Taxi zum Klo (1982, West Germany)

Considered a landmark film because of its fairly direct portrayal of a gay man's sex life, the film follows autobiographical writing by Frank Ripploh.

Ripploh is a likeable, rather Bohemian schoolteacher, and is promiscuously gay in his private life. Settling down with Bernd Broaderup, he continues to pick up casual partners, whereas Bernd wants only stability. The interplay this creates is familiar, but in the gay context it was ground-breaking in 1982.

There is plenty of gay action in the film, and it isn't a good idea to watch it with your Great Aunt. Our hero does a fair amount of trawling for sex contacts in public lavatories, and at one stage travels to one by taxi, justifying the title of the film, Taxi to the Loo. However the wry self-mockery of Ripploh's view of life makes it enjoyable entertainment.

Towards the end of the film, Ripploh goes to the famous annual Tuntenball ... a drag ball ... in Berlin, as an arab dancing girl. Unusually, this is not at the weekend, because after dawn, he leaves and travels back on the urban railway to his classroom, where he takes the class, still in costume.

HF November 2003

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