The Lost Language of Cranes (film)

The Lost Language of Cranes
1991 reissued book cover showing actors Corey Parker and Angus Macfadyen
Genre	Drama/LGBT
Written by	Sean Mathias (screenplay) David Leavitt (novel)
Directed by	Nigel Finch
Starring	Brian Cox Eileen Atkins Angus Macfadyen Corey Parker Cathy Tyson John Schlesinger Rene Auberjonois Ben Daniels Nigel Whitmey
Theme music composer	Julian Wastall
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language(s)	English
Production
Producer(s)	Ruth Caleb Kimberly Myers (Executive) Mark Shivas (Executive)
Running time	87 minutes (approx.)
Release
Original network	BBC
Original release	14 November 1991 (London Film Festival) 9 February 1992 (UK broadcast)

The Lost Language of Cranes is a 1991 British television film directed by Nigel Finch. Made by the BBC for their Screen Two series; it is an adaptation of the 1986 novel of the same name by David Leavitt.

Whereas the novel is set in New York with American characters, the film takes place in London. Though most of the characters in the film are British, the characters of Elliot, Geoffrey and Winston are American, and the story is essentially that of the novel.

Philip Benjamin is a 20-something middle-class Londoner who works in publishing. Unbeknownst to his parents, Philip is gay and he decides to "come out" to them. His parents are taken aback by the news and his mother, Rose, says that she will need time to come to terms with it. However, the revelation has a far greater impact on his father, Owen, who at first seems accepting of his son's revelation but later begins to cry. Although he has been married to Rose for years, Owen is also secretly gay, and makes clandestine visits to gay bars and gay adult cinemas.

Meanwhile, Philip's boyfriend, an American named Elliot, receives a visit from his adoptive parents Derek and Geoffrey, the gay couple who raised him. Soon after their visit, Elliot decides he no longer wants a relationship with Philip and moves to Paris. Philip remains friends with Elliot's female flatmate, Jerene, a PhD student who is writing her thesis on languages and behaviour. Her research includes the secret language that a pair of young twins created between themselves and also the case of a neglected young child who began emulating the movements of construction cranes as this was the only thing he could see out of his bedroom window and therefore his only interaction with the outside world at a developmental age.

Owen and Philip go out for a meal and Owen asks Philip questions about his sexuality and how people know that they are gay. He says that he is asking because he has a colleague at the university where he works, an attractive man named Winston, and wondered if he was gay. Owen says he will invite Winston round for dinner because Philip might like him. However, on the evening of the dinner party, it becomes clear to Rose that Owen is the one who is actually attracted to Winston. She later confronts him which leads to Owen admitting his sexuality to her. Owen goes to stay with Philip and finally tells his son about himself.

Brian Cox was nominated for a BAFTA Television Award for Best Actor