Third Man Out

Plot synopsis:
At the home of John Rutka and Eddie Santin, Rutka is apparently shot by an unknown assailant.The next day, private eye Donald Strachey (Chad Allen) arrives at the Albany Medical Center to meet with a client. While there, he sees his life partner, lobbyist and aide Tim Callahan (Sebastian Spence), who is escorting his boss, a prominent New York state senator who is there for a photo op with the comatose Catholic Bishop McFee whose diocese consists of, among others, St. Michael's Catholic Church. Strachey is approached by Santin, who reveals that the client that approached him is none other than Rutka, who Strachey despises for his activities outing prominent local closeted homophobes. Despite attempts by Rutka and Santin to convince Strachey to help find out who shot John, Donald declines the assignment. That night, a man determinedly barges into Rutka's hospital room unauthorized, only to find that Rutka has already checked out.Rutka visits Strachey's home with again a request to hire him, but he remains unmoved, until Rutka offers him a $5,000 retainer. Strachey reluctantly accepts the job, mostly because of recent money troubles stemming from a home renovation bearing on his mind. Tim, who has an even stronger distaste for Rutka's tactics, objects at first, but also agrees that they can't afford to pick and choose their clients in their current financial situation.The next morning, Rutka shows Strachey his attic, where he keeps his various files on both his past and prospective outing targets. One of them is Bruno Slinger, a prominent state politician who has voted against gay rights in the past, on whom Rutka has a file which includes photographic evidence of his sexual involvement with men. Suddenly, a fire breaks out at Ruka's house, which Strachey puts out and then investigates. As the case progresses, Strachey becomes convinced that Rutka and Santin are staging the various criminal incidents themselves, thanks in part to the assertion by Detective Sean "Bub" Bailey that Rutka has a long history of deception. Finally, Strachey decides that he can no longer continue with the case and informs Rutka that he will return the unused portion of the retainer.The next morning, a news program reports that Rutka was killed hours after Strachey severed ties with him and the investigation. Santin calls them, expression indignation that Strachey refused to believe that the death threats against Rutka were genuine. Strachey expresses remorse, and then goes back with Santin to the attic to retrieve all of Rutka's files for safekeeping. With John officially dead, Strachey's search for Rutka's would-be assassin is now a murder investigation. He asks Santin who the next target might have been, but Santin only knows that it might have been one of three peopleSlinger, local children's show host Ronnie Linklater, and a mysterious third possibility identified only in Rutka's records as "Ultimate Hypocritical Asshole". Donald finds a plastic mud flap, torn off of an unidentified person's car. Later, he comes across initials for three persons who received substantial payments from RutkaN.Z., H.G., and D.R.Through local sex worker Dik Steel, he obtains the identity of the first - Nathan Zenck, who runs a fancy hoteland spies on his guests' sexual rendezvous through hidden video cameras. Strachey confronts Zenck, who mentions that Bruno Slinger is sexually connected to Ronnie Linklater and reveals that the second initials are undoubtedly those of Howie Glade, who owns a lower quality motel. The third initials remain unknown, but after interrogating Glade, Strachey finds out that Linklater was previously involved in sexual liaisons every Wednesday night with an unknown man (not Slinger) who was injured and possibly killed by a fallen ceiling mirror weeks ago; Glade was unable to find out the man's identity, but manages to get the license plates to his car. Strachey manages to trace the plates to a used car dealer named Art Murphy, who refuses to cooperate with the investigation, threatening to bludgeon Donald until he retreats.At the gay couple's home, Tim is attacked by the same man who visited Rutka's hospital room earlier. Strachey arrives in time to drive him away, but Timmy is hospitalized. Timmy recovers, but the experience shakes Donald enough to consider abandoning the case, until Timmy, who has had a change of heart about Rutka, convinces him to press on.Next, Strachey interviews Linklater in his studio dressing room, but the kids show host denies that either he or Slinger had any involvement in Rutka's death, and refuses to reveal the identity of the man the motel mirror fell on. However, after Donald's talk with Ronnie, he gets the impression the man survived the accident. As Strachey leaves the studio, the man who attacked Tim ambushes Donald, knocking him unconscious. When he wakes, he is greeted by the man's bossSlinger, who also denies involvement in Rutka's murder and demands that he hands over the file Rutka had on Bruno. Slinger allows Strachey to leave unharmed, but the P.I. can't get any answers from the Congressman, who says that Ronnie never told him the identify of the man injured in the motel fall. Strachey gets a slight lead from the exchange, learning that Linklater and Rutka were both involved