MovieChat Forums > Advise & Consent (1962) Discussion > Manuel Question - Spoilers

Manuel Question - Spoilers

posted 13 years ago by Fleur_de_lis
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I saw this for the first time and missed some of bits of it.

What was the story on the Manuel character? Did he have any additional backstory in the book? I probably missed a key bit of dialog in the film.

My understanding was that Brig turned up looking for Ray because he had given that address, but that there was no other explanation of the Manuel character.

Manuel said that he provided a kind of messaging service for gay men.

Was he directly involved in the blackmail scheme? Did he even know about it?

Manuel mentioned something about bringing Ray back to the apartment, and that Brig had already paid (if I heard correctly).

Was he renting out his apartment as a location for trysts? Was he a pimp?

What did Brig pay for? Was Manuel referring to the blackmail money?

[–] hobnob53 13 years ago

Manuel did rent out his apartment for trysts for gay men, back when most gays remained undercover, and when homosexual relations were still illegal in most states. You remember that Manuel tells Brig "It's private here" and, as Brig leaves, calls after him that he and Ray can come back, saying "I mean, you've paid." But Manuel was not involved in any blackmail; he was simply renting his place out for trysts.

Manuel was not a character in the book. Ray is only dealt with superficially, as a basically unseen, remote third party, in the novel. Also, he lives in Indiana, not New York City. But, in the book, we do learn that Ray commits suicide soon after Brig, despairing of his role in inadvertently hurting his friend.

[–] 13 years ago

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