Product: Gods and Monsters (1998)
Rating: 5.0
A Hollywood genius and his heart rending last days.
What a sad movie this was. Ians performance brought the pain and injustice done to a man who who was once Hollywoods greatest directors now a recluse, to the forefront. I never knew James Whale was Gay for many years till I read it mentioned in an article. It didnt matter. When this movie came out, my favorite actor Brendan Frasier, was in it so it was a must see.How sad to know that this great artist, was living alone in Los Angeles, not much better off then Lugosi was at the end of his life. His recollections to his Gardner played by Brendan, who was there more as a catalyst to tell James story then anything else, were heart wrenching as he described the young man he was in love with who died in WW1. "We lost a whole generation in that war" cannot help but bring tears to your eyes when you realize that WW1 was as much a horror as WW2. Whales sense of loss truly extended to all those who lived thru it with him as so many of Englands male population didnt make it back from the trenches, and he makes you feel the grief.I came away from this movie asking if anybody could have done anything to alleviate his alienation. Could fans in the area or travelling in California from out of state, stopping by to say hello, changed his mind about suicide if thats what it was.I know he was suffering physical pain as well, but maybe if fans had come by to let him know they cared, his ending might have been more peacefull and serene.The Gay aspect of his life was not played up to garner pity, it was not a major influence on the direction of the film at all. It was all about him and a studio that tossed him to the wolves when his known friends could not protect him from the morality patrol.The hypocrites in Hollywood who cheated on their wives, probably poked young stagehands and took drugs kicked the chair out from under James Talented body and left him to hang.By the time this movie was over I was crying like a little kid, and still makes me wonder. Could any of us fans, living in those time have made a difference by coming by and letting him know he was not alone and not forgotten.Rest In Peace James.