A Single Man

This was Tom Ford’s first film as a director, financed by himself and shot in 21 days. George’s house is the Schaffer Residence in Glendale, a John Lautner design now on the National Register of Historic Places; the film shows both its interior and exterior. The period design came from the Mad Men team. Adapted from Christopher Isherwood’s 1964 novel, the action falls on 30 November 1962, a month after the Cuban missile crisis. The marketing caused an argument. The first poster showed Colin Firth and Julianne Moore lying side by side, and a recut trailer dropped a shot of George and Jim kissing while keeping George and Charley’s. Ford said this was not an attempt to remove the film’s gayness; Firth called the marketing deceptive. Firth won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at Venice and the BAFTA for Best Actor in a Leading Role; the film took Venice’s Queer Lion. Its only Academy Award nomination was Firth’s, in that same category; the award went to Jeff Bridges. Arianne Phillips took a BAFTA nomination for Best Costume Design. A good fit if you will not take it as chance that a man who must hide is housed behind glass walls. Not for anyone who counts the opening admission about how the day ends as a surprise spent early.