Jeffrey *** (1995, Steven Weber, Michael T Weiss, Patrick Stewart) – Classic Movie Review 5687

Director Christopher Ashley’s poignant and funny 1995 gay romantic comedy stars Steven Weber as Jeffrey and Michael T Weiss as Steve, and is based on Paul Rudnick’s play about the life and times of Richard Jeffrey, with Rudnick writing his own screenplay. An unexpectedly cast Patrick Stewart gilds the lily in an extravagant co-starring turn as Sterling, an older gay decorator whose partner, Darius (Bryan Batt), dies of complications from AIDS.

It features welcome cameos by Olympia Dukakis as Mrs Marcangelo, Victor Garber as Tim, Gregory Jbara as as Angelique, Robert Klein as Skip Winkley, Nathan Lane as Father Dan, Camryn Manheim, Kathy Najimy as Acolyte, Kevin Nealon, Ethan Phillips, and Sigourney Weaver as Debra Moorehouse.

Also Christine Baranski has a memorable cameo as as Ann Marwood Bartle, the socialite hostess of a fundraiser that Jeffrey’s imagines as a cater-waiter hoedown orgy. Debra Monk and Peter Maloney play Mom and Dad.

Young gay Manhattanite Jeffrey meets the hunky and charismatic HIV positive Steve just after he’s sworn off sex because of the AIDS crisis. Fond of talking to the camera, Jeffrey explains that his main fear is that he will fall in love with a boyfriend who is bound to die. Giving an appealing and charming performance, Weber is excellent as Jeffrey.

Christopher Ashley also directed the play, produced off-Broadway in 1993 at the WPA Theater, with John Michael Higgins (Jeffrey), Tom Hewitt (Steve), Edward Hibbert (Sterling) and Bryan Batt (Darius). Ashley didn’t direct another film till Lucky Stiff in 2014.

Paul Rudnick is the writer of Sister Act (1992), Addams Family Values (1993), In & Out, Isn’t She Great and The Stepford Wives (2004). He writes a satirical film column for Premiere magazine as Libby Gelman-Waxner.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 5687

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com