This film is about the intertwined lives of 8 middle-aged gay men who share 3 summer holiday week-ends (Memorial Day, the Fourth of July, and Labor Day) in a large house two hours north of NYC. Set at a lakeside in Dutchess County, the men relax, reflect, and make plans. The house belongs to Gregory Mitchell (Stephen Bogardus), a choreographer, and his twenty-something lover, Bobby Brahms (Justin Kirk), who is blind. Each of the guests is connected to Gregory’s work in one way or another. Arthur Pape (John Benjamin Hickey) and longtime partner Perry Sellars (Stephen Spinella) are business consultants. John Jeckyll (John Glover), a sour Englishman, is a dance accompanist. Musical theater fanatic Buzz Hauser (Jason Alexander) is a costume designer and the most stereotypically gay man in the group. Buzz is HIV-positive, but refuses to discuss this with his friends. Only John's summer lover, Ramon Fornos (Randy Becker), and John's twin brother James (John Glover), who has AIDS, are outside the circle of friends. But Ramon is outgoing and eventually makes a place for himself in the group, and James is such a nice guy that he is quickly welcomed. Romance, aging, infidelity, flirtations, soul-searching, AIDS, truth-telling and skinny-dipping mix questions about life and death with a dress rehearsal for Swan Lake performed in drag.
Writer Terrence McNally adapted his Broadway stage play for this film. The script underwent many changes, eliminating almost all direct addresses to the audience and the conclusion of one of the subplots. McNally reunited the original cast, with the exceptions of Nathan Lane and Anthony Heald. Jason Alexander stepped in for Lane and Stephen Spinella replaced Heald. Directed by Joe Mantello, who also directed the original New York stage production.
Writer Terrence McNally adapted his Broadway stage play for this film. The script underwent many changes, eliminating almost all direct addresses to the audience and the conclusion of one of the subplots. McNally reunited the original cast, with the exceptions of Nathan Lane and Anthony Heald. Jason Alexander stepped in for Lane and Stephen Spinella replaced Heald. Directed by Joe Mantello, who also directed the original New York stage production.
