Chris & Don: A Love Story

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Chris & Don: A Love Story

2008

1h 30m

Documentary

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Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

94%

Tomatometer

36 Reviews

84%

Popcornmeter

250+ Ratings

This poignant documentary presents the story behind the real-life romance between lauded writer Christopher Isherwood and his considerably younger partner, Don Bachardy. Not even 20 years old when he meets Isherwood, Bachardy becomes a respected artist, thanks, in part, to his lover's support. An openly gay couple during an era when homosexuals often remained closeted, Isherwood and Bachardy face plenty of challenges, but they see each other through hard times with commitment and love.

Critics Consensus

Chris and Don paints an affecting, enlightening portrait of a one-of-a-kind love affair.

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Kimberley Jones

Austin Chronicle

10/10/2008

3/5

The documentary, made after Isherwood's death and with Bachardy's enthusiastic participation, is as much a love story as a chronicle of Bachardy's maturation into a man and an artist.

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Moira MacDonald

Seattle Times

08/01/2008

3/4

Despite an age difference of 30 years, their connection was immediately electric; their first kiss, the story goes, broke a window.

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J. R. Jones

Chicago Reader

08/01/2008

Surprisingly, this 2007 documentary about their 34-year relationship becomes more engrossing as its focus shifts from Isherwood to Bachardy...

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Don Willmott

Filmcritic.com

03/08/2009

3.5/5

A wonderfully crafted documentary about a most unusual long-term relationship

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Fr. Chris Carpenter

Orange County and Long Beach Blade

02/27/2009

A-

A great, revealing documentary; one of the best films released in 2008

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03/28/2021

Well done. What an interesting film about love and interesting lives.

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06/23/2013

Fascinating, intimate portrait of Christopher Isherwood and Don Bachardy.

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06/16/2013

I really don't like the stereotypes, but what more could have been expected in emotionally hobbled earlier eras? Sad and uplifting at the same time.

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05/13/2012

A beautiful portrait of two remarkable men and their life together. Perfect.

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04/08/2012

Extremely moving - a true love story that looks past gender and age and focuses on what truly matters in life ... love.

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03/30/2012

Fascinating: Isherwood's feelings for Bachardy, both sweetly romantic and creepily paternal, border on pederasty. Bachardy seems in many ways to be more interested in what Isherwood has to offer as a mentor than as a lover. If the relationship were carried out today, most would view it unfavorably. More fascinating still is that they're fairly forgivable in context, since having children and carrying on a long-term homosexual relationship simultaneously was unthinkable when the two met. So the film manages to be thought-provoking, provocative and sweet all at once.

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Tina Mascara

Director

Guido Santi

Director

James Berg

Host

John Boorman

Host

Paul Bowles

Host

Don Bachardy

Host

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Synopsis

This poignant documentary presents the story behind the real-life romance between lauded writer Christopher Isherwood and his considerably younger partner, Don Bachardy. Not even 20 years old when he meets Isherwood, Bachardy becomes a respected artist, thanks, in part, to his lover's support. An openly gay couple during an era when homosexuals often remained closeted, Isherwood and Bachardy face plenty of challenges, but they see each other through hard times with commitment and love.

Director: Tina Mascara, Guido Santi
Producer: Julia Scott, Tina Mascara, Guido Santi, James P. White
Distributor: Zeitgeist
Production Co: Asphalt Stars Productions
Genre: Documentary
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Jun 13, 2008, Limited
Release Date (Streaming): Feb 17, 2017
Box Office (Gross USA): $212.8K
Runtime: 1h 30m

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