The Toilers and the Wayfarers | Christine Ayers, Daniel Ayers

The Toilers and the Wayfarers | Christine Ayers, Daniel Ayers | A smart little film, with an eye to pleasing the viewer

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The Toilers and th...

	The Toilers and the Wayfarers Christine Ayers, Daniel Ayers Picture This, 2002 average customer review:based on 10 reviews view larger image
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highly recommended

Coming-of-age drama about two teenage boys who run away from their small, conservative Midwestern town to become street hustlers in Minneapolis.

A Beautiful Coming of Age Saga Set in Minnesota

I loved this film. It was different, unique, and held my interest for all 75 minutes. Filming in black and white always adds that independent touch. I may be a bit bias (since I live in St Paul MN), as the film was set in New Ulm Minnesota, and is filmed on location in Minneapolis - scenes on and around Hennepin Avenue, including one outside the Gay 90's, once but no longer an institution in the gay clubs of the Twin Cities.

The Story: We follow the plight of 3 young (and likely gay) teens coming of age in a small rural Minnesota town. Dieter, Phillip and Udo (who arrives from Ulm Germany to live with his Aunt, who soon dies) become pals in the most unusual of ways. Eventually, Phillips ends up on the streets of Minneapolis, and Dieter and Udo are left to contend with family conflict in New Ulm. Suffice to say, I'll need to visit New Ulm one day. The film eventually leads us to Minneapolis where Dieter and Phillip reunite, and passions flare as the two deal with lust, love, hustling and survival. Udo is pretty much out of the storyline at this point. I can't say much more without leading you towards the ending.

What I Liked: I don't think the film ever developed a "time period", so one must judge based on cars, and other factors. I would say the film, originally released in Theaters in 1997, is set in the early to mid 80's. Though the word AIDS is never uttered, we are left to wonder what will become of our boys from New Ulm, outcast from their families. Hustling for sex in the 80's was not a good thing (is it ever actually). The film is mostly serious, with some humor (mostly thanks to Udo) and is primarily in English, though several scenes, especially early, are in German with English subtitles, which for me, just adds to the film. A nice collection of DVD extras too.

What I Didn't Like: Nothing really, I thoroughly enjoyed this film and will keep it on my collection. It is a solid 4 and since I cannot think of any negatives, I am going to give it a 5.

Final Word: I loved the West St Paul tow truck, the Minneapolis night street scenes at dusk in black and white - and the German humor of Udo. The storyline is tender and heartfelt, and the young actors are stunning in all regards. A great film, go see it.

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A smart little film, with an eye to pleasing the viewer

The filmmaker's artsy choice of black and white film works, though we might wonder how it might have looked in the customary full color. I have come to conclude that black and white film used nowadays is an affectation meant to convey the impression of high art.

Dialogue consists of 50% German and 50% English, though with the subtitles, language poses no barrier. Actually, the character's German-American heritage adds exotic spice, a new wrinkle to the by-now familiar genre of gay hustler movies.

I should clarify that "Wayfarers" is not so much about hustling's lurid aspects than it is the realistic story of a teen runaway, Dieter, physically an archetypal Aryan youth, personally an insightful, gentle young man, if rebellious towards his cold father. He has two friends, the older of which is Udo, a loser alky, though not unappealing, gentle and dumb and little fluent in English. Udo's orientation has little bearing on events, other than prejudicing his elders against him, and he might as well have been straight for the purposes of the movie. Dieter's younger buddy Phillip's effeminate manners may repel, but his good looks and candid love for Dieter win us over in the end. Possibly, the script favors him with better lines, but whatever the reason, the actor who plays Phillip, Andrew Woodhouse, shines the brightest in this film for the extra "oomph" with which he delivers his lines, his expressive eyes always searching, his face animated with feeling. I should like to see more movies with this new (to me) actor.

"Wayfarers" neither descends into an obvious morality lesson nor gratuitous eroticism, though rest assured, you will be awarded your expected ration, almost entirely of Dieter, including a full-body rear, a flaccid frontal, and, what is quite unusual in modern films, a lengthy, bare, otk spanking scene where Dieter is punished by his German father. For the sake of art and beauty alone, though not necessarily for profundity or dramatic content, I would recommend this as an addition to your collection.

