Nights in the Gardens of Spain

Kawa (played by Calvin Tuteao) makes this Lifetime TV drama work. But this film is much better than a Lifetime TV drama (the topic would be a bit risqué for their Hallmark cards audience). It also has the New Zealand and Maori elements (albeit westernized and top of the social pyramid Maoris) doing touristy routines (dances with tongues out etc..)

Still you come away with a view of this cultural world that I knew next to nothing about. Be forewarned this movie presents it like PC garbage for the most part but still will call it Maori 101.

Kawa is a classic gay man trapped by cultural forces into acting out a heterosexual existence. For most gay men this would be next to impossible but it exists. In the film Kawa in his 40s? can take it no more and comes out--the movie is about this and the cultural specific hell it causes. I wonder how much of this "Maori" homophobia arrived with the Christian missionaries most of it I would wager. That and imported Victorian social norms of the time.

Anyway this movie is very realistic if full of PCisms and Calvin Tutueao is a very sympathetic handsome and believable character..He is a very easy character to like.

Decent watch.

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