This in itself was a victory, even if the portrayal was far from ideal. One of the world's most famous actors was playing a gay man onscreen. Oh, the compassion! The generosity! Uplifting gay stories will soon be everywhere, fantasised the western world's queer scene, readjusting their rainbow-dyed parachute pants. Here was lovable Tommy Hanks putting a human face to America's gay community, and even daring to play a man with HIV. When Tom Hanks won an Oscar in 1993 for his role in Philadelphia (guess what happens to his character?), the whole landscape of gay representation was supposed to change.
It is a film that reminds viewers that any deviancy from heterosexuality will ultimately result in death by suicide, murder or Aids. It is, like Milk, The Hours, Brokeback Mountain, Black Swan, A Single Man, Monster etc, etc, a film about an lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender character who suffers and dies. But in other ways, Behind the Candelabra very much represents the perpetuation of the status quo. In regards to funding and distribution, he may be right.
