To Die For (1994 film)

Last updated

To Die For
To Die For (1994 film).png
Theatrical release poster
Directed by Peter Mackenzie Litten
Written by Johnny Byrne
Peter Mackinzie Litten
Paul McEvoy
Produced byGary Fitzpatrick
Starring
Cinematography John Ward
Edited by Jeffrey Arsenault
Music byRoger Bolton
Production
companies
  • TDF Production
  • The London Lighthouse
  • British Screen
Distributed by Metro Tartan Pictures
Release date
  • 2 December 1994 (1994-12-02)(United Kingdom)
Running time
101 minutes
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish

To Die For is a 1994 British romantic comedy-drama film directed by Peter Mackenzie Litten and written by Johnny Byrne, Paul McEvoy and Litten. The film stars Thomas Arklie, Ian Williams, Tony Slattery, Dillie Keane, Jean Boht, John Altman and Caroline Munro.

Contents

Plot

Set in London in the early 1990s, the film portrays the bittersweet lifestyles of a young gay couple in a fiery open relationship. Mark is an acerbic drag queen with a sharp tongue, who finds it difficult to accept his much better-looking partner's highly promiscuous lifestyle of non-stop clubbing and cruising. Worse still, Mark is HIV positive and his partner is negative.

Both of them are struggling to come to terms with Mark's deteriorating condition. Nowadays, Mark prefers to stay at home when not performing – working on his own panel of embroidery for an AIDS quilt memorial project. Simon, however, prefers to turn a blind eye to the situation and continues to cruise London's gay bars at night looking for action.

Mark dies early on in the story and Simon becomes the focus of the story as he buries his feelings and continues his torrid sex life. At first, he seems completely unaffected by his lover's death. However, when Mark returns to haunt him, his life suddenly becomes a lot more complex, especially as he is the only one who can see Mark.

It turns out that Mark has actually returned to help his partner to accept his true feelings and to encourage him to reassess his reckless lifestyle – a lifestyle that he is sure will never bring him the happiness he seeks. Eventually, Mark gets through to him and Simon breaks down and weeps for the very first time.

Mark's work is done and he can leave his one-time lover to move on with his life.

Plot

Cast

Related Research Articles

<i>The Paradine Case</i> 1947 American courtroom drama film, set in England directed by Alfred Hitchcock

The Paradine Case is a 1947 courtroom drama with elements of film noir set in England, directed by Alfred Hitchcock and produced by David O. Selznick. Selznick and an uncredited Ben Hecht wrote the screenplay from an adaptation by Alma Reville and James Bridie of the 1933 novel by Robert Smythe Hichens. The film stars Gregory Peck, Ann Todd, Alida Valli, Charles Laughton, Charles Coburn, Ethel Barrymore, and Louis Jourdan. It tells of an English barrister who falls in love with a woman who is accused of murder, and how it affects his relationship with his wife.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Tony Slattery</span> English actor and comedian (born 1959)

Tony Declan James Slattery is an English actor and comedian. He appeared on British television regularly from the mid-1980s, most notably as a regular on the Channel 4 improvisation show Whose Line Is It Anyway?. His serious and comedic film work has included roles in The Crying Game, Peter's Friends and How to Get Ahead in Advertising.

<i>Torch Song Trilogy</i> Collection of three plays by Harvey Fierstein

Torch Song Trilogy is a collection of three plays by Harvey Fierstein rendered in three acts: International Stud, Fugue in a Nursery, and Widows and Children First! The story centers on Arnold Beckoff, a Jewish homosexual, drag queen, and torch singer who lives in New York City in the late 1970s and early 1980s. The four-hour play begins with a soliloquy in which he explains his cynical disillusionment with love.

David Leavitt is an American novelist, short story writer, and biographer.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Nick Cotton</span> Fictional character on EastEnders

Nick Cotton is a fictional character from the British soap opera EastEnders played by John Altman on a semi-regular basis from the soap's debut episode on 19 February 1985. Altman has stated that his initial exit was due to producer Julia Smith demanding he was written out after he opposed a decision to make his character gay. After Smith's departure, the character made numerous brief or more protracted stints until his onscreen death in February 2015, which was written to coincide with the 30th anniversary of EastEnders.

<i>Crustacés & Coquillages</i> 2005 French film

Crustacés & Coquillages is a 2005 French comedy-drama film written and directed by Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau. It is released in Northern America as Côte d'Azur and in the United Kingdom and Ireland as Cockles & Muscles.

