Call Me By Your Name, screenplay by James Ivory, based on novel by Andre Aciman

Call Me By Your Name, screenplay by James Ivory, based on novel by Andre Aciman

Call Me by Your Name is an very good film, nominated for three Golden Globes and has won 31 awards and has 85 nominations so far:

-          It is nominated in the category of Best Motion Picture Drama- Golden Globes

-          Timothee Chalamet is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Motion Picture- Drama

-          Armie Hammer is nominated for Best Performance by an Actor in a Supporting Role in a Motion Picture- Drama

The setting is formidable, in the Northern part of Italy, with orchards in the background and splendid squares and buildings.

Adding to the charm of the narrative, Characters in the story are intriguing, sophisticated, charming and also complex.

The hero is only seventeen, but Elio Perlman is transcribing and playing classical music, reading good books, which alas is not want ordinary teenagers do these days.

Mister and Missis Perlman are otherworldly parents, who understand, support, encourage and love their child.

They move easily from Italian to French, then to English and at times, the mother is reading from German…

Mr. Perlman is an appreciated professor who is involved in archeological excavations and has a different research assistant every year.

This year, the assistant is an American, Oliver, who is charming, good looking, educated and very much liked by everyone.

He is so good at Greco- Roman culture that he even disputes his professor on the issue of the origin of some words.

To begin with, Elio is teasing this guest, who can appear somewhat superior, perhaps even arrogant with his:

-          Later…this is his formula for departure

In the early part of the narrative, Elio is experiencing and getting very attracted and it seems involved with Marzia.

The two of them explore their bodies, with the innocence of virgins and the passion of young men and women.

They make love and they see each other very often, using the attic of the house and other places for intimate relations.

So I wondered about the sexuality of the hero, who appeared to be heterosexual, then homosexual and finally…

-          Which is it?

-          Is he a homosexual, maybe bisexual?

-          I guess he is also trying to find out

Anyway when Oliver becomes more interested or just more present and starts communicating with Elio, the latter loses interest in Marzia.

Completely.

The two young men start kissing, touching, caressing each other and I must admit that this is not my favorite part.

Indeed, it is something of a turn off, probably also on account of the scene wherein a peach is used for masturbation and more…

I should learn from the speech given by Mr. Perlman who becomes the most interesting character of this film.

Because we have seen gay lovers in films, from Brokeback Mountain to The Talented Mr. Ripley and although different, the protagonists of Call Me by Your Name are not really from another world, in my view.

But Mr. Perlman is.

Because if parents are learning to accept the sexual orientation of their children and are less obtuse these days, this personage goes way beyond that.

Mr. Perlman is not only tolerant of the homosexual relationship his son had with his assistant, but laudatory.

This wise man talks about the fact that Oliver is an outstanding human being and this experience is to be cherished and treasured.

Even when it has ended and it involves pain and suffering, the father is very determined that the son is blessed to have had this unique opportunity.

-          I thought this is a tremendous speech and the man is

-          Fantastic!