Behind the Candelabra: Season 1

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Universal acclaim based on 30 Critic Reviews

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USER SCORE

Generally favorable reviews based on 87 Ratings

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7.7

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7.7	Your Score
7.7	User Score Generally favorable reviews based on 87 Ratings

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Season Details & Credits

HBO | Season Premiere Date: May 26, 2013

Summary: The life of the Las Vegas showman Liberace (Michael Douglas) and his younger lover Scott Thorson (Matt Damon) is depicted in this biopic directed by Steven Soderbergh.

Genre(s): Drama, Movie/Mini-Series

Season 1 Episodes

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Metascore

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Critic Reviews

100

Mary McNamara

May 23, 2013

Once your eyes adjust to the bedazzled opulence of Liberace's life in '70s and '80s Las Vegas, Behind the Candelabra becomes a darkly moving and provocative look at two lonely men who briefly found something like love before the maelstrom of fame, money and drugs, all churning within the confines of the sexual closet, blew it apart. Read full review

100

Matt Zoller Seitz

May 24, 2013

There’s a solid, patient, confident quality to this movie that’s rarely seen in modern mainstream cinema. It’s better than most American films playing in theaters, and better than most of HBO’s films, too. Read full review

100

Emily Nussbaum

May 28, 2013

Behind the Candelabra succeeds precisely because it doesn’t care much about health or what constitutes a good role model--it shows respect for a complicated marriage simply by making it real. Read full review

Mark A. Perigard

May 23, 2013

If the script can at times seem slight, Douglas and Damon are  superb. Read full review

Zap2it (Inside the Box) Geoff Berkshire

May 28, 2013

Yet as inspired as the performances are and as fully realized as the world is, traces of Soderbergh's recent weaknesses remain. For all the insight into Liberace's private life, there's very little insight into the man himself. Read full review

Nancy DeWolf Smith

May 23, 2013

Behind the Candelabra, a snapshot from the last decade of the pianist and showman Liberace, is sublimely entertaining. Read full review

Hank Stuever

May 24, 2013

Behind the Candelabra is one long downward spiral, a gratuitous tale of a man who drowns in his own opulent acts of denial. Read full review

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7.7

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User Reviews

foxgrove

Jun 8, 2013

This, a candidate for the best picture of the year, is not even getting a cinema release in the U.S. as its subject matter was considered too gay for mass consumption. This is not only a shame for potential audiences who will miss out, but also denies stars Michael Douglas and Matt DamonThis, a candidate for the best picture of the year, is not even getting a cinema release in the U.S. as its subject matter was considered too gay for mass consumption. This is not only a shame for potential audiences who will miss out, but also denies stars Michael Douglas and Matt Damon from getting the Oscar nominations they so richly deserve. Emmys and Golden Globes will surely compensate. Douglas, an actor who I have always found to be too serious in his roles seems to be relishing his part here as the flamboyant entertainer Liberace without ever making him into a caricature. He somehow seems to embody the spirit of the late entertainer whilst not being a carbon copy. Damon, likewise, demonstrates his best in the more demanding role of Scott Thorson who for a number of years was the entertainer's live in lover. His transformation from Naive teenager to jealous boyfriend is expertly handled, but could so easily have been overplayed. Other performances are all good and I didn't recognize Debbie Reynolds as Liberace's mother. Rob Lowe is just fabulous.
Based on Thorson's book the screenplay is free flowing and as delivered by this perfect cast is delicious to savour. Steven Soderbergh applies the right techniques and camera shots to splendid effect in every scene which is also an Art-Director's dream. Soderbergh's retirement from the industry will be a big loss. With this film and 'Side Effects' earlier in the year he at least goes out on a high.
Make-up is also very good in key scenes. The film is simply not to be missed, so thank god for HBO for giving us this little gem.… Expand

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

WayneThomas412

Jun 11, 2013

Michael Douglas nailed it. Blown away by his performance. Once again HBO takes a story that sounds quite dull and turns it into something epic. Possible one of the greatest tv films I have ever seen.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