<i>Making Love</i> 1982 film by Arthur Hiller

Making Love is a 1982 American drama film directed by Arthur Hiller and starring Kate Jackson, Harry Hamlin and Michael Ontkean. The film tells the story of a married man coming to terms with his homosexuality and the love triangle that develops between him, his wife and another man.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Simon Raymond</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Simon Raymond is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Andrew Lynford. Simon is introduced in 1996 as the homosexual brother of Tiffany Mitchell. His relationship with the bisexual character Tony Hills featured a gay kiss that caused controversy in the UK; numerous complaints were made because of its broadcasting. Simon remained in the serial until 1999, at which time it was mutually agreed between Lynford and executive producer Matthew Robinson, that the character had run its course. The character was given a happy ending, reuniting with his former boyfriend Tony to travel Europe.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Teddy Altman</span> Fictional character

Theodora Grace Altman, M.D., F.A.C.S. is a fictional character from the ABC medical drama Grey's Anatomy. The character was created by series producer Shonda Rhimes, and is portrayed by Kim Raver. She was introduced as a recurring character in season 6, but is later upgraded to series-regular in the same season after Katherine Heigl's departure from the series.

<i>Slatterys Hurricane</i> 1949 film by André de Toth

Slattery's Hurricane is a 1949 American drama film directed by Andre de Toth and starring Richard Widmark, Linda Darnell and Veronica Lake. It is based on a story submitted by Herman Wouk, who also coauthored the screenplay and published a novel of the film in 1956.

<i>The Spell</i> (novel) 1998 novel by Alan Hollinghurst

The Spell is a 1998 novel by British author Alan Hollinghurst.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Polly Becker</span> Fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders

Polly Becker is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Victoria Gould from 25 March 1997 until 22 September 1998.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Natalie Barnes</span> Fictional character from Coronation Street

Natalie Horrocks is a fictional character from the British ITV soap opera Coronation Street, played by Denise Welch. She made her first appearance during the episode broadcast on 26 February 1997. She departed the series on 31 December 2000.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Roger Sterling</span> Fictional character

Roger H. Sterling Jr. is a fictional character on the AMC television series Mad Men. He formerly worked for Sterling Cooper, an advertising agency his father co-founded in 1923, before he became a founding partner at the new firm of Sterling Cooper Draper Pryce in late 1963. Sterling was portrayed by John Slattery.

Desmond Cahill is an Irish sports presenter and commentator with national broadcaster Raidió Teilifís Éireann. From 2009 to 2022, Cahill presented RTÉ television's GAA highlights programme The Sunday Game.

<i>Before I Forget</i> (film) 2007 film

Before I forget is a 2007 French drama film directed, written and starred in by Jacques Nolot. The film portrays the life of an aging gay man, who was a hustler in his youth, confronting old age, an empty life and a reversal of paying for sex. The film was well received by critics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Dotty Cotton</span> Fictional character from EastEnders

Kirsty "Dotty" Cotton is a fictional character from the BBC soap opera EastEnders, played by Molly Conlin from 2008 to 2010 and Milly Zero from 2019 to 2022. She was introduced on 26 December 2008 as the daughter of established character Nick Cotton. Nick uses Dotty as his partner-in-crime; they plan to kill his mother Dot Branning and inherit the money from her will. She and Dot subsequently become close after Dotty sabotages Nick's murder attempt at the last minute. In her final storyline which aired on 23 February 2010, she left with her mother Sandy, who she believed died. On 3 October 2019, Dotty returned, with the role recast to Milly Zero. In December 2021, Sandy tells her that she is not Nick's daughter and that her father is Tom "Rocky" Cotton. However, in September 2022, this is revealed to be a lie. On 13 November 2022, it was announced that Zero had quit the show and Dotty left on 16 December 2022.

<i>Mr. Holmes</i> 2015 mystery film

Mr. Holmes is a 2015 mystery film directed by Bill Condon, based on Mitch Cullin's 2005 novel A Slight Trick of the Mind, and featuring the character Sherlock Holmes. The film stars Ian McKellen as Sherlock Holmes, Laura Linney as his housekeeper Mrs. Munro and Milo Parker as her son Roger. Set primarily during his retirement in Sussex, the film follows a 93-year-old Holmes who struggles to recall the details of his final case because his mind is slowly deteriorating.

References