A Night At The Adonis

A Night at the Adonis - 1977

Directed by Jack Deveau.

Starring: Jack Wrangler, Milo, Jayson McBride, Tommy Ruscica, Chris Michaels, Eartha Hugee.

Back in the disco-wonderland days of the late 70’s porn films were only accessible to the general public at theatres. Granted, most of these grind houses were sleazy little places usually located in the wrong part of town, but amongst the “wank palaces” (as a friend of mine from back in the day referred to them), there were some pretty impressive movie houses that ran porn, one of them was the Adonis theatre in New York City.

Originally built in 1921 by Broadway impresario, Billy Rose, and known as The Tivoli, the theatre stood empty a few years (the victim of the television boom in the late 50’s and early 60’s) and then in 1974 it reopened as The Adonis, and was known to be one of the most popular establishments of its time.

Imagine what it was like back then cruising for sex in a theatre replete with elaborate staircases, sunken lounges, an orchestra pit and a balcony … well, if you’re curious, by all means, check out Jack Deveau’s A Night at the Adonis.

This brilliant little movie opens with a shot of the theatre’s marquee coming to life, lights blinking and swirling in the Manhattan twilight. A Donna Summer sound-a-like croons a ballad, the opening credits run, and from there we follow young, Joe (an adorable looking guy with longish feathered hair) into the movie palace where he meets with his supervisor so that he can start his new job as a theatre employee. Interestingly enough, while he is being interviewed, Joe tells his boss that he has a degree in “gay business management” (gee, I wonder where he went to school?).

Meanwhile, outside the movie-house, the patrons have queued up to wait for the show to start. But first, they must remain until the theatre’s ticket taker (a heavy-set, heavily made up African American woman billed as Eartha Hugee), grants them entrance. In between bites of what appears to be an extremely overstuffed Reuben sandwich, Ms. Hugee allows a few of the men in at a time while tossing off sassy remarks about their style of dress.

In another part of town, in a small men’s store, we meet salesman, Donald (Jack Wrangler) telling a customer that he has no recommendations as to what to wear to a Star Wars party, and upon showing him the door, proceeds to close up shop for the night. A quick exchange with a co-worker Ray (Milo) reveals that Wrangler has a thing for his partner in polyester goods, but Ray’s got other ideas and tells Wrangler that he’s getting his hair cut, and is then going to be reading, “Gay American History”, a book that was recommended to him.

Before too long, we are with Milo and his coiffure, Louis (Jayson McBride). After the haircut, the fellows engage in a rather energetic fuck using the salon’s adjustable chair to every advantage. After Milo leaves, McBride decides that he really wants to see him again, but when he tries to call him he discovers that his object of desire is unlisted, so he decides to head on out to the Adonis himself for a night of carousing and cruising.

Back at the theatre, the assembled men (each one a distinctive “type”) are busy getting to know each other. A cute young punk is getting a blow job by a well dressed man in a three piece suit; an extremely handsome guy wearing nothing but a large overcoat is flashing prospective lovers; and a leather man is dry humping a rather preppy looking type at the juice bar.

While all of this is going on, A Night…begins to fool with the viewer’s perspective a bit by showing us rather graphic sex scenes that are being projected on the screen in the theatre proper. But after a while, it actually enhances the experience when we realize that what is happening on film, is going to be somewhat replicated in real life (which is of course a movie). Pretty creative stuff for a porn film.

Finally, Wrangler arrives at the theater and after talking to Joe (when he meets him, Wrangler has a great line in, “Hi, I’m Don, I’m in men’s clothes.”) and bragging about how much sex he has had over the years at The Adonis, he hooks up with the hairdresser. The two guys end up in the basement of the theatre, and here, Wrangler puts McBride through the motions, fucking him in an animalistic fashion that is rarely ever seen in modern day gay erotic video. Make no mistakes, Jack Wrangler loved what he did, and, boy howdy, he was damn good at it. Take a look at McBride’s face while Wrangler is plowing him; the poor guy actually goes cross-eyed at one point.

Meanwhile, the men’s room at the Adonis is seeing more action than Senator Larry Craig ever dreamed of.

One guy is getting fist fucked (ouch!), while a very handsome African American man is screwing the life out of a faceless white bottom boy; a couple of hippies are making out while another guy kneels before them taking turns at their dicks in quick succession. Soon the entire john is filled with sweaty bodies and pulsating action.

Meanwhile, Remember Milo and his reading? Well, he soon grows bored with his book and trucks on down to the Adonis and before long he is also involved in some bathroom hijinx.

Well, it does not take long for Wrangler to stumble into the bathroom, and as he spies the other guys doing the nasty, he dives right in and in a matter of seconds, he’s got one dude at each of his nipples and another on his johnson – and this is where A Night at the Adonis, reaches its apex: as the men enjoy each other, it becomes very clear that this communal camaraderie, this carnival of sex, was more than about just getting off. The looks on the various men’s faces is of sheer pleasure, no one seems to be going through the motions, nothing is robotic, no, this was celebratory sex during an age that knew no limits and while the principals understood they were being filmed, it is clear that they relished and delighted not only in the sexual aspects of what they were doing, but in the seeming brotherhood they shared. As each and every one of them reaches a climax, their faces reveal a look of one who has just gone on a journey with like minded collaborators.

When the orgy ends, Joe (remember Joe?) enters the men’s room to find all of the occupants’ leisurely milling about, he seems bewildered at first, and then relaxes and smiles. And then Wrangler sees Milo and asks him, “So this is Gay American History?” and Milo smirks at his co-worker but assures him that he will never have sex with him. Wrangler ponders this for a moment and then sees Joe being undressed and caressed by a couple of the other men in the room. Wrangler shrugs his shoulders at Milo and in a classic case of sour grapes, he glances over at the young theatre employee, whose cock is now jutting forth and says, “Forget it, I’m mesmerized”, and he approaches the young shaggy haired youth and goes down on him as the scene fades out.

Meanwhile, the hairdresser (who dozed off in the balcony) wakes up and makes his way out of the theatre only to find Milo leaving from another door. The guys look at each other, smile, and head off into the night as the closing credits roll.

A Night at the Adonis is indeed Gay American History. Even if some would like to deny it, the film is a very honest reflection of an era when gay men finally felt unfettered enough to explore, a time when sexual experimentation and multiple partners was not anything out of the ordinary, it was the norm. Again, the irony of the film taking place in a movie theatre, and then being shown at other adult movie houses should not be lost on the viewer. Art imitated life, imitating art.

The actual Adonis theatre is no longer around. It was sold and demolished in 1990, the victim of the home video revolution and the AIDS crisis (as well as the gentrification of New York City), and that is really a shame. One wonders why a gorgeous theatre like the Adonis was not saved as some sort of historical landmark, not only because of its early years as the very place where Fanny Brice and George Burns performed, but also as a reminder of a time when sexual fantasy transcended the silver screen and made it’s way into the seats, the balconies, the men’s room and the hallways of it’s opulent self.

As I understand it, the location where the Adonis once stood is now a condominium complex.

On a technical note, the first time I saw this film, I distinctly recall the soundtrack was filled with standards from the 30’s and 40’s – the video copy I have has none of that music on it, it has all been replaced by generic disco tunes. However that is a minor complaint. A Night at the Adonis should be required viewing not only for the connoisseur of gay porn, but also for those who want to really know what Gay American life was like in the mid 70’s. Love it or hate it, that’s the way it went down.