in St. Michaels' choir.Back at the hospital, Tim is ready to be discharged, but the couple come across Art Murphy and his wife, visiting Bishop McFee. At Strachey's behest, Tim finds out that McFee is Murphy's brother-in-law and that he was the man that drove the car every Wednesdayand was sexually involved with Linklater, explaining the true nature of the accident that had put McFee into a coma until now. Tim then uses his connections in the seminary to ask St. Michael's local priest, Father Morgan, who would have been the parish priest when John Rutka was in the church choir. Morgan excuses himself, heading out the back way, but the authorities are there waiting for him. Strachey, who had been holding onto the car flap, identifies it as part of the car McFee drove on Wednesdays, and now driven by Morgan. Morgan is arrested, not only for his part in covering up McFee's history of sex crimes, but also for the apparent murder of John Rutka. Scandal hits Morgan, McFee and the entire parish.A few days later on Saturday, Strachey, Tim, Eddie, John's sister Ann (Sean Young), and other friends are attending John Rutka's funeral. Eddie graciously offers Donald the remaining fee for his work in solving Rutka's murder and gives the couple a business card to send the bill to. Strachey looks at the name and figures out the last of the trio of mysterious initials - David Resuto, the Rutka family lawyer. Strachey immediately grills Ann as to why Resuto would be getting $14,000, the largest of the payments made out to anyone in Rutka's financial ledger. Ann reluctantly explains that the payments were for a life insurance policyand the beneficiary is Eddie.The private eye, suspicious of the payments after being told earlier that Santin was removed from Rutka's will, follows him to the airport and catches up to him. As he confronts Eddie, he is shocked to see a very alive John Rutka standing next to him. John explains his elaborate plan to fake his death, frame Father Morgan for a fake murder, expose McFee as a pedophile (as well as The Ultimate Hypocritical Asshole), and use the insurance money to start up a network of cheap drugs for AIDS patients in Mexico. He knew that the controversy of outing has faded as acceptance of people based on sexual orientation is rising. Rutka reveals that Eddie initially believed his lover was dead, and that John was the one who planted the mud flap where Strachey could find it. Donald is outraged at the deception, until Rutka reveals that he too was a victim of McFee's molestation, starting when John was only 9. Donald protests that regardless of the sex abuse cover-up, Morgan will go to prison for a murder that he did not commit. Rutka agrees that Strachey can tell the authorities that he saw him still alive, and exonerate him for that part of his sentence. Donald wavers from his determination to turn Rutka in for his crimes, but before he allows the couple to leave the country, he follows-up on a throwaway comment Rutka made earlier. Rutka reveals that he had a file on Strachey, a former Sergeant in the U.S. military, who had to leave the service with an honorable discharge when his sexual orientation was revealedat the expense of the lieutenant he was caught in bed with, who received a much more severe punishment as the scapegoat of the two.Rutka is allowed to leave the country. Donald and Timmy realize how much insight on the complexities of lifeand peoplethis experience has given them, and they conclude that life is not as black and white as both of them previously thought. This doesn't stop them from toasting their new perspectiveand their now finished fireplaceby performing the one act of absolute good they are still sure ofthe destruction of Rutka's file on Strachey.

Tags: neo noir, murder

Review:
Masterful gay detective movie with a good ending.
I'm used to seeing under-achieving gay movies, with laughable acting, unbelievable writing and downright bad directing.
It was a good match.Thank you and congratulations to Chad Alan, Sebastian Spence, Ron Oliver, and Mark Saltzman..
This is one of the most satisfying "gay" films I've seen since "Beautiful Thing," and one of the best mystery-married pairings since John and Sherlock, or should I say Nick and Nora.
It's the story of Donald Strachey, tough guy P.I. with a shady past and a sweet tooth for guy pal Sebastian Spence.
It's a good story, not a great one, with a sultry jazz score and topical references to such controversial subjects as celebrity outing and pedophiliac priests.
What makes it work is the unconventional casting of Chad Allen (who is gay himself, but doesn't look it--although one character dubs him "Nancy-boy Drew") as Strachey, who just happens to be very happily married to Timothy (played by Sebastian Spence, who is apparently straight, and maybe that's why his character overdoes the nelly a bit).
Allen, as Strachey, is developing very nicely as an actor, and he's more interesting looking now than he ever was as a child.
Apart from the rather pedestrian direction (by Ron Oliver) and a couple of too obvious twists in the plot, "Third Man" is entertaining throughout..
Chad Allen is perfectly cast as Donald Strachey, a slightly haggard and totally "out" gay PI who lives with his Brooks Brothers hubby, Timmy (played by Sebastian Spence).
