When
gay
filmmkaker
John
Schlesinger
died
of
a
stroke
in
July
2003,
he
left
behind
a
memorable
canon
of
films
that
often
broke
ground
with
explorations
of
both
gay
and
straight
relationships.
Schlesinger’s
own
story
proves
just
as
fascinating
as
some
of
his
characters
in
William
J.
Mann’s
“Edge
of
Midnight:
The
Life
of
John
Schlesinger.”
The
book
is
packed
with
rich,
fascinating
details
about
the
man
who
began
his
career
as
a
closeted
actor
for
the
British
Broadcasting
Corp.
and
eventually
emerged
as
one
of
the
first
openly
gay
Hollywood
heavyweights.
With
successes
including
“Sunday
Bloody
Sunday,”
“The
Falcon
and
the
Snowman”
and
“Marathon
Man,”
Schlesinger
is
probably
best
remembered
for
“Midnight
Cowboy,”
the
sad
portrait
of
a
street
hustler
that
contained
male
sex
scenes
so
salacious
for
its
time
that
it
originally
received
an
“X”
rating.
The
film
ultimately
garnered
Oscar
nominations
in
1969
for
Jon
Voight
and
Dustin
Hoffman.
It
won
awards
for
Best
Picture,
Best
Adapted
Screenplay
and
Best
Director.
Mann
writes
that
Schlesinger
suffered
from
depression
in
1967
while
in
Los
Angeles
for
the
writing
of
“Midnight
Cowboy.”
It
was
around
that
time
that
he
was
introduced
to
celebrity
photographer
Michael
Childers,
who
became
his
partner
until
the
77-year-old
filmmaker’s
death
two
years
ago.
As
the
relationship
blossomed
into
Schlesinger’s
first
requited
love
for
a
man,
the
director’s
blues
lifted
and
he
was
re-energized
for
the
film.
Mann
writes
that
Schlesinger
was
deeply
inspired
to
make
“Midnight
Cowboy”
and
tackle
its
overt
homoerotic
themes.
But
he
also
knew
that
society’s
attitude
about
homosexuality
at
the
time
could
threaten
the
film’s
success.
With
that
in
mind,
he
originally
denied
the
gay
content
in
interviews
about
the
film.
But
as
the
climate
for
gay
people
began
to
improve
through
the
years,
Schlesinger
eventually
confirmed
that
“Midnight
Cowboy”
was
a
love
story
between
two
men.
ACCORDING
TO
MANN,
SCHLESINGER
experienced
difficulties
matching
the
critical,
commercial
and
artistic
success
of
“Midnight
Cowboy.”
The
director’s
creative
reputation
suffered
through
several
mediocre
films,
and
the
resulting
stress
took
a
toll
on
his
health.
But
according
to
the
book,
none
of
his
failures
would
prepare
him
for
the
nightmare
that
would
prove
to
be
his
final
film,
the
2000
Madonna
vehicle,
“The
Next
Best
Thing.”
Mann
reveals
that
it
was
gay
actor
Rupert
Everett,
the
film’s
co-star,
who
approached
Schlesinger
with
the
idea
for
“The
Next
Best
Thing.”
Everett
wanted
to
continue
his
streak
as
Hollywood’s
first
openly
gay
leading
man,
initiated
with
a
role
in
“My
Best
Friend’s
Wedding.”
Schlesinger
was
high
on
Everett’s
idea:
A
woman
(Madonna)
and
her
gay
male
best
friend
(Everett)
raise
a
child
together
and
find
the
situation
threatened
when
the
woman
falls
in
love
with
another
man.
Mann
writes
that
Schlesinger,
Childers,
Everett
and
Madonna
were
optimistic
about
the
film’s
potential
for
success.
But
it
was
plagued
with
problems.
Mann
says
in
the
book
that
Everett
rewrote
the
original
screenplay
and
balked
at
any
input
from
Schlesinger,
and
the
oversized
egos
of
the
stars,
as
well
as
the
growing
realization
that
the
film
was
a
turkey
in
the
making,
pushed
Schlesinger’s
health
to
the
brink.
The
film
bombed
upon
its
release
in
2000.
Schlesinger
was
devastated
and
never
fully
recovered
from
the
experience,
Mann
writes.
Throughout
the
book,
Mann
includes
illuminating
interviews
with
actors
who
worked
with
Schlesinger.
They
reveal
fascinating
and
often
moving
details
about
the
director’s
public
and
private
selves.
The
interviews
and
Mann’s
own
writing
sketch
a
well-rounded
portrait
of
Schlesinger,
the
man
and
the
artist.
Given
that
this
is
the
first
published
biography
of
such
a
groundbreaking
life,
it
also
serves
as
a
long-overdue
tribute.
