Love! Valour! Compassion!

Play trailer

Love! Valour! Compassion!

R

Released May 16, 1997

1h 50m

Comedy

Drama

Play Trailer

Watchlist

Watchlist

Tomatometer

Popcornmeter

71%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

77%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

A group of gay New Yorkers -- including Buzz Hauser (Jason Alexander), an HIV-positive Broadway musical enthusiast; John Jeckyll (John Glover), a dry-witted British composer; and Gregory Mitchell (Stephen Bogardus), a prominent Broadway choreographer -- spend summer weekends together at a lakeside house in upstate New York. As the season progresses and secrets begin to surface, the complex relationships within the group are sometimes strained and sometimes strengthened.

Critics Consensus

Sharp writing and a strong ensemble make Love! Valour! Compassion! work, though its stage-like presentation leaves something to be desired.

Read Critics Reviews

Lisa Schwarzbaum

Entertainment Weekly

Rated: B

Sep 7, 2011

Full Review

Emanuel Levy

Variety

Terrence McNally's Tony award-winning play, a perceptive, often hilarious look and love and life in the AIDS era, is so sharply written and bluntly entertaining that it almost overcomes Joe Mantell's static direction, which is too theatrical.

Rated: C+

Jan 24, 2007

Full Review

Globe and Mail

Rated: 2.5/4

Apr 12, 2002

Full Review

Frank J. Avella

Edge Media Network

McNally captures urban gay life in the final decade of the 20th century with wit and perspicacity.

Rated: B

Jul 7, 2022

Full Review

Sheila Reid

Women in the Life

Terrence McNally's deeply human drama speaks with wisdom and humor about friendship, life, and loss.

May 31, 2022

Full Review

Bob Satuloff

The Advocate

Not debatable are LIVICI's rich ensemble performances and the smooth transition Terrence McNally's play makes to the screen under debuting filmmaker Joe Mantello's direction.

Apr 19, 2022

Full Review

Read all reviews

David W

This is one of my all time favorite movies. Sad that it's not on blu ray or digital.

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

03/28/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Another forgotten gay film, taken from yet another award winning play, and dumped as unceremoniously as it's predecessors. It's not perfect but it does deserve to be seen.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/04/23

Full Review

Audience Member

Best Jason Alexander role ever! Kicks George Castanza's @$$!

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/26/23

Full Review

Audience Member

my fav movie of all time i lol and cried and fell in love with jason alexander

Rated 5 out of 5 stars

01/27/23

Full Review

Audience Member

I was quite surprised by the movie. Even if the beginning of the movie was very clichÃ (C), the more the movie advanced and the more I liked it. What I did truly like in the movie is the very simple and yet elegant narrative, full of emotion. I was touched by most of the scenes, despite their simpleness and I adored the finale (the moment where everybody is dancing...).

Rated 4 out of 5 stars

02/06/23

Full Review

Audience Member

It is extremely well acted, heart-warming and heart-breaking. It may not be to everyone's taste as it can be dull in places, but most people should be able to relate I hope.

Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars

02/01/23

Full Review

Read all reviews

Read More

Read Less

POST RATING

WRITE A REVIEW

EDIT REVIEW

Joe Mantello

Director

Jason Alexander

Buzz Hauser

Randy Becker

Ramon Fornos

Stephen Bogardus

Gregory Mitchell

John Glover

John Jeckyll, James Jeckyll

John Benjamin Hickey

Arthur Pape

Show Less Cast & Crew

Show More Cast & Crew

Bad Manners

85%

43%

Bad Manners

Watchlist

Mad Dog Time

17%

51%

Mad Dog Time

Watchlist

Moonlight and Valentino

14%

53%

Moonlight and Valentino

Watchlist

Ringmaster

21%

18%

Ringmaster

Watchlist

Celebrity

42%

42%

Celebrity

Watchlist

Discover more movies and TV shows.

View More

View more photos

Synopsis

A group of gay New Yorkers -- including Buzz Hauser (Jason Alexander), an HIV-positive Broadway musical enthusiast; John Jeckyll (John Glover), a dry-witted British composer; and Gregory Mitchell (Stephen Bogardus), a prominent Broadway choreographer -- spend summer weekends together at a lakeside house in upstate New York. As the season progresses and secrets begin to surface, the complex relationships within the group are sometimes strained and sometimes strengthened.

Director: Joe Mantello
Producer: Doug Chapin, Barry Krost
Screenwriter: Terrence McNally, Terrence McNally
Distributor: Fine Line Features
Production Co: Krost/Chapin Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy, Drama
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): May 16, 1997, Wide
Box Office (Gross USA): $2.9M
Runtime: 1h 50m
Sound Mix: Dolby