Set in Albany, New York, of all places, Strachey investigates the attempted murder of gay activist John Rutka (Jack Wetherall), who has made enemies by "outing" still-in-the-closet VIPs.The film's final ten minutes transform what had been a mildly interesting story into a blockbuster whodunit that even Agatha Christie would be proud of.
This is the kind of film you have to stay with, to appreciate its significance.Apart from the great story, "Third Man Out" exudes a classy, cosmo-chic style, reminiscent of 1940's crime noir, by way of the sultry jazz sounds of "In Heat, In Love" and "Martinis By Moonlight".
And some of the dialogue sparkles: "You know, I'm starting to wonder if maybe life isn't always so black and white, in Kansas maybe, but not here in Emerald City".Despite a slightly tangled plot, "Third Man Out" is a terrific film that can be enjoyed by viewers, gay or straight, who revel in stylistic murder mysteries..
Great Gay-Themed Film Noir.
This very watchable and super enjoyable gay themed detective film shows how much one can do on a more limited budget when a cast and crew have talent and vision.
The story follows the investigation of an attempted murder and subsequent events by gay private detective Donald Strachey, played with perfection by a very sexy, very hot Chad Allen.
Part of the reason for Chad Allen's superb performance is his natural ease and great comfort with himself and his character.
The film follows his character through a series of events filled with lots of twists and surprises that will satisfy any mystery/private detective connossuer.
The mystery is revealed with great care and would make any mystery writer proud and the relationship storyline with Chad Allen and Sebastian Spence is treated with great respect, ease and much humor.
It's great to see Jack Wetherall, from Queer As Folk, in a pivotal role in this film and he does a fantastic job here as the character much of the story revolves around.
Third Man Out is the first in a series of films about the investigations of Donald Strachey - and that's great news.
It's a credit to Chad Allen, Ron Oliver, and a very talented cast and crew who've already made this series a big success!.
The gay private eye thriller Third Man Out is, hopefully, the first of a new film genre that I'll dub "Queer-Noir".
Third Man's plot may be a bit serpentine and it's dialogue stretched at the corners to cover maximum political ground, but Chad Allen's nuanced and sexily hard-boiled performance easily compensates for these shortcomings.
As Private Eye Donald Strachey, Allen comes off as Spenser crossed with Columbo with a dash of Brian Kinney tossed into this enticing mix.Though Ron Oliver's direction isn't flashy, it's very appropriate for a noir flick set in Albany.
Like Richard Stevenson's books--on the pages of which Donald Strachey was conceived--this film is about character and concept and the tension between these two dramatic elements.
A perfect synthesis of these two influences, Third Man Out gives us a detective who shares waltzes and moonlight martinis with his hubby, drives a banged up Toyota Tercel and can lay bad guys flat with an unsparing right hook.Third Man's production values are outstanding for a cable film.
network, as so many well intentioned films go astray when they aim for glitzy settings and end up with cheap Canadian photocopies.The only flaws worth citing were: a couple of actor Sebastian Spence's scenes (during which he portrays Donald Strachey's husband as a cross between C3PO and Uncle Arthur from Bewitched) and a heavy-handed score (with good feature songs that are sandbagged by some very obtrusive "tension and suspense" instrumentals).What most delighted me about Third Man was the thrill of watching a genuine and polished noir flick which was, in every respect, thoroughly but naturally queer.
It's a well executed, enjoyable film about a hard-boiled detective who wears bad ties and breaks out in a blushing grin when his boyfriend kisses him on the cheek..
I just saw this video, and was impressed heaps with the story, a good detective vid, and the actors, for the most part.
I kept thinking, that if we could accept a good mystery/detective show, with a lead that was gay, Chad could carry it off.
Ron Oliver is to be commended for bringing this first story from the Donald Strachey Mysteries by Richard Stevenson (screenplay by Mark Saltzman) to the screen.
This first story is so well written, directed, acted and filmed that it can only give us hope that the other novels in the Donald Strachey series will be forthcoming.The story is a modern detective story that takes place in Albany, New York and is complete with realistic characters, a fine plot well paced, and a number of twists and turns that keep the audience not only entertained but glued to the screen.
The difference, here, is that the detective Strachey (Chad Allen in an impressive performance) happens to be a gay man, well adjusted, living with his wholesome and tender partner Timmy (Sebastian Spence).
The action involves a gay activist John Rutka (Jack Wetherall) with a penchant for outing political figures whose agenda is not friendly to the community.
