Ivory Tower

Rating: 7/10 (30 December 2015)

This uncompromising backstage dramatisation of the turbulent relationship between celebrity pianist Liberace and his much younger lover Scott Thorson was a compelling watch. As I watched it, it took a little time for me to get over the sight of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon, two celebrated uber-masculine action heroes playing such camp characters plus their over-familiarity as stars if anything detracts from identification with their parts here but the fact that both absolutely throw themselves into their roles saw them convince me in the end.
Liberace in real-life conducted himself as a family favourite, particularly with his female audience, playing popular piano pieces in cabaret and projecting a debonair if very camp image, on and off-stage, owning the inevitable L.A. mansion, with a grand piano in every room, innumerable fancy cars and of course his elaborate rhinestone-heavy stage costumes. Behind this facade however was a ruthless businessman, determined to preserve his self-image (woe betide the publication which levelled charges of homosexuality at him), in addition a controlling and sexually voracious individual who attended male-only brothels, watched hard-core gay porn and groomed young male wannabes into becoming his latest playmate. Douglas is excellent at portraying his character's at the same time compelling but repellant nature, flaunting his squeaky-clean image in public while living a life of decadent sleaze after hours.
Into his orbit comes a young blonde bisexual country boy called Scott Thorson who very soon supersedes Liberace's then live-in boyfriend, attracted by the older man's charm, riches and power until too late he realises that he's being made over in his lover-employer's image and developing a drug addiction in the process.
The power struggle between the two is fascinating to watch even if it is of course heavily slanted in Liberace's favour. The question here really is did Liberace corrupt and waste a young innocent's life or was Thorson a willing participant in the gravy train, happy to go along with it from the start.
Director Siderburgh I think tends to the former viewpoint, although it's clear that Thorson is no angel himself. On the other hand, Liberace too is no one-dimensional character and it is the older man who calls up the younger as he nears his end from AIDS, fondly remembering their earlier happy times.
I like this ambivalence, allowing the viewer to come to their own judgement on this particular lifestyle of the rich and famous. No corner is cut in exhibiting the pianist's excessive lifestyle although I was grateful that the love scenes between the two, although not ignored, was toned down somewhat for easier consumption. The acting is excellent, especially by the two big-name leads while Rob Lowe steals his scenes with a centre- parting like the Red Sea as a creepy plastic surgeon.
I'm not surprised this film received so many Emmy plaudits and commend the director and cast for taking on a tricky subject and delivering such compelling viewing.