This movie chronicles the first years of the AIDS epidemic as experienced by several gay men. It's a drama about the interconnected lives of 7 gays in NYC in the early 1980's, and takes an unflinching look at the reality of the disease. The film is organized into sections by dates. On July 3, 1981, Willy (Campbell Scott) a personal trainer, and his friend John (Mulroney) spend time with rich gay couple David (Bruce Davison) and Sean (Mark Lamos) at their house on Fire Island for the 4th of July. Sean is a screenwriter and David has a large trust fund. Back in the city, Howard (Patrick Cassidy) prepares to audition for Sean's soap opera show. His boyfriend is Paul (John Dossett) and their next-door neighbor is Lisa (Mary-Louise Parker), who is also friends with Fuzzy (Stephen Caffrey), a lawyer who represents Howard. The New York Times publishes its first article about the rise of a new "gay cancer." Howard gets the role.
On April 30, 1982, John is the first among the group to be diagnosed with the new disease, contracting pneumonia. Howard is given a script in which his character is the first openly gay character on daytime television. He's concerned about typecasting, fearing that he won't be offered non-gay roles in the future. Willy and Fuzzy move in together and John dies shortly after his admission to the hospital.
On June 17, 1983, Willy, Fuzzy, Lisa, David and Sean gather back on Fire Island with friends Michael and Bob to watch Howard's character come out on the soap opera. The group also discuss a sick neighbor who has become a pariah on the island. That evening, Sean and David argue over Sean's fears that he's going to get sick.
On September 7, 1984, Paul is hospitalized with toxoplasmosis. Sean is also hospitalized. Willy visits Sean and dons a surgical mask and protective gown. When Sean kisses him on the neck, he goes to the washroom to clean the spot. Michael is also visiting Sean, bringing with him homeopathic remedies and a book by Louise Hay. Howard visits Paul and breaks down sobbing.
On March 22, 1985, Sean has deteriorated to the point of dementia. David is deceiving the studio into thinking that Sean is still able to work. Fuzzy tries to get Howard a movie role but the producer refuses to cast him because of a rumor that he has AIDS. Paul is back in the hospital following a seizure. David takes Sean for a walk but has to take him home when Sean urinates in a fountain. That night Willy catches Fuzzy checking himself for swollen glands and they talk about their fear of dying. "What do you think happens when we die?" Fuzzy asks. "We get to have sex again", Willy replies.
On January 4, 1986, Sean has deteriorated and is in constant pain. David sits with Sean and tells him that it's all right to let go, and Sean dies. Willy and Lisa come by to help David and they pick out a suit for Sean to wear to be cremated. Fuzzy calls Gay Men's Health Crisis to find a funeral home. In a moment of levity, Lisa and Willy stumble across a dress in Sean's closet and consider giving it to the undertaker. "What could they say", asks Willy, "if we said we knew him and we knew that's the way he wanted to be remembered?" They decide against it, since "it needs a hat". The four write Sean's obituary and include David as his "longtime companion".
On May 16, 1987, David dies and this is the day of his memorial service. Bob and Willy eulogize him. On September 10, 1988, Fuzzy and Lisa volunteer answering phones at GMHC. Willy is a "buddy" to a GMHC client, Alberto (Michael Carmine). Howard has been diagnosed as being HIV positive. Presumably Paul has died. Howard exploits his fame as a former soap opera star to raise money for AIDS' causes by hosting a benefit which includes a performance of the Village People song "YMCA".
On July 19, 1989, Willy, Fuzzy and Lisa walk along the beach. Presumably Howard has died. They talk about an upcoming "ACT UP" demonstration, and remember a time before AIDS and wonder about finding a cure. The film ends with a brief fantasy sequence, with the friends and others lost to AIDS appearing with them on the beach, before they disappear and the three are left to walk off the deserted beach while the song "Post-Mortem Bar" by Zane Campbell plays on the soundtrack.
