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| Eusebio Poncela (left) and Antonio Banderas in Law of Desire |
Law of Desire
(1987)
The golden age of gay male sex in film came to an end in 1987, but not before the U.S. release of two foreign films. One was Pedro Almodovar’s Law of Desire, starring a youthful Antonio Banderas, who plays a jealous young man sexually obsessed with a film director. In sharp contrast to the romantic glow of Maurice, Almodovar’s characters are deeply flawed, their lives disastrous, and the film not only doesn't end happily, it couldn't possibly end happily.
This was the first Almodovar film to really make a huge international splash, and while reviews were mostly good, it’s only now, 20 years later, that the plea at its heart, for everyone to be themselves and specifically against living a sexually closeted existence, stands out most clearly. It’s also notable for a very sexually explicit performance by Banderas, which contrasts sharply with his sexless characterization of Tom Hanks’ lover in Philadelphia, an American film released six years later.
Hotness: 7
Romance: 5
Significance: 8
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