Most Brits could tell you that Edward 2nd came to an unfortunate and painful end but that would be the extent of their knowledge of the country's first acknowledged homosexual monarch.Their disinterest not being rooted in deep-seated homophobia,merely the lack of relevance to life in 21st century England of the sexual orientation of some obscure long-dead king. Quite what point Mr D.Jarman is trying to make in "Edward 2nd"is not clear to me.Homosexual men had a tough time back then?Hold the front page. Is he inferring that treatment of gays in 1991 is in any way comparable?Surely that is a gross insult to the efforts of equal rights campaigners and the abuse and injury they have sustained over the years to ensure that no sensible person cares who his neighbour sleeps with as long as it doesn't have fur,feathers or scales. Whatever,the movie's two main characters are deeply unsympathetic self - obsessed boors with no saving graces whatsoever. Mr Jarman's "brilliant" spin on Marlowe's play is to put it on in modern dress - there's daring for you.Presumably to make the patently absurd point that attitudes towards homosexuality have not changed with the passage of time. Too gimmicky by half,"Edward 2nd" might appeal to the small number of gay men who still regard themselves as victims of a heterosexual conspiracy and want to see their beliefs made flesh,as it were,up om the screen. I suspect that most people,however,might consider that Mr Jarman was over - egging the pudding just a little bit.
Review of Edward II
