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Behind the Candelabra

Behind the Candelabra is a 2013 American biographical comedy drama television film directed by Steven Soderbergh from a screenplay by Richard LaGravenese, based on the 1988 book of the same name by Scott Thorson and Alex Thorleifson. It dramatizes the last ten years in the life of pianist Liberace and the relationship that he had with Thorson.[3]

For the book, see Behind the Candelabra: My Life with Liberace.

Behind the Candelabra

United States

English

118 minutes[1]

US$23 million[2]

HBO

May 26, 2013 (2013-05-26)

It premiered at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival on May 21, 2013, and competed for the Palme d'Or.[4] It aired on HBO on May 26, 2013, and was given a cinematic release in the United Kingdom on June 7, 2013.[5] The film received critical acclaim from television critics, including praise for the performances of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. It marked the final onscreen acting role for Debbie Reynolds before her death in 2016.

Plot[edit]

In 1977, 18-year-old Scott Thorson, who works as an animal trainer for films, meets Bob Black, a Hollywood producer, in a gay bar in Los Angeles. At Black's urging, he leaves his adopted home in search of better-paying work. Black introduces Thorson to Liberace, who takes an immediate liking to the handsome younger man. Liberace invites the two backstage and then to his luxurious home in Las Vegas.


Thorson observes that one of Liberace's beloved dogs has a temporary form of blindness, and with his veterinary assistant background, informs the famous pianist that he knows how to cure the condition. After treating the dog, Thorson becomes Liberace's "assistant" at the performer's request. Thorson also becomes employed as Liberace's stage chauffeur, driving a Rolls-Royce limousine onto the stage for Liberace's grand entrances.


Thorson moves in with Liberace and becomes his lover. At this point, Thorson says that he is bisexual because he is also attracted to women. Liberace is sympathetic, informing him that he wanted and tried to love women, but was exclusively attracted to men. A devout Catholic, he relates a story of a "divine healing" in which an angelic "messenger" dressed as a nun informed him that God still loved him.


It gradually becomes clear that Liberace is trying to mold Thorson into a younger version of himself. He asks his plastic surgeon, Dr. Jack Startz, to transform Scott's face to more closely resemble his own, and he even tries unsuccessfully to adopt him. Startz prescribes drugs for Thorson to help him lose weight, and Thorson soon turns to other drugs as he becomes angrier and more frustrated with Liberace's attempts to control him as well as Liberace's obsession with hiding their romance and homosexuality from the public.


By 1982, Thorson's increasing drug abuse and Liberace's interest in younger men, including dancer Cary James, creates a rift that ultimately destroys their relationship. Liberace begins visiting pornographic peep shows and suggests that they each see other people. Later, Thorson starts flying into jealous rages, whereupon Liberace kicks him out and ends their partnership.


Scott Thorson retains an attorney to seek his financial share by suing Liberace for over $100,000,000 in palimony. In 1984, Thorson's palimony lawsuit starts in which he gives details about his romance for five years with the entertainer, while Liberace flatly denies any sexual relationship. Thorson settles for $75,000, three cars, and three pet dogs.


In December 1986, Thorson receives a telephone call from Liberace telling him that he is very ill with what is later revealed to be AIDS and that he would like Thorson to visit him again. Thorson agrees and drives to Liberace's retreat house in Palm Springs, where he and Liberace have one last, emotional conversation. Liberace dies a few months later in February 1987. Thorson attends Liberace's funeral, in which he imagines seeing Liberace performing one last time with his traditional flamboyance, before being lifted to Heaven with a stage harness.

Reception[edit]

Critical response[edit]

The film received critical acclaim. Review aggregation website Rotten Tomatoes gives the film an approval rating of 94%, based on reviews from 108 film critics with an average score of 8.1 out of 10. The website's critical consensus reads: "Affectionate without sacrificing honesty, Behind the Candelabra couples award-worthy performances from Michael Douglas and Matt Damon with some typically sharp direction from Steven Soderbergh."[1] Metacritic, which assigns a weighted average score out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, gives the film a score of 83 based on 30 reviews.[19]


Peter Bradshaw of The Guardian gave the film 4/5 stars, saying "As a black comedy, and as a portrait of celebrity loneliness, Behind the Candelabra is very stylish and effective, and Damon and Douglas give supremely entertaining performances."[20]

Ratings[edit]

The film, shown for the first time on American television on May 26, 2013, was watched by 2.4 million US viewers. A further 1.1 million tuned in to watch the repeat immediately after, bringing viewership to 3.5 million in total.[21] When the film debuted on HBO, it achieved the highest ratings for a television film since 2004.[22]

Box office[edit]

The film grossed $13.3 million in the territories it was released theatrically.[23]

List of films set in Las Vegas

at IMDb

Behind the Candelabra

at Rotten Tomatoes

Behind the Candelabra

at Metacritic

Behind the Candelabra