Hollow Reed (1996)

Hannah Wyatt (Joely Richardson) is a single mother who lives with her 9 year-old son Oliver (Sam Bould) and her architect boyfriend Frank Donally (Jason Flemyng). Hannah was married to Dr. Martyn Wyatt (Martin Donovan), but their relationship ended when Martyn acknowledged his homosexuality and left her to move in with his lover, Tom Dixon (Ian Hart). Oliver has suffered several injuries in recent months, and one day Hannah comes home from work to discover that Frank has severely wounded Oliver's hand when he lashed out with violence over some minor misbehavior. Hannah kicks Frank out of the house. But he returns, begging forgiveness and promises he'll never hurt Oliver again. She takes him back. Oliver is neither cute and precocious, nor too obviously traumatised. Martyn learns of Frank's violence against his son, and he sues to have full custody of Oliver for the sake of the child's safety. However, Hannah is terrified of both losing her son and being left without a man in her life. She and Frank join forces in court against Martyn, using his homosexuality as their chief weapon against him and try to poison Oliver's mind with homophobia against his father.

This tense domestic drama about child abuse and anti-gay prejudice features a good script and good acting. It's a British film made for Channel Four TV that is complex, intelligent, and emotionally charged, with one of the most convincing trial scenes on film. The soundtrack features selections recorded for the film by Elvis Costello, Annie Lennox, and Paul Weller, with incidental music composed by Anne Dudley. Paula Milne wrote the script from Neville Bolt's story. Angela Pope directed.

Querelle (1982)

Handsome French sailor and prostitute Georges Querelle (Brad Davis) is under the command of Lt. Seblon (Franco Nero), who desires him from afar. After arriving in Brest on Le Vengeur, Querelle murders his drug-smuggling partner Vic (Dieter Schidor) and begins visiting a notorious brothel, La Feria. He discovers that his brother Robert (Hanno Pöschl) is the lover of the lady owner, Lysiane (Jeanne Moreau). The brothers meet with a bizarre greeting halfway between a hug and a fighting match. Lysiane's husband Gil Nono (also Hanno Pöschl) tends bar and manages La Feria's underhanded affairs with the assistance of his friend, the corrupt police captain Mario (Burkhard Driest). Querelle plays dice with Nono. If he wins, he is allowed to make love to Lysiane, if he loses, he has to make love with Nono. Querelle deliberately loses, and finds he has a taste for passive gay sex. He falls in love with fellow murderer Nono, who killed a man who publicly insulted his manhood. To keep Nono for himself, Querelle betrays him to the police. But by now Querelle has become vulnerable and soon he belongs to Seblon. Wanted by the police for both his own crime and Querelle's, Nono goes on the lam. Querelle soon finds his hideout, and a strong bond develops between the two murderers--a friendship that will lead Querelle to the greatest love, and the greatest treachery, of his life. Seblon is aware that Querelle murdered Vic, but chooses to protect him. Near the end of the film, Seblon reveals his love and concern to a drunken Querelle, and they kiss and embrace before returning to Le Vengeur.

Director Rainer Werner Fassbinder was in the process of editing "Querelle" when he died of a drug overdose in June 1982. It was his 36th film. Faithfully adapted from Jean Genet's 1947 novel, "Querelle de Brest", Fassbinder considered it his most important film. The documentary "The Wizard of Babylon" partly chronicles the production of "Querelle" and includes the last footage taken of Fassbinder before his death. Peer Raben comosed the music, and the screenplay derived from Genet was written by Burkhard Driest and Fassbinder. The movie is also known as "Querelle--a Pact with the Devil" and "Querelly--ein Pakt mit dem Teufel".