The Price of Love (1995 film)

Last updated

The Price of Love
DVD cover for The Price of Love (film), 1995 made for television movie.jpg
Written byRonald Parker
Directed byDavid Burton Morris
Starring
Music byTim Truman
Country of originUnited States
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producer David Gerber
ProducerGuy J. Louthan
CinematographyJohn L. Demps Jr.
Editor Corky Ehlers
Running time97 minutes
Production companies
Original release
Network Fox
ReleaseNovember 28, 1995 (1995-11-28)

The Price of Love is a 1995 American made-for-television drama film written by Ronald Parker and directed by David Burton Morris. It stars Peter Facinelli, Laurel Holloman, Jay R. Ferguson, Alexis Cruz and Harvey Silver. The film premiered on Fox in November 1995. The movie deals with the plight of homeless youth living on the streets.

Contents

Plot

Sixteen-year-old Brett lives with his indifferent father and an abusive stepmother who kicks him out of the house. He decides not to even try and reconcile with his parents, and heads to Los Angeles. On his way there, he meets some drifters, and is attracted to one of them, Roxanne. They decide to continue together to L.A. on their own. After arriving in Los Angeles, Roxanne is quickly arrested by the police, so Brett is on his own again. He is living in an abandoned building with other homeless youth, until their lair is raided by the police. Forced out onto the streets, he meets and eventually befriends Beau, Alberto and Tony, all living on the street and earning a living as male hustlers. Unable to find a job, Brett also turns to male prostitution, but he is strictly gay-for-pay. All Brett really wants though is a normal stable life, and in order to obtain that, he feels like he must turn himself over to child services and become a ward of the state. [1]

Cast

Production notes

When the 1995 movie was made available to the media for screening, a press kit accompanied the movie which featured an interview with Dr. Lois Lee, founder of Children of the Night, who estimated that 1 million to 1.5 million children run away from home each year and that about a third of them get involved in prostitution or pornography. According to Dr. Lee, most of the hustlers' clients, at least in Hollywood, are attorneys, and she also notes – "I think 95 percent are white and 75 percent are married." Additionally, Lee makes the case that hustlers "generally don't have a long shelf life...depending upon how long your looks last, you're washed up as a prostitute around age 23 or 24". [2]

The film was shot on the streets of Hollywood, and the cast of the movie includes a number of real-life Hollywood street kids in minor roles and as extras. [3]

Critical reception

John J. O'Connor wrote in The New York Times that the film featured a "remarkably affectation-free performance by Peter Facinelli" and he is fortunate enough to be surrounded by a "first-rate supporting cast...[who] contribute the kind of on-target performances that lift The Price of Love above a mere clinical case history". [2] Variety said the movie is dotted with "compelling characters", and Holloman "weaves a performance that, while tinged with vulnerability, captures her character’s innate sense of self-preservation". [4] The Baltimore Sun came down on the film for being "maddeningly irresponsible" in the way it ignores AIDS, but otherwise praised David Gerber and David Burton Morris for going the "extra mile in terms of script and photography", and also noted that "Bret's journey into the empty, urban, neon nightmare of teen prostitution in Hollywood is compelling". [5]

The Deseret News said the movie takes a rather "unflinching look at the horrors of this life" of living on the streets with the "violence, the disease, the trouble with the law". But at the same time, "it handles the situation of teenage boys selling their bodies without exploiting it". [3] John Voorhees of The Seattle Times wrote "Ronald Parker's script doesn't glamorize life on the streets, yet treats the prostitution angle with sensitivity, while director David Morris gets affecting performances from an uniformly good cast. Facinelli is believable as the teen in crisis". [6]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jennie Garth</span> American actress (born 1972)

Jennifer Eve Garth is an American actress. She is known for starring as Kelly Taylor throughout the Beverly Hills, 90210 franchise and Val Tyler on the sitcom What I Like About You (2002–06). In 2012, she starred in her own reality show, Jennie Garth: A Little Bit Country on CMT. Her memoir titled Deep Thoughts From a Hollywood Blonde was published by New American Library on April 1, 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Wilson Cruz</span> American actor

Wilson Cruz is an American actor known for playing Rickie Vasquez on My So-Called Life, Dr. Hugh Culber on Star Trek: Discovery, and the recurring character Junito on Noah's Arc. As a gay man of Afro-Puerto Rican ancestry, he has served as an advocate for gay youth, especially gay minorities.

