The Gist: Behind the Candelabra tells the story of famed performer Liberace as seen and lived by Scott Thorson, his longtime lover and boy-toy.
Although I have very little knowledge of Liberace’s oeuvre, I wanted to know more about him and I sure was impressed by his talent from the few performances presented. The man was a great pianist and was clearly born to entertain and perform.
The source material is obviously one sided, but I suspect that it’s not too far from the truth, considering the times Liberace lived in and the high stakes involved in his forbidden homosexual relationships with a series of men he liked to consider and treat like his properties.
Michael Douglas and Matt Damon do a spectacular job and the movie is worth a look even just for their performances.
The Bottom Line: A well made biography of one of the most revered and famous entertainers the world has ever seen. Great performances and a good script seal the deal.
Grade: 8