Elmer J. Howard | Loving Martin / 2019

the right match

by Douglas Messerli

 

David Vernon (screenwriter, based on a story by Stan Atwood), Elmer J. Howard (director) Loving Martin / 2019 [21 minutes]

 

Erik (Scott Olson), a handsome middle-aged gay male, has just cooked up a special meal of Prosciutto and chicken dish for his young lover Martin (Allen Montes) on their anniversary on June 17th. It’s been 5 years! But once more—we imagine from Erik’s looks of frustration that

there have been numerous such previous situations—the boy doesn’t show up for hours after the time arranged, and when he does arrive he makes up excuses which Erik and we know are fairly incredible. But then when you have a charming young lover like Martin, what can you do?

      Erik wants his anniversary boy to finally move in with him, but it’s clear from Martin’s consumption of beer that he’s still not ready. The boy quickly changes the subject, suggesting that Martin call his father to wish him a happy birthday; if he can forgive his father for violence and attempts at conversion therapy, certainly Erik can forgive his father.

      Martin declares he’s met someone, evidently on line, a writer who might be able to help him with his career. He claims he needs to see where the relationship goes, presenting his current lover with an anniversary gift of a gay rainbow bracelet, not exactly in Martin’s more conservative style.

      Martin is ready to leave even before he finishes the celebratory meal. When Erik suggests he stay over, Martin responds that he likes waking up in his own bed, Martin countering, “You should try it some time,” clearly hinting that he realizes just how his young lover is pushing the limits of their relationship. Quite naturally, Martin feels Erik is attempting to “tie him down.”

     Erik’s lesbian friend, Jeanine (Rhayne Thomas) attempts to hook him up with a more age-appropriate young man, but Erik is not convinced, still in love with the now missing Martin. And Jeanine is worried since Erik has been holing up in one of the houses he has been having difficulty selling as a real estate agent. He claims it’s very relaxing, but we recognize it as an escape from his failed relationship with Martin.

       In the middle of a business meeting, he gets a call from Martin who is obviously in great duress, but the boy hangs up before he can get a location and for weeks after he hears nothing again. The only real evidence of his former lover is a postcard from Santa Fe.

     Finally, in December, Martin turns up at Erik’s home, the two embracing, Erik just delighted that he has even momentarily returned. The boy has changed, admitting his life was a disaster. He has found someone who helped him through a 12-step program which changed his life, and he now no longer wants to leave Erik. He’s making amends, but beyond that he wants to return to their relationship. Now, he claims, he can love Erik back the way he’s been love all along.

     They make love. But the next morning, Martin’s cellphone rings. His previous “friend” is apparently hinting at suicide, and Martin determines it’s necessary for him to intervene.

      Erik awakes to a missing Martin who has left a note declaring we will be back soon.

    Days later Martin has still not heard from Erik, even visiting his own apartment to speak to his roommate, who reports that he’s picked up his stuff and has evidently moved in with “some guy.” 

     Erik posts “missing” posters, and weeks later has still heard nothing about his supposedly changed lover. Jeanine, who has not heard from Erik in days, visits him with some news. In an online report we hear that Martin Hempel, 26, has been killed by a 35-year-old drug addict, clearly the man to who Martin has returned.

       Loving Martin is most definitely an amateur movie, both in its acting and film values, and at times is seems almost like an updated version of Boys, Beware! with a more current message something to the effect that younger gay boys should be careful that they pick the right older man to engage in an affair. But based on a true story, its tears are quite genuine and the sadness the elder lover Erik feels for having lost his young, still exploring companion is certainly worthy of a subject for a film. He even finds the right young couple for the house that Jeanine argued he would never sell. Love and survival, this weepy film seems to suggest, is all about finding the right match.

 

Los Angeles, January 26, 2024

Reprinted from My Queer Cinema blog (January 2024).