<i>My Own Private Idaho</i> 1991 film by Gus Van Sant

My Own Private Idaho is a 1991 American independent adventure drama film written and directed by Gus Van Sant, loosely based on Shakespeare's Henry IV, Part 1, Henry IV, Part 2, and Henry V. The story follows two friends, Mike Waters and Scott Favor, played by River Phoenix and Keanu Reeves respectively, as they embark on a journey of personal discovery that takes them from Portland, Oregon, to Mike's hometown in Idaho, and then to Rome in search of Mike's mother.

<i>Hustler White</i> 1996 American film

Hustler White is a 1996 film by Bruce LaBruce and Rick Castro, a satirical black sex comedy about gay hustlers and their customers on Santa Monica Boulevard in West Hollywood, California. It stars Tony Ward and LaBruce in an addition to the Queer Cinema canon, which is also an homage to classic Hollywood cinema. Also appearing in the film are Vaginal Davis, Glen Meadmore and Graham David Smith.

<i>Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn</i> 1977 television film directed by John Erman

Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn is a 1977 American made-for-television drama film directed by John Erman, and a sequel to Dawn: Portrait of a Teenage Runaway (1976). It premiered on NBC on May 16, 1977.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Male prostitution</span> Act or practice of men providing sexual services in return for payment

Male prostitution is a form of sex work consisting of act or practice of men providing sexual services in return for payment. Although clients can be of any gender, the vast majority are older males looking to fulfill their sexual needs. Male prostitutes have been far less studied than female prostitutes by researchers. Even so, male prostitution has an extensive history including regulation through homosexuality, conceptual developments on sexuality, and the HIV/AIDS epidemic impact. In the last century, male sex work has seen various advancements such as popularizing new sexual acts, methods of exchange, and carving out a spot in cinema.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Peter Facinelli</span> American actor and producer (born 1973)

Peter Facinelli is an American actor. He starred as Donovan "Van" Ray on the Fox series Fastlane from 2002 to 2003. He played Dr. Carlisle Cullen in the film adaptations of the Twilight novel series, and is also known for his role as Mike Dexter in the 1998 film Can't Hardly Wait. Facinelli was a regular on the Showtime comedy-drama series Nurse Jackie, portraying the role of Dr. Fitch "Coop" Cooper. He portrayed Maxwell Lord on the first season of the TV series Supergirl.

Monica Calhoun is an American film and television actress. Calhoun is best known for her roles in the films Bagdad Cafe (1987), The Players Club (1998), The Salon (2005), The Best Man (1999), and its sequel The Best Man Holiday (2013). She has also appeared in the films Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit (1993) and Love & Basketball (2000). Calhoun has been nominated for a Daytime Emmy Award and one NAACP Image Award.

<i>Skin & Bone</i> (film) 1996 film by Everett Lewis

Skin & Bone is a 1996 American crime drama film written and directed by Everett Lewis. It is the story of three Los Angeles-area hustlers, or male prostitutes, and their female pimp. The three men are at different stages of their hustling careers: Dean is just beginning; Billy is somewhat more experienced but still naive; and Harry actively wants to get out, and is looking to break into film acting. Ghislane, the pimp, sends each of the three young men into increasingly dangerous scenarios with clients, until both Billy and Harry are killed. The film stars B. Wyatt, Alan Boyce, Garret Scullin, and Nicole Dillenberg.

