Play It As It Lays

Movie Summary: Burned-out B-movie actress Maria, depressed and frustrated with her loveless marriage to an ambitious film director, Carter Lang, who would rather work on his career than on his relationship with her, numbs herself with drugs and sex with strangers. Only her friendship with a sensitive gay movie producer, B.Z., offers a semblance of solace. But even that relationship proves to be fleeting amidst the empty decadence of Hollywood.

Queer Film LA Says: Anthony Perkins co-stars as a depressed gay best friend in this Joan Didion adaptation. Perkins led a fascinating life before his death from AIDS--from Tab Hunter boyfriend, to playing Norman Bates in Pyscho, to Sondheim muse--and this film is one of few gay roles he played.