"Longtime Companion" was the first narrative film to put a human face on the AIDS epidemic. The film takes its title from the words The New York Times used to describe the surviving same-sex partner of someone who had died of AIDS. The film was criticized by some at the time for focusing almost exclusively on white gay men. Only one character with AIDS, Alberto, is a person of color, and he appears only briefly. Madonna disparaged it as an arthouse movie that nobody saw. Original music is by Greg De Belles. Craig Lucas wrote the screenplay from his own stage play. Norman René directed.
On April 30, 1982, John is the first among the group to be diagnosed with the new disease, contracting pneumonia. Howard is given a script in which his character is the first openly gay character on daytime television. He's concerned about typecasting, fearing that he won't be offered non-gay roles in the future. Willy and Fuzzy move in together and John dies shortly after his admission to the hospital.
On June 17, 1983, Willy, Fuzzy, Lisa, David and Sean gather back on Fire Island with friends Michael and Bob to watch Howard's character come out on the soap opera. The group also discuss a sick neighbor who has become a pariah on the island. That evening, Sean and David argue over Sean's fears that he's going to get sick.
On September 7, 1984, Paul is hospitalized with toxoplasmosis. Sean is also hospitalized. Willy visits Sean and dons a surgical mask and protective gown. When Sean kisses him on the neck, he goes to the washroom to clean the spot. Michael is also visiting Sean, bringing with him homeopathic remedies and a book by Louise Hay. Howard visits Paul and breaks down sobbing.
On March 22, 1985, Sean has deteriorated to the point of dementia. David is deceiving the studio into thinking that Sean is still able to work. Fuzzy tries to get Howard a movie role but the producer refuses to cast him because of a rumor that he has AIDS. Paul is back in the hospital following a seizure. David takes Sean for a walk but has to take him home when Sean urinates in a fountain. That night Willy catches Fuzzy checking himself for swollen glands and they talk about their fear of dying. "What do you think happens when we die?" Fuzzy asks. "We get to have sex again", Willy replies.
On January 4, 1986, Sean has deteriorated and is in constant pain. David sits with Sean and tells him that it's all right to let go, and Sean dies. Willy and Lisa come by to help David and they pick out a suit for Sean to wear to be cremated. Fuzzy calls Gay Men's Health Crisis to find a funeral home. In a moment of levity, Lisa and Willy stumble across a dress in Sean's closet and consider giving it to the undertaker. "What could they say", asks Willy, "if we said we knew him and we knew that's the way he wanted to be remembered?" They decide against it, since "it needs a hat". The four write Sean's obituary and include David as his "longtime companion".
On May 16, 1987, David dies and this is the day of his memorial service. Bob and Willy eulogize him. On September 10, 1988, Fuzzy and Lisa volunteer answering phones at GMHC. Willy is a "buddy" to a GMHC client, Alberto (Michael Carmine). Howard has been diagnosed as being HIV positive. Presumably Paul has died. Howard exploits his fame as a former soap opera star to raise money for AIDS' causes by hosting a benefit which includes a performance of the Village People song "YMCA".
On July 19, 1989, Willy, Fuzzy and Lisa walk along the beach. Presumably Howard has died. They talk about an upcoming "ACT UP" demonstration, and remember a time before AIDS and wonder about finding a cure. The film ends with a brief fantasy sequence, with the friends and others lost to AIDS appearing with them on the beach, before they disappear and the three are left to walk off the deserted beach while the song "Post-Mortem Bar" by Zane Campbell plays on the soundtrack.
"Longtime Companion" was the first narrative film to put a human face on the AIDS epidemic. The film takes its title from the words The New York Times used to describe the surviving same-sex partner of someone who had died of AIDS. The film was criticized by some at the time for focusing almost exclusively on white gay men. Only one character with AIDS, Alberto, is a person of color, and he appears only briefly. Madonna disparaged it as an arthouse movie that nobody saw. Original music is by Greg De Belles. Craig Lucas wrote the screenplay from his own stage play. Norman René directed.
