Sticks and Stones – 1970
Director
Richard Stockton
Stan Lopresto

Cast
David Calder
Donna Troy

Review by Wayne Malin

Pretty horrendous,

This takes place on Fire Island back in the 1970s. A couple Peter (Craig Dudley) and Buddy (J. Will Deane) are throwing a 4th of July party at their house. Unfortunately their relationship is falling apart and they have to get ready for a house full of very strange guests. The rest of the movie chronicles the party and what happens between Peter and Buddy.

OK–I’m a gay man but I was 8 back when this was made. If this is a true view of what gay life was in the 1970s, I’m glad I wasn’t around. From the puzzling opening credits which show kids playing in the sand (???) this movie slides slowly into disaster. There’s a guru (Robert Case) who talks nonstop about nothing of any importance. I wanted to gag the guy halfway into his first LONG speech. There’s the young kid Danny who is there for his first time. There’s the lesbian couple (who do nothing–except one strips for no reason). There’s the leather queen. Worst of all is the effeminate man named Jimmy (Jimmy Foster).

We’re introduced to him and his friend (whose name I never got) when they get a flat tire. They basically scream and screech for 10 minutes and have NO idea how to fix a flat. I know some people find this funny but I found it offensive and pretty sad. The party itself is full of people you would never want to know. It’s like being dumped in a party full of bad actors playing obnoxious people. With the sole exception of Dudley no one can act.

This may be valuable as a portrait of what Fire Island was like in the 1970s…but it’s pretty dull viewing. This gets a 2 only for the frequent male nudity of some very nice bodies.