Not so much Francis Bacon, but his lover should be seen as the focus of this film. He's the one who offers his life, his existence to the artist, and the artist takes it. The artist does this with the best of reasons: his art. But that's not the thing to learn for the audience. The thing to see - at least in my opinion - is the lover's ability to be of use and to be thrown away when used. That may be a really bitter fate, but it is a fate!