues, of course, for modern audiences: it's, of necessity for the time, a bit preachy, and Quinn had to be a total victim in order to be truly "sympathetic" (his philandering boyfriend gave it to him!). Gazzara worked minor wonders with an unsympathetic role. Rowlands needed better direction.

In the hardbody '80s, when small films almost died out, the American cinema's socially groundbreaking work was on TV. (Occasionally before--THAT CERTAIN SUMMER.) The circumstances of such work prompt certain critical allowances--those behind films like this, the first AIDS drama (started long before BUDDIES), faced even more severe hamstringing than usual. The films were social works first, but there are riches therein. Like Gena Rowlands, Ben Gazzara, Sylvia Sidney, and John Goddamned Glover.

The script verges on banal at times and it is understandably dated but this early drama about a family dealing with AIDS still packs a punch thanks to great performances by Rowlands, Gazzara and Quinn.

It's the cast that compelled me to watch this. While the subject matter may have broke new ground for a 1985 TV production - perhaps even helped a good cause - the script is stubbornly blunt and cliche.

Highly praised, surprisingly intelligent drama. Sensitive performance by Quinn in one of the first TV films to focus on the devastating effects of HIV. Rowlands adeptly displays her acting talents as the despairing mother.

Unusually good telefilm. Material better worked out than normal for this sort of thing, and the performances of the veterans -- Rowlands, Gazzara, and Sidney -- are all there. Glover damn near steals the show from them all, and not only adds some much-needed smartass humor to a movie that could easily have been too didactic and sanctimonious, but totally nails the crass devil-may-care attitude of numerous gay people I have known