| Transcript |
BOOK REVIEW By Scott Stebelman
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The Front Runner
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Warren, Patricia Nell. 77ie Front Runner.
New York: William Morrow & Company, 1974.
What is so amazing about The Front
Runner is that it was written by a woman. The novel is a celebration, almost a
deification, of gay macho - of the young
gay runner who strives for physical perfection on the track and for emotional
fulfillment off it. It chronicles the love
of Billy Sive and Harlan Brown, how they
train rigorously for the 1976 Olympics,
how they struggle to love each other with
tenderness and respect, and how they are
eventually crushed by America's homophobia.
The plot is quite simple in many respects. Three University of Oregon track
stars, dropped from the team for being
openly gay, seek refuge with Harlan
Brown, a gay track coach at Prescott College. Two of the boys are lovers, but the
third, Billy Sive, is unattached. Harlan
and Billy quickly fall for each other, but
Harlan, still feeling the effects of a homosexual scandal which cost him his last job,
refuses to give in to his emotions. Sexual
tension builds: Billy can't study, he becomes depressed, he overtrains - all of
which affect his running. Seeing that he
is destroying his runner, and himself as
well, Harlan relents, confesses his love to
Billy, and the two begin a very serious
love affair.
As Billy's running times decrease, the
rumors about his affair with Harlan increase. Finally, at an interview after a
meet a reporter asks him point blank if he
is gay and Harlan's lover; always honest,
Billy answers yes, which causes an avalanche of criticism from the American
public. As the 1976 Olympics approach,
the AAU tries to disqualify him on technicalities, but Billy's father, a gay activist
lawyer, and some sympathetic runners intervene, forcing the committee to relent.
Ironically, this causes Billy's death, for he
is assassinated during one of the races.
As good as The Front Runner is, it does
have some serious flaws. Characters are
often portrayed as heroes (the Prescotts,
Mike Stella, Armas Sepponan) or villains
(Mike Dellinger, Gus Lindquist, the AAU).
This problem is particularly noticeable in
Billy Sives, who is more ethereal than
earthly: he never lies or deceives, he never cruises, he charms everybody wherever
he goes, and he runs with impeccable
grace. Even Harlan says: "He had the
most beautiful natural form I had ever
seen - no wasted effort anywhere. He
was almost unreal. He was that idea of a
runner that haunts the minds of track
people." Harlan is probably the most believable character in the book. He, too,
has a beautiful body, but he is incapable
of showing grief or, initially, softness. If
anybody grows in the novel, it is he.
Another minor irritation is the digressive lectures on gay law and the workings
ofthe athletic organizations. These are
all very interesting, but they retard plot
development.
Criticism aside, this is quite a good novel. It treats gay relationships sympathetically, honestly, and with a good deal of
taste and dignity. Moreover, it is moving:
plan on a box of Kleenex for the last 30
pages.
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