Plot Details: This opinion reveals minor details about the movie's plot.
Theft (2007) Written Directed and Produced by Paul Bright
"Jesus said, ‘Come unto me, you bitter queens, and I will make you straight." Sister Susannah.
Guy is a backstage hand at a leather gay bar in Liberty Hills, a small Texas town. However, with the death of Daddy Jack, the leather bear bar owner, the tight knit community is thrown into chaos.
Daddy Jack's lover, George, is the drag queen in charge of entertainment. And while he was Jack's heir; he persuaded Jack to rewrite the will to leave the Bar, The Golden Door, to Guy.
Opposing the Golden Door is Sister Susannah, preacher of a fervent congregation, the kind that would protest at a dead gay man's funeral. You know the kind. While the tension builds between the gays and the zealots, a mysterious and kinda cute stranger comes to town. Guy watches him as he defaces the Welcome to Liberty Hills sign with a rather gay version of the March of Valley Forge.
Alex is very laid back, and enjoys loosing the cat among the pidgeons. Guy is very worried about, well, everything. You know as they are inevitably drawn together, they will drive each other crazy.
The gays are a tight knit family; Guy, George, and the cute prop boys (boys who are props) Scotty and Brian and all the leather boy customers. The congregation is also a tight knit group, if somewhat more dysfunctional. There are three in particular who are the backbone, Glynnis, a plump little woman who lives by ‘hate the sin, love the sinner.' She is Guy's landlady, and surrogate mom. Lynette is a motor mouthed sheep who is only as smart as the last person she listened to. And Margaret, Margaret is an older lady who they drag along. I just want to say that Lockhart TX has a genius living in it. Peggy Mae Binn, who plays Margaret is a comedic genius. She almost never speaks (never gets to) but her expressions are priceless. When she does get to talk, her words are the best and wisest of the piece.
As the zealous Sister Susannah ramps up her persecutions, Alex goads her for reasons of his own... The situation keeps building to a shuddering climax. And the whole thing hinges on the Theft of the Drag Queen's Wig. And that, incidentally, was the original title.
The Analysis.
Okay, this is a shoestring budget, independent film, the cinematic equivalent, of "Hey Kids, Let's put on a show! We can use Uncle Joe's Barn!" Some of the acting is repertory theater at best, porno at worst. But some of them are actually quite good (see my comments about Peggy Mae Binn) and all of them are totally bent on selling this production.
The cinematography is primitive, the sound rough. But as the director points out, if you think you can do better, make your own F***ing movie.
So, poor visuals, poor sound, acting is spotty, and varies. And the story has all the subtly of Rush Limbaugh on the make. Yet, I found the whole thing quite charming.
A modern day morality play, the entire production has a certain honest earnestness about it. Sister Susannah is a delightful farce of an all too real phenomenon. The small town politics and social pressures to conform, often to the preacher who screams the loudest, has caused much suffering in the world. This movie takes aim at this aspect of bigotry, pull the trigger, and lets the laughter fly.
It has the small town charm of Greater Tuna Texas, or Lake Woebegone, with a decided twist. And it does it all with humor, and gentleness, foregoing bitterness and violence.
Judged technically, I have to give it three stars; for what it is it is very well done. But for pure enjoyment, I give it four, maybe more.
The Lockhart Players.
Matthew Burnett ... Guy Patrick Henderson ... Alex Cynthia Schiebel ... Sister Susannah David La Duca ... George Shad Ramsey ... Scotty Erik Collins ... Brian Benjamin Baronet ... Bobby Sam Jeske ... Daddy Jack Orion Gallagher ... Leatherman Heckler 1 Jim Knight ... Leatherman Heckler 2 Tim Brough ... Leatherman Heckler 3 Paul Bright ... Leatherman Heckler 4 Julie Smith ... Glynis Mary Anzalone ... Lynette Peggy Mae Binn ... Margaret Joeleen Ornt ... Shocked Woman Hedda Layne ... Herself Troy Lee ... Himself Dustan Costine ... Officer Law Dan Murphy ... Officer Order
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