I saw the film A Single Man today and liked it more than I thought I would. It is actually excellent. Set in L.A. during the Cuban missile crisis (1962) it deals with a gay man named George Falconer (Colin Firth) whose long time (16 year) lover has died in a traffic accident in Colorado while visiting his family. Also one of their dogs was killed in the car accident and the other is missing. The family of the lover refuses to allow him to attend the funeral services and don't even want to tell him about the death. A cousin sneaks in a phone call to inform George.

George is a middle aged English professor at a small college in L.A. He lives in a gorgeous open glass house in Santa Monica close to the beach. The film follows George during the 24 hours immediately following the cousin's phone call. During this time, George reminisces about the relationship, has dinner with his English neighbor - a woman he once had an affair with before he moved to the US, and is pursued by one of his young students after he digresses during lecture onto the topic of politically generated fear. He is despondent and spends much of the day organizing for his suicide