Behind The Candelabra Review

Director: Steven Soderbergh.

Starring: Michael Douglas, Matt Damon, Scott Bakula, Dan Aykroyd, Debbie Reynolds, Rob Lowe.

Running Time: 118 minutes.

Certificate: 15.

Synopsis: Based on Scott Thorson’s (Matt Damon) autobiographical novel, the tempestuous six-year relationship between Liberace (Michael Douglas) and his much younger lover is recounted.

BEHIND THE CANDELABRA has been a passion project for director Steven Soderbergh for the best part of a decade after becoming fascinated with ‘Mr. Showmanship‘ himself, pianist Liberace, while growing up. Coming across Scott Thorson’s autobiography, which charts his loving yet volatile relationship with the sparkling entertainer, the director struggled to find financing and a studio to take it on, despite having the star power of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. Thankfully, HBO Films stepped in to allow the Oscar-winning filmmaker to deliver a captivating insight into the glittering world of the late, secretive superstar.

It’s a world that Soderbergh appears comfortable in displaying as we follow young stud Thorson during his early years of pick-up bars, while working as an animal trainer in the movies – a lifestyle which his adoptive and likeable parents appear to accept. One of these encounters leads to his introduction to the flamboyant Glitter Man who is immediately smitten with Thorson’s boyish good looks. It’s also a foreword into the revolving door of past and future dalliances with the same sex that became the standard for Liberace’s liberating lifestyle. For all the supposed friends he surrounded himself with (many of whom had witnessed the comings and goings of countless young men), he was ultimately a lonely individual until Thorson came along.

Like most relationships, it was a love affair that had its up and downs in more ways than one. Both seemed content, but their relationship became destructive over time due to obsession, jealousy, greed and drug abuse all playing their part in the downfall of their bizarre father-son affinity. Lee (as Liberace liked to be called) dreamed of having children, even attempting to adopt his young lover to retain the absurd facade of ‘not having found that special girl yet‘ to his loyal fan base.

If this is indeed Soderbergh’s swan song, BEHIND THE CANDELABRA gives a distinctive aura of epic and grandeur that would see him leaving the world of film with a stunning showpiece. An outstanding and uncanny central performance from Douglas never once crosses the line into ridicule, as it could so easily have done given the indulgent attributes of his naturally camp character. He is as radiant as the glittering costumes he’s continually draped in and provides genuine hilarity in the intervening years featuring Rob Lowe’s doctor, Jack Startz. Matt Damon could easily have been overshadowed, but is simply superb in a touching and complex role. With his Scott Thorson blindsided, starstruck and desperate to please, the two actors complement each other greatly.

Running at just under two hours, there is plenty of richness in Richard LaGravenese’s script that takes you through his final years as a sellout Las Vegas act, later seeing him steeped in tragedy and personal shame. Though he may have been embarrassed to come out to his fans, his death came at a time when most were still uneasy about a debilitating disease so cruelly synonymous with homosexuality. Had this hilarious and heartfelt film received a theatrical release in its homeland, Douglas and Damon would be certainties for Oscar consideration. They’ll just have to settle for an Emmy sweep instead.

 BEHIND THE CANDELABRA is released in UK cinemas on June 7th.