The Lost Language of Cranes (1991) User Reviews

The Lost Language of Cranes

[Prismark10 · 7/10 · 23 May 2023]

The film opens with a shot of cranes. Jerene Parks (Cathy Tyson) is a Phd student who is researching the language development of a pair of twins. They had their own way of communicating before social workers forced them to learn English.

Philip (Angus MacFadyen) is a young gay man with an American boyfriend Elliot (Corey Parker.) His father Owen (Brian Cox) is a university lecturer married to Rose (Eileen Atkins) a literary editor who need to find a new home soon. Their landlord wants his flat back. It is a sign of shaky foundations.

Owen is a closet gay man who visits gay porn cinemas. When Philip finally comes out to his parents, it stirs something in Owen. He wants to learn from his son, the language of gay people. The signals of spotting a gay man. Owen also wants to come out of the closet to his wife, who already disapproves of Philip's sexuality.

Directed by Nigel Finch. The film came out when homophobia was rife from the then Tory government. Brian Cox felt the movie had something important to say when asked why he took the role. It is about a man who learns the need to be honest to himself and to his family.

For actor Angus MacFadyen, now better known on US television, this was one of his first roles. Looking back at it now, the movie has several gay actors. Ben Daniels, John Schlesinger, Frank Middlemass.

Made for the BBC Screen 2 strand. This is a low key but important film in 90s queer cinema.

A dark, deep film

[flowerboy · 9/10 · 28 April 2012]

I read the book way back in the 80s and I had heard it had been made into a movie. But it was only recently that I decided to look for it on the internet -- and voilà -- it was still there, just about alive. Yes, the film seems a little jaded after all these years, but I think it's a classic. Set in London in the 90s, it's about an intellectual middle class family (mother is a book editor, father a university teacher, son is (I think) a writer). The story was novel enough when the book came out. It was about a son coming out to his parents, thereby creating turmoil in the life of his father, who has been a closet gay all his life, furtively setting it off in porno theaters. The son's openly gay lifestyle is contrasted with the furtive lifestyle of the father. The best part of the movie and book, is the time the author and director gives to exploring the feelings of outrage of the mother. This is not a feel-good kind of movie but it will stay with you for a long time after you've seen it.

One of those unseen gems coming from TV

[cifra2 · 9/10 · 17 January 2012]

The less I say about this, the better. I will just say that it is powerful, touching and moved by two extremely powerful performances by Brian Cox and Eileen Atkins, that, had this been a feature film, probably would have easily taken the BAFTA and would have had a strong chance at the Oscars.

Don't expect safe filmmaking or themes, it's a hidden treasure. Whether you like it or not in the end, for sure it won't let you indifferent. One of my favorite TV-Movies of all time, and one that should have been released theatrically. Of noting, also, John Schlesinger making a cameo appearance (which hints how important the film themes are, so Schlesinger would get in front of the cameras for a small role, hopefully raising some extra attention to the film).

Highest Caliber Gay Cinema

[Coralknight · 9/10 · 17 October 2017]

In an age before "Will and Grace" that few people born after 2000 will understand, the "Lost Language of the Cranes" deals with the decision whether or not to come out of the closet as gay, given the ramifications and potential hostility from family, friends and society as a whole. The film centers around a family, namely its patriarch, who from the very beginning is revealed as a closet homosexual. From the interactions with his wife and son, we see there is an underlying, unspoken tension between all the characters in typical British "stiff upper lip" fashion. When the son comes out to his parents, neither take the news particularly well. As the story progresses, his mother comes to a kind of detente, while his father eerily appears to attempt to relive his youth through his son. The brilliance of this story is the inter-working theme of communication throughout, and how sometimes someone is trying to tell you something important in every way possible...except verbally. I seriously don't understand why this has not become a cult classic, especially given the time in which it was produced, as even today it is miles ahead of most gay cinema around.

Nothing to do with cranes, but a very good movie

[stef-decloe · 9/10 · 1 November 2012]

I was expecting some mystery, but this movie, "The Lost Language Of Cranes", is not that kind of movie.