The male prostitute or hustler is a frequent stereotype in literature and movies in the West from the 1960s on, and especially in movies and books with a gay perspective in which he may be considered a stock character. He also appears occasionally in popular music, some contemporary fashion advertising, and the visual arts.

<i>Streetwise</i> (1984 film) 1984 American film

Streetwise is a 1984 documentary film by director Martin Bell chronicling the lives of homeless youth on the streets of Seattle. It followed in the wake of a July 1983 Life magazine article, "Streets of the Lost", by writer Cheryl McCall and photographer Mary Ellen Mark.

<i>The Journey of Jared Price</i> 2000 American film

The Journey of Jared Price is a gay-themed coming-of-age 2000 film written, produced and directed by Academy Award winner Dustin Lance Black and starring Corey Spears, Josh Jacobson, Rocki Cragg, and Steve Tyler. The Journey of Jared Price was Black's first feature film.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Mikey Waters</span> Fictional character

Michael Waters is a fictional character in Gus Van Sant's My Own Private Idaho, portrayed by River Phoenix.

Bonjour Timothy is a 1995 Canadian-New Zealander romantic comedy film directed by Wayne Tourell and starring Dean O'Gorman, Stephen Papps and Sabine Karsenti.

<i>Stonewall</i> (2015 film) Film directed by Roland Emmerich

Stonewall is a 2015 American coming-of-age drama film directed by Roland Emmerich, written by Jon Robin Baitz, and starring Jeremy Irvine, Jonny Beauchamp, Joey King, Caleb Landry Jones, Matt Craven, Jonathan Rhys Meyers, and Ron Perlman. The film is set in and around the 1969 Stonewall riots, a violent clash with police that sparked the gay liberation movement in New York City. Released on September 25, 2015, by Roadside Attractions, it received largely negative reviews.

<i>The Stranger in Us</i> 2010 film by Scott Boswell

The Stranger in Us is a 2010 American dramatic feature film written and directed by Scott Boswell. The film premiered at Frameline Film Festival and went on to screen at U.S. and international film festivals, winning audience awards at Reeling Chicago and Pikes Peak Lavender Film Festivals. The film was later licensed for global distribution and online viewing, and released to DVD in December 2010.

Max Emerson is an American actor, model, author, director and YouTuber. He is known for his modelling and social media profile, particularly on Instagram. He has appeared on TV in small roles, including the season 5 finale of Glee.

<i>Sauvage</i> (film) 2018 French drama film

Sauvage is a 2018 French drama film, directed by Camille Vidal-Naquet and produced by Emmanuel Giraud and Marie Sonne-Jensen. It stars Félix Maritaud in the lead role, with Eric Bernard, Nicolas Dibla and Philippe Ohrel. Sauvage premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2018, where it won the Rising Star Award and was nominated for 3 others.

Félix Maritaud is a French actor notable for his roles in French queer cinema.

References

  1. ↑ Tropiano, Stephen (2002). The Prime Time Closet: A History of Gays and Lesbians on TV. New York: Applause Theatre & Cinema Books. p. 159. ISBN   1-55783-557-8. LCCN   2002003220. OCLC   606827696.
  2. 1 2 O'Connor, John J. (November 28, 1995). "Television Review: Surviving on the Street As a Homeless Teen-Ager". The New York Times . Archived from the original on May 26, 2015.
  3. 1 2 Pierce, Scott D. (November 28, 1995). "Maris is Missing in Another Great Episode of Frasier". Deseret News .
  4. ↑ Bergman, Anne (November 27, 1995). "Fox Tuesday Night Movie the Price of Love". Variety .
  5. ↑ Zurawik, David (November 28, 1995). "Teen sex drama ignores AIDS TV preview: "The Price of Love," Fox's story of a young male prostitute, includes scarcely a word about safe sex". The Baltimore Sun .
  6. ↑ Voorhees, John (November 26, 1995). "Visitors Of The Night Is Certainly No X-Files". The Seattle Times .
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.