In 1968, when Billy Friedkin first saw “The Boys in the Band,” he felt the play was “funny and poignant and, in its own way, a love story.” He decided to adapt it as a film, not to make a statement, but because “it was a damn good story.”
As it turned out, it was also relevant. At that moment in time, gays were starting to come out of the closet, Friedkin recalls, and, on one level, “Boys in the Band” was about the closet.
Despite its relevance, the director did not get much encouragement in the marketplace. None of the studios wanted to finance it.
Friedkin finally got a greenlight from Cinema Center Films, then owned by CBS, but the company did not have the funding to distribute or market the film widely. While the movie got good reviews, it did not find a wide audience.
In casting the film,...
As it turned out, it was also relevant. At that moment in time, gays were starting to come out of the closet, Friedkin recalls, and, on one level, “Boys in the Band” was about the closet.
Despite its relevance, the director did not get much encouragement in the marketplace. None of the studios wanted to finance it.
Friedkin finally got a greenlight from Cinema Center Films, then owned by CBS, but the company did not have the funding to distribute or market the film widely. While the movie got good reviews, it did not find a wide audience.
In casting the film,...
- 7/1/2015
- by Peter Bart
- Variety - Film News
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