Before Elvis, before Elton John, Madonna and Lady Gaga, there was Liberace: virtuoso pianist, outrageous entertainer and flamboyant star of stage and television. A name synonymous with showmanship, extravagance and candelabras, he was a world-renowned performer with a flair that endeared him to his audiences and created a loyal fan base spanning his 40-year career.
Director Steven Soderbergh's thought-provoking Behind the Candelabra, brilliantly scripted by Richard LaGravenese (The Fisher King, Beautiful Creatures) explores the world of Wladziu Valentino Liberace, known as Lee to his friends and Walter to his family, who lived lavishly and embraced a lifestyle of excess both on and off stage and will always be remembered for his statement: "Too much of a good thing is wonderful!"
When a handsome young stranger Scott Thorson walked into Liberace's life in 1977, a torrid romance was born that is as relevant today as it was then: despite their age difference and seemingly different worlds, the two embarked on a secretive five-year love affair and tempestuous relationship - from their first meeting backstage at the Las Vegas Hilton to their bitter and public break up.
Soderbergh's film takes us on an intimate and nostalgic trip behind the razzle and dazzle, reuniting with Michael Douglas as Liberace (they previously worked on Traffic and Haywire), and Matt Damon as Scott Thorson (their previous collaborations are The Informant!, Contagion, Ocean's Eleven, Ocean's Twelve and Ocean's Thirteen).
It's a candid view into a world few know, showing how ordinary life can be for those living on pedestals of gold.
In one scene, Liberace proudly confesses that he enjoys cooking, which to him felt like the most abnormal and extraordinary feat in the world; in another scene he picks up dog poo from the kitchen floor while feeding his beloved pooches as if it's the most normal thing in the world.
What makes this glittering biopic exceptional is that it is viewed from the eyes of an innocent young man, who became a victim of emotional and physical abuse.
It's frightening to see how far Liberace went on his destructive quest to turn the ordinary existence and obsessive fantasy into warped and heart-breaking reality. He not only wanted to own his studly young lover, but went to the extent of wanting to adopt him, so that he could own Scott as his son, as a father, and a lover. The crowning glory of his mania was mutating Scott into himself through gruelling plastic surgery.
Behind the Candelabra brutally depicts the horror that is unleashed by fabricated fantasy and how reckless passion can destroy the soul. One of the most frightening (and heart-breaking) moments in the film is when Scott discovers the true horror of the result of plastic surgery and to what extent someone will go to desperately capture immortality.
There are also soul-destroying moments when Scott really sees the real Liberace, without his "mask", and when they talk to each other as people and not objects.
One of the most magnificent accomplishments of the film is how production designer Howard Cummings perfectly captures Liberace's world from 1977 to 1982, creating 30 sets depicting the entertainer's life, both on stage and off, in just six weeks, and restoring Liberace's Los Angeles penthouse to its original status. Also how costume designer Ellen Mirojnick wove her magic to produce the numerous outfits.
Michael Douglas delivers a magnificent performance as Liberace, well deserving his Emmy and most definite pending Oscar nomination. Douglas completely immerses himself into Liberace, capturing the essence of a lonely man who became imprisoned by his wealth and the fragile disposition of a man who faces mortality. Douglas is superb in revealing the man behind the monster, particularly when Frankenstein has to be truthful to his creation.
Matt Damon shines in his unrecognisable embodiment of a young lover blinded by adoration and whose fragile innocence was poisoned by excess and the abuse of power and drugs.
Equally brilliant is Rob Lowe as the heavenly plastic surgeon from hell, with Debbie Reynolds delivering a memorable performance as Liberace's mother.
Although Behind the Candelabra is an alarming odyssey into the allure of fame and fortune, it is a touching and endearing romance, a real love story of a young lover whose prince on a white horse turns out to be a crazy wizard. Love has many faces and the one we see here is a sad and lonely death mask that basks in the glory of fame.
The desire to own the world and people, and be worshipped for the wrong reasons surfaces movingly in Behind the Candelabra, allowing us an intimate glimpse into a sacred world that exists on its own momentum and is sustained by false glory.
The spotlight dazzles, and beauty fades, but true love lasts forever.
Behind the Candelabra not only celebrates the genius of a man who became lost in his own creation, but how ordinary the extraordinary can be.
Falling love might seem easy, but falling out of love with being loved is a totally different story.
Behind the Candelabra is ideal for anyone who has ever been an adoring fan or blinded by celebrity status, but also a great opportunity to take an exclusive tour into ultimate glory.
Although this same-sex might seem limited to a niche audience, it is not; it is a story for anyone who has ever picked up a glossy magazine to read about the scandal of his beloved celebrity.
Ultimately, the film is about the art of forgiveness and how hope is manifested in impossible dreams. Beauty can be grotesque and deceptive and jealousy can be destructive. What we see and what we feel are separated by unknown truths and fathomable desires.
Behind the glitter of the candelabra lies a sadness that reflects the desperate desire of being loved and belonging. Behind the Candelabra offers intelligent viewing that is honest in its telling.
Michael Douglas relished the opportunity to portray the flamboyant entertainment legend: "It was really a treat to have the chance to play this part. Knowing you're not an impersonator, you're never going to be exactly like Liberace and you have to find the balance that makes you comfortable and makes Steven secure - and makes myself attractive to Matt! It was a great love story - those guys really fell for each other - and there were a lot of wonderful, funny moments and joyful moments, but it ultimately ended in tragedy."
Matt Damon also found the story of the relationship compelling. "I think Scott's love was genuine, but I think it was complicated. He was a foster kid and was looking for a family - and Lee gave that to him. I think they had a profound love for each other. There were aspects of their relationship that were absurd. There are aspects of all of our lives that are absurd - and they're not absurd to us because they're our lives. It was so complex, their relationship and screenwriter Richard (LaGravenese) seemed to nail a really interesting dynamic. I completely believed what he'd written. What it felt like was - a love story, a movie about a real, long-term relationship. And I think that, for Michael and me, that was a way in. We're both married and we've both been in these relationships for a while and so we could relate. Richard wrote such a human script, that it was really easy for me to connect with the character and that relationship and to understand what was going on."
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