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Deter goes to the big city

Deter (Matt Klemp; now thats a Germanic name)and Phillip (Andrew Woodhouse) are best friends in high school; while talking during gym class the over bearing gum instructor (his acting isn't convincing) punishes Deter for the infraction and he get "spanked". Meeting down at the river afterwards, Phillip informs Deter " I burned my gym uniform "; they tossel about and Phillip starts to kiss Deter; at first he looks like he might be injoying it but pushes Phillip away, "What are you doing ?". Gets up and runs away, Phillip apologises, but Deter keeps running down the road and you see no more of Phillip.
Udo (Ralf Schrig) has moved from Germany to the USA to live with is aunt; by the way Udo is Deters cousin. Udo sits around his Aunt's house and drinks and doesn't seem to want to get a job (reminds me of a roomate I once had); auntie is not impressed.
She kicks the bucket and Udo inherits aunties house and money that he squanders it on a new car etc. Well Deters family is not impressed with this behavior and is concerned with his constant compaionship and time with Deter. While Udo drives up to show Deter his new car, the father has a show down with Udo and suggest he has become to close and personal with his son, and that Uno is after Deter's body. (give the guy a break dad, he doesn't know anybody else in town his age that speaks his language)Deter speaks his opnion and defends Uno and his overly strict prussian father blows a cork and drags Deter into the house; they have words and Deter admits (you miss part of this in the subtitle???) that he is gay not Uno. I love this next scene; you see Deter's room and then hear "F---K YOU!" and deter enters and slams the door; pops really P.Oed now and spanks Deter on his bare bottom. Deter has had enough and goes over to Uno's and hides out there and convinces him to take to Minneapolis to join Phillip. To keep it short they do go on the road, Thelma and Louise style, and join up with Phillip (who has been writting to Deter).
Uno can't hold a job; Phillip has resorted to prostitution and convinces Deter to do the same; Deter and Phillip have reconciliated and become lovers now but Detrer gets busted by the vice squad; who inform him his father doesn't want him back.
Promising to show where the others live, he breaks away from the police and decides it best to leave town.
I didn't like the ending; felt like it left you hanging. The acting was for the most part good, Andrew Woodhouse'es acting was forced; they should have cast someone else. The "mother" was terrible.
I enjoyed the movie as it shows what can happen to a kid if he is forced, one way or the other, to leave home and live on the streets.

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Art, form and grace

This was a walk off of the beaten path. It's filmed in black and white with a mix of subtitles and English. It was rather well done and an enjoyable way to spend an evening. This is a very sexy film without any detailed sex. It's done so well that it's better than seeing the detailed act, it allows for you to fill in the gaps. It gives you a wonderful story and great acting from the lead. It was well worth the cost and I got much more than I expected. The lead is very convincing as a fresh, unsoiled young man in a town that hold no hope for growth. You see him transform before you're eye's as he discovers the reality of what waits outside the small town, on the path he has to travel. This is a tastefully sexual and seductive film that will remind you of what it was to be young and unsoiled, it will excite you're senses and leave you pondering what will happen to him now?
Not all the actors turned in great work so I felt four stars was fair. It's worth it for the lead. His acting was great and he looked splendid, as you will see for yourself.

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Coming of Age in Minnesota

The Toilers and the Wayfarers"

Coming of Age in Minnesota

Amos Lassen

Last night I rewatched "The Toilers and the Wayfarers". It had been awhile since I watched it and I was in the mood for something that I had remembered enjoying. I thoroughly enjoyed it again. It is different and has qualities that newer films have not been able to capture.
We follow three young gay teenagers as they come of age in a small Minnesota town. Dieter, Phillip and Udo become friends in a very unusual way and the boys are all very different. One is a young alcoholic who is also a lay about serves as the catalyst for the self-realization that the other two are gay. Another guy moves to the city and becomes a hustler and the other follows, ending up selling his body as well. Having been rejected by their parents, the boys who are both young and without skills, have nothing and no one to turn to.
Keith Froelich, the director, manages to successfully captures growing up gay beautifully. Minneapolis represents to the boys a chance to be who they are and a haven. Filmed in black and white, the movie emits a feeling of loneliness and despair, the same feelings the boys were having when they realized that going to a large city was the only way they could deal with themselves. It is very difficult to be gay in a small town, especially since the boys were double minorities---gay and of German heritage. When they went to the city they had the change to really be who they felt they were. Dieter, who had been somewhat homophobia (denying his own sexuality to himself), turns out to be a hustler and finds peace. His spiraling downward morality induces us to think about his situation.
The movie is sincere and earnest even if it is a bit uneven. There are moments of comedy but by and large this is a depressing look at the way boys must deal with their sexuality. This movie is definitely worth a watch. However, it was made in 1995 at a time when gay cinema was beginning to come into its own. It is nowhere near a slick production but it is an interesting look at coming of age.

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reviews: page 1, 2

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