Partners (1982) Reviews

This was the first movie I saw in my home-town theater that openly used the word "gay" and depicted a gay character in any light other than negative. In fact, the movie didn't follow the normative practice (in those days) of killing, maiming, or enthusiastically torturing any perceived gay character in sight. Ryan O'Neal, Hollywood's premium hunk du jour circa 1980s, from the 1970 Love Story blockbuster, coasted along on looks alone, turning in a flaccid performance. John Hurt, on the other hand, is more convincing. He plays a cop relegated to the file-room because he is gay. The script is composed of lines slightly off-target in 1982, It sounds as though it was written from a distance -- as though the writer had a gay neighbor. The script never achieves veracity. The movie is, however, a hallmark. It's among the earliest with brand-name stars. Definitely worth a watch
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