ANOTHER COUNTRY (1984) | Dir: Marek Kanievska | I saw this film in college at the suggestion of my housemate, a committed Leftist who introduced me to Billy Bragg, The Jam, socialism, Michael Harrington, and good beer. He was the smartest guy I had ever met, but also incredibly handsome, and straight. I think he might have been the first straight guy I was really close with who openly supported LGBT rights - maybe even before I did! His Leftist approach to the world was influential and impressive. He’s the one who wanted to rent the video of ANOTHER COUNTRY, adapted from a book and play by Julian Mitchell, who wrote the screenplay. The film stars Rupert Everett and Colin Firth and is loosely based on the life of a Russian spy named Guy Burgess. It also addresses the themes of homosexuality and Marxism in the setting of the English public school system. The main characters are all outsiders and there’s a devastating suicide after a character is caught by a teacher in a homosexual situation with another boy, but the spine of this story is the political struggle between the classes. I watched for the eye candy of Firth and Everett and Cary Elwes, but stayed for the class war and message of economic injustice. It’s a terrific film, but what I remember most was what it taught me about my friend. I was so impressed that he would dare to rent a film from the “gay” section of the video store at a time when few would do it, which of course made me love him even more.