The plots thickens and surprises are everywhere just as good detective mysteries should have.
But along the way the film takes the time to make some cogent statements about the clergy and politicians and other significant matters that raises this movie to a fine level of social consciousness.The cast is excellent and the love scenes are beautifully presented.
The film includes a superb featurette with Ron Oliver discussing how the film made it to the screen and includes for once some healthy conversation from openly gay actors who are enlightened about their roles.
Though obviously a 'gay film', the story and production are so strong that any audience will find this a fine mystery!
The plot has as many twists as an Agatha mystery novel, constantly keeping you guessing, and pulling the rug out from under you when you think you have finally figured it all out.
The protagonist, Chad Allen as private eye Donald Strachey is neither tough nor particularly intelligent, though his body ripples.
Based on the novel by Richard Stevenson, "Third Man Out" presents a flawed but interesting mystery.
Where gays have often been presented as flat characters in mysteries, and only as either victims or villains, "Third Man Out" attempts to show a broader picture of being gay while also revealing the seedy underside of the "normal" heterosexual community.
There are some weak points in the plot as the film attempts to hide from the viewer who is responsible for the threats, and a few minor characters don't seem invested in the movie.
However, I think Chad Allen and Jack Wetherall portray their characters well, and make the movie a worthwhile viewing experience..
Chad Allen has charm and chops to spare, and Spence is endearing but for the most part they are horribly hindered by an unimaginative and hackneyed script and a host of wooden performances.Big shame...Here's hoping if Joseph Hansen's Brandstetter series ever reaches the screen (small or large), it'll be better than this..
The lead actor is gay, and he and his lover do a great job as showing gay men, as everyday normal people.
Which would be worse if you're a gay detective based in Albany, New York...slugged in the kisser by an irate blonde who doesn't care for the photos you took of her husband or being called "Nancy-boy Drew" by the corrupt and catty manager of a hotel who secretly films the doings of some of the guests?
Donald Strachey (Chad Allen) doesn't much care for either, but this is nothing compared to what he is about to get involved in.
From Rutka's files, Strachey identifies Ronnie Linklater, the host and star of a hugely popular children's television show who enjoys using his hand-puppets in unusual ways; Bruno Slinger, a powerful, anti-gay Congressman who thinks B&D without a little pain for his partner is for sissies; and a person Rutka identified only as "the ultimate hypocrite." From there, Strachey doggedly goes through piles of Rutka's documents, financial records and computer files.
Third Man Out is the first of what may be a series of Canadian cable movies featuring Chad Allen as Donald Strachey.
It seemed to me that with Third Man Out, director and writer Ron Oliver was still in the process of finding the right balance between message and mystery.
Oliver and Allen deal with a lot of issues here, some head on, some in passing, everything from hypocrisy, AIDs and the costs of AIDs medicine, the ethics of outing, gay relationships and on and on.
For readers, the Donald Strachey mysteries by Richard Stevenson, all eight of them, are worth buying.
How this gay detective "made for TV" film ever came into existence is the REAL mystery here.
Chad Allen as the lead is probably the best actor in this piece, which frankly says a lot.
Overall, the high production values (once again, think "Murder She Wrote") and overall polish make it palatable for someone who is into gay-themed movies and wants to kill some time with a little brain-candy..
Third Man Out is the first of four films and thirteen novels that tell the story of Donald Strachey, a gay private investigator, living in upstate New York.
The first film is actually the fourth novel in the series by Richard Lipez, and shows Strachey is an impossible situation.
The Detective is hired by John Rutka (Jack Wetherall) a gay extremist, who runs a website that is actually devoted to outing celebrities.
Strachey loaths the man and doesn't believe his story, but reluctantly agrees to protect him for a large payday.
I have no problem with a gay detective working within the gay community, in fact, I think it's a great twist in the classic mystery genre.
That being said, the movie features a gay actor, on a gay network, married to a man.
Third Man Out features a great twist in a classic who-done-it story, the acting is solid, the writing is terrific, and once it gets going, it's a very compelling story.
Chad Allen made his debut as Donald Strachey, openly gay detective based in Albany, New York in Third Man Out. Allen is hired by Jack Weatherell noted gay blogger whose specialty is outing closeted gays, especially those in conservative clothing.
But in 2005 Allen as Strachey is still coming to grips with his feelings on the subject as is his partner Sebastian Spence.Later on murder does occur and Allen zeroes in on three really good suspects, a Republican Congressman, a closeted gay children's show host and none other than Roman Catholic Bishop of the Albany diocese.