It has nothing to do with some lost language, and even less with cranes. But I can understand why the makers of this film used this title. Is there a specific language - maybe what we nowadays call a "gaydar" - involved in our relationships? I really don't know. Being gay and having a gay son, or being gay and having a gay dad, are you supposed to "feel", to "notice" something? I don't think this was the aim of this movie.

This is a story about generations (I'm 53 now, and when I started to go out in the Gay Scene, 25 years ago, I met lots of married people), this is a story about what could have been, and what will be. It was not that easy at the time. We have come a long way.

Maybe today this movie is obsolete, but if you have experienced the '80s and '90s, you will feel more related.

The quality of the movie I saw was sometimes poor, but I would still give this movie a 9/10, for the above mentioned reasons.

Excellent movie

[BigWhiskers · 9/10 · 4 September 2013]

the thing about the lost language of cranes is that at the time of the late eighties early nineties it was quite common to see lots of men married to women living in the closet. nowadays there are still married gay and bi men its just not as shocking as it was during this films time period. owen and frank being two of many. in franks case he was fully comfortable with it ,while owen was going through his sexual identity crisis as a result of his sons coming out. it was probably the best thing to happen to him that he met frank who was in a similar situation.

i did feel sympathy for owen , most people would react in a way that he was selfish or disgusting. what people don't realize is that when owen was a young man people got married out of pressure. if you were gay you'd get disowned shunned or beaten.. so you did it because it was what you did. you forced yourself and the poor woman or man you married was never truly your sexual mate ,just a loving close friend . rose felt betrayed and of course who wouldn't be in her situation. her marriage a sham , but owen also sacrificed a lot too. her bitter attack of owen while he tries to calmly explain his situation is somewhat painful to watch even though its quite expected and we can all feel what she is going through however her justifying her affair just to spite his behavior is somewhat unfair. she had already suspected her husband was gay ,there were lots of signs that she even admitted to denying. so instead of confronting her husband she has an affair , saying she made sure to protect their relationship by keeping her affair separate. i didn't like that explanation,it was as if she was already choosing to cheat on him not knowing for sure

Imo Roses character should have confronted her husband rather than just go to someone elses arms . in the end of course he leaves and she to deal with being alone although im sure not for long since she was still seeing the other man . the sons situation was handled a bit more sterile in the fact that after his coming out ,his mother and father kind of ignore him and the only interaction with them later on in the film is when his dad literally pimps out his son to attract a handsome student in his fathers class whom his son thinks is for him not knowing his fathers true agenda. the wife knows of course and in her attack on owen at the end of the movie she lets him have it and how pathetic he looked,drooling over the young male student. the ending scene has the father going to stay at his sons apt after hes told his son hes gay. as the son and his bf leave and go down the street,the father watches them through the apt window ,i could only hope that he managed to get on with his life and also go together with frank again and maybe had some type of relationship even though frank was married. frank imo was one of those married guys who wanted a lover as evidenced by the scene of him and owen in the gay bar and then later after they've made love,he gives owen his work number and asks him to call sometime. hes even concerned about when owen leaves to go home saying rose will be worried, frank replies what will you tell her? as if saying i know where you're coming from owen and i want to help you through it. excellent performances...

Absorbing, painful, quality drama from The BBC.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 22 April 2024]

Philip Benjamin is ready to come out to his parents, Owen and Rose, little knowing that his father is very much in the closet.

It's something of a groundbreaking drama, another hard hitting, thought provoking Screen Two installment, worth remembering that so called 'gay' storylines just weren't commonplace.

Initially, I thought it was going to be Philip's story, but it is as much Owen's story, it shifts when Philip comes out, it sparks something in his dad, it's a big moment.

The coming out scene was incredible, Cox's reaction was superbly played out, the acting was terrific all round, Eileen Atkins very much at the top of her game, and an excellent performance from Angus Macfadyen.

Times really have changed so much, Rose's reaction may appear frosty and bigoted, but I'm not sure if her vitriol is fully aimed at her son, I think some is aimed at her husband, because deep down, she knew something was off.

It's explicit at times, so expect some full frontal male nudity, but there's nothing gratuitous.

Some amazing music to keep a listen out for, The KLF!

Why does The BBC never show this, we have had several LGBTQ evenings and weekends, to my knowledge this hasn't been shown as part of it, which is a shame, it's a quality drama.

9/10.