The Lost Language of Cranes ***½ (1991, Brian Cox, Eileen Atkins, Angus Macfadyen, Corey Parker) – Classic Movie Review 10,725

Nigel Finch’s 1991 British drama film The Lost Language of Cranes is a revealing, frank and moving version of David Leavitt’s novel, meticulously played, especially by the remarkable Brian Cox. In the US, it was censored and even then banned by some PBS stations.

Director Nigel Finch’s 1991 British made-for-TV drama film The Lost Language of Cranes is a revealing, frank and moving version of David Leavitt’s 1986 novel, meticulously played, especially by the remarkable Brian Cox.

When young gay man (Angus Macfadyen) decides to come out to his middle-class parents, what he doesn’t know is that his university teacher father (Brian Cox) had been denying his homosexuality too. Despite his love for his book editor wife (Eileen Atkins), dad sets out on his own rewarding journey of discovery. Writer Sean Mathias makes a sensitive, intelligent job of the screenplay, bringing out the book’s characters and themes expertly, and there is plenty of food for thought and discussion.

John Schlesinger and René Auberjonois appear as a gay couple visiting from Long Island. Also in the cast are Corey Parker, Cathy Tyson, Richard Warwick, Nicholas Le Prevost, Ben Daniels, Nigel Whitmey, Frank Middlemass, Edmund Kente, Adam Matalon, and Ben McVeigh.

The Lost Language of Cranes is directed by Nigel Finch, runs 90 minutes, is made by BBC and 13-WNET, is released on BBC2, is written by Nigel Finch, based on David Leavitt’s novel, is shot by Remi Adefarasin, is produced by Ruth Caleb, and is scored by Julian Wastall.

It premiered at the London Film Festival on 14 October 1991.

Produced by the BBC for its Screen Two series of films, it aired on BBC2 TV on 9 February 1992.

Cox was nominated for a British Academy Television Award as Best Actor.

PBS was coming under fire by conservative groups for presenting homosexuality and nudity. When it was shown on TV in the US on PBS on 24 June 1992 as part of Great Performances, it was edited using alternative takes. Producer Ruth Caleb said that in the American version there is no frontal nudity, the actors are semi-clothed, and a scene in a porn cinema is edited.

After an outcry by the Rev Donald Wildmon and his American Family Association, PBS stations such as WFYI in Indianapolis, WMFE in Orlando, KEDT in Corpus Christi, and KMBH in Harlingen, Texas, refused to show the film. Texaco chose not to renew its underwriting for Great Performances right before the TV premiere of Cranes.

The uncensored version is available on Region 1 DVD in the US and on Region 2 DVD in the Netherlands. Along with most Screen Two films, it has not been released on home video in the UK.

The cast are Brian Cox as Owen, Angus Macfadyen as Philip, Eileen Atkins as Rose, Corey Parker as Elliot, Richard Warwick as Frank, Cathy Tyson as Jerene, René Auberjonois as Geoffrey, John Schlesinger as Derek, Ben Daniels as Robin, Nigel Whitmey as Winston, Nicholas Le Prevost, Frank Middlemass, Edmund Kente, Adam Matalon, and Ben McVeigh.

René Auberjonois (June 1, 1940 – December 8, 2019).

 © Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 10,725

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