The Lost Language of Cranes

This BBC production of David Leavitt's bestseller created a minor brouhaha in 1991 because no American producer wanted to handle the book's frank and provocative gay subject matter. Today, however, The Lost Language of Cranes seems like a dull, immature effort. The academician Owen (a glumly miscast Brian Cox) furtively sneaks around London's porno theaters in a vain attempt to find a gay connection. His wife Rose (Eileen Atkins) is concerned with the rapidly approaching termination of their lease, so she doesn't notice that Owen is acting a little odd. Things come into focus, however, when the couple's adult son Philip (Angus Macfadyen) falls in love with a male artist (Corey Parker), which in turn rocks Owen and Rose's relationship. The problem is that the film has a split personality fighting for emotional control of the material: on the one hand, we have the sedate British-style melodrama (complete with endless Pinteresque pauses and servings of tea); on the other, we have Leavitt's original New York-centric story with its melodramatic speeches. Ultimately, neither side wins, and even the film's gay sex sequences (considered daring in 1991) seem painfully tame today (shadows literally hide everything). Outside of the brief yet jolly surprise of an unbilled Sir Ralph Richardson as the gregarious recipient of a wrong number phone call, the film is unfortunately bereft of life or energy. DVD extras include an episode of the BBC's The Late Show featuring cast and crew interviews. Not recommended. (P. Hall)