Prick Up Your Ears (1987)

Frustrated writers, co-conspirators, friends and lovers, Joe Orton (Gary Oldman) and Kenneth Halliwell (Alfred Molina) are protege and mentor in each other's life ..... until Orton's success heightens Halliwell's own sense of failure. Based on the Joe Orton biography by John Lahr and directed by Stephen Frears (MY BEAUTIFUL LAUNDRETTE). The provocative life and death of playwright Joe Orton was fodder crying out to be made into a movie and Frears' film with a great assistance from Alan Bennett's screenplay is a fascinating peak into Orton's brief life and career. The film is often amusing while never straying from the dark aspects of their lives together eventually leading to its tragic end. Oldman is pretty spectacular and his performance here along with his Sid in SID AND NANCY the year before show why he was considered one of the most promising actors of his generation. The movie is almost stolen by Vanessa Redgrave's performance as Orton's agent. In the hands of a lesser actress, it would be an unimportant role but Redgrave elevates it with nuance and a sly sense of humor. With Wallace Shawn, Julie Walters, Lindsay Duncan, Margaret Tyzack and Frances Barber.