I do like Allen in this role very much and I wish I had seen this film first as it sets up characters and situations in the two succeeding Strachey films I saw before Third Man Out. Allen is completely in the pulp fiction tradition of Sam Spade and Philip Marlowe.
A young man who loses his job in this film because of what Allen does in his former boss's office in his search for the truth is later hired and becomes his secretary/receptionist.
The love is strong because he takes a pass on Matthew Rush, gay male porn star who plays one in this film and in which we get to see exactly what Strachey passes on.
Married or unmarried fidelity as the case may be is NOT in the Spillane, Chandler or Hammett tradition.Third Man Out is a well made film, shot in Toronto and Vancouver, which don't look a bit like Albany and has a real novel twist at the end..
Yes, the characters at time seem overly sweet, but that's against the sarcasm and one-upmanship we come to accept as normal in gay society.
Presented with a case he's torn between doing the right thing, either refusing to work for a gay man who he finds fanatical and who tends to ruin lives - or put himself and his lover in danger by pursuing "the bad guys"Dashiell Hammett has been dead for years, there'll be no more Nick Charles stories, but Richard Stevenson's Donald Strachey is a refreshing twist especially considering Strachey and his partner aren't some tedious twinky 20-somethings, and the film was done as a homage to Film Noir and has some nice romantic touches.
What better and more normal casting than to have an openly gay man play an openly gay character.
With a terrific actor like Chad Allen, the story and direction has a natural flow to it.
This I tribute to not only a wonderful scenario by Mark Saltzman, adapted from the gay detective series written by Richard Stevenson, but an excellent supporting cast backing up Allen's natural and genuine performance.Sebastian Spence plays his other half.
In supporting roles there is Jack Wetherall, from QAF, playing a ruthless gay outer in the political fields.
Handsome well built Woody Jeffreys plays his lover and worth watching; the delightful Sean Young in a very small role; David Palffy as a not so nice guy, out to settle the score with Allen; Daryl Shuttleworth, as a cop who works with Allen eventually in finding the answers to a murder; Nelson Wong in a small role as a hotel clerk who eventually becomes part of the Starchey team in latter films; Rob deLeeuw in a small role as a puppeteer with a dark past and finally the one and only porn star, Matthew Rush, playing, guess what?
This film is about a gay detective who is hired to investigate the death of a gay activist.I can hardly believe that "Third Man Out" is a made for TV film.
It is rare to see a mystery film with a great plot.
It is also refreshing to see Donald Strachey and Timmy Callahan as wholesome characters.
QUINN, MEDICINE WOMAN) and Sebastian Spence (the Sci-Fi Channel series FIRST WAVE).Allen stars as Stevenson hero Donald Strachey, an openly gay P.I. with the hard-boiled, streetwise demeanor you'd expect from any gumshoe worth his weight in pictures of cheating spouses, and whose main soft spot is his love for husband Timmy (Spence), who works as the chief aide for a Senator.
THIRD MAN finds Strachey involved with the case of a muck-raking gay journalist named John Rutka (Jack Wetherall - "Uncle Vic" from the series QUEER AS FOLK), whose specialty is outing prominent figures in politics and entertainment whose actions and beliefs are detrimental to the gay community.
The only problem is that the reliance on this aspect gets a little heavy-handed at times, even preachy (Wetherall has his work cut out for him, making Rutka's speeches about outing hypocritical power players sound justified without careening into crazed zealotry, but he manages well.) What keeps the movie entertaining is the banter and the obviously loving relationship between Don and Timmy, (whose portrayal as kind of a gay "Nick and Nora Charles" is 100% intentional.) None of the "mystery" would even be very engaging if they didn't work, and the two actors are great together, making me want to see more from them.
(Fortunately, there's another movie and many more books to film as well.)The supporting cast besides Wetherall aren't bad, and Sean Young appears in a cameo where she's not exactly wasted, but one wished her role had been much larger.
The target audience for this movie becomes more than apparent by the casting of Falcon porn-god Matthew Rush as a C.I. of Strachey's.
- a snag that hamstrings many North American productions, but definitely more of those films of the lower-budget variety.Director Ron Oliver still plays it smart by concentrating on the more 'noir-ish' aspects of the drama, and the appealing chemistry of the cutest gay couple in crime-solving.
A gay detective story ..
I didn't know that the time has come for a gay take on a detective story that has been a traditional straight domain.
My likes: the normalcy of the gay setting; the way the plot twists are paced so that you never expect the final turn (this being a book adaptation); Allen performing like a seasoned PI who has been there and done that but with a hint of a checkered past that hopefully will surface in the next installment (there are plans for a series).