EricaManfred

May 27, 2013

I adored this film. I saw Liberace on TV in the 1950s when I was a teenager and couldn't figure out what the fuss was about. Why would anyone, especially woman, find this mincing drag queen a heartthrob. (I loved Elvis). All the massively crazy glitz was considered low class and trashyI adored this film. I saw Liberace on TV in the 1950s when I was a teenager and couldn't figure out what the fuss was about. Why would anyone, especially woman, find this mincing drag queen a heartthrob. (I loved Elvis). All the massively crazy glitz was considered low class and trashy at the time--the word camp hadn't yet been invented and homosexuality was still considered a perversion. How times have changed--thank God. Douglas and Damon turn what could have been a travesty into a treasure. Douglas' performance portraying a man who was a joke in his own time into a flesh and blood tragic figure is brilliant. He skates a very fine line between caricature and flesh and blood, never missing a beat. Damon is equally incredible. He turns a stereotypical pretty boy who seemingly just wants Liberace's money and reflected glory, into a tragic figure in his own right. Yes, he wants to take Liberace's money, but he also wants to be loved by him. Rob Lowe as the plastic surgeon is hysterical, and so is Debbie Reynolds as Liberace's mother. A great biopic is almost impossible to make, especially about someone as ridiculous as Liberace but Soderbergh has managed. The graphic sex scenes reveal character and aren't thrown in just for prurient interest. Bravo to HBO for taking this on. Yet another example of their support of great, if controversial, film.… Expand

4 of 4 users found this helpful40

adhamhany

Nov 5, 2013

I was completely hypnotized by the wonderful performances of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. Mr. Douglas deserved to be awarded for this. The costumes, make up, and art direction are highly successful in capturing the extravagance in which Liberace lived his life. Another brilliant (althoughI was completely hypnotized by the wonderful performances of Michael Douglas and Matt Damon. Mr. Douglas deserved to be awarded for this. The costumes, make up, and art direction are highly successful in capturing the extravagance in which Liberace lived his life. Another brilliant (although sad) movie from director Steven Soderbergh, a biopic that displays a romance from its beginning to its inevitable end.… Expand

0 of 0 users found this helpful00

MattBrady99

Mar 27, 2015

Based on the autobiography, the film explores the relationship between Liberace and his six-year relationship with young lover Scott Thorson. This movie has outstanding acting and a good cast.

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

lasttimeisaw

Jun 29, 2013

Steven Soderbergh’s tentative final film is a biography of Liberace, with the cast of Michael Douglas (his post-cancer comeback) and Matt Damon, it still fails to secure a cinema release in USA, which comes across as a bummer since after BROKENBACK MOUNTAIN (2005, 10/10) and MILK (2008,Steven Soderbergh’s tentative final film is a biography of Liberace, with the cast of Michael Douglas (his post-cancer comeback) and Matt Damon, it still fails to secure a cinema release in USA, which comes across as a bummer since after BROKENBACK MOUNTAIN (2005, 10/10) and MILK (2008, 8/10), in the mainstream media, gay films haven’t yet progressed much thanks to the conservative top brass in the Hollywood. Anyway, trends will change eventually, nothing can stop it, USA made a great advancement several days ago and the rest of the world will follow.

Michael Douglas stuns with his effeminate mimicry (on stage is the lilting rendition) in the film as the world-known pianist, a flamboyant closeted-man, a selfish control-freak obsesses with his complexion and his tabloid news, but he is also a genius player, an apt entertainer, although the taste he denotes is tawdry and grandiose, he is a nouveau-riche would make the rest of the world grudge. Though hobbled by my ignorance of Liberace, Douglas’ incarnation is a self-challenging ambition and now an Emmy award is low-hanging fruit for him, and the make-up team too is awesome, both the face-lifting and AIDS-afflicting guises are eyeball-grabbing.

Matt Damon is his Adonis baby-boy Scott Thorson, albeit both him and Douglas are two-decades older than their characters in real age, it is a long-delayed meaty role for Matt, in lieu of the film is based on Scott’s own version of the story, he hogs an ever longer screen time than Liberace, one might find him in lack of a sense of queerness in his rough-edginess (by comparison, Boyd Holbrock is more accurate in presenting his allure as another young flesh for Liberace), but the choice itself flouts the stereotype, and Damon runs the gamut of emotions from a naive boy falls for an elder man to a meds-addicted fop cannot get over with his philandering significant other, his best performance so far!

Two highlights from the supporting group, Rob Lowe, whose face undergoes an extreme elevation, plays deadpan humor at its best as the plastic surgeon; the legendary Debbie Reynolds, also stands out as Liberace’s mother whose exotic accent and childish playfulness leave a strong impression from her brief stint in the film.

Out of my wayward obstinacy, I put Damon ahead of Douglas regarding the performance, but the film is a well-orchestrated drama, Soderbergh steers clear of any offshoots and centers on the troubled relationship which is tedious but typical in a mundane world. We sneer it on the screen whilst in reality we tread the same water again and again.… Expand

1 of 1 users found this helpful10

oblique15

Sep 20, 2013

I like Matt Damon, but hes not good enough for me to finish this movie for.I randomly chose this on Demand, and had to bail fast. The Relationships between the male characters was unbearable.

1 of 2 users found this helpful11

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Seasons & Episodes

83

Series Overview
Season 1

83
- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: May 26, 2013
- No episode information is currently available for this season
Season 1

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- Season 1 Overview
  Air Date: May 26, 2013
- No episode information is currently available for this season