Proteus

[Knabegeil]

I thought I remembered a string about this gay oriented moive, but couldn't find it on search.

 

So, here's my thoughts.

 

Not a "happy" movie and also a bit confusing with the jumping back and forth between English spoken on screen, and the need to pay attention to subtitles when English is lacking.

 

Another mixture of effects is the juxtaposition of anachronisms like the presence of a 20th century portable radio at a 18th century breakfast table. The best of these is the three court stenographers who take down the trial record on "modern" typewriters. This effect, though, is the opposite of the language situation. It seems a bit strange but piques the interest, at least, of this viewer.

 

The psychological study of the development of the two gay characters is at the heart of the movie. Both are prisoners of the Boer South African government. One is black; the other is white. Perhaps, by design the stronger of the two is physically less imposing.

 

One can also guess that the role of the botanist is to show the duplicity of the law, that is some can get away with sanctioned behavior and others cannot.

 

All in all, a good movie, though, again, be warned that it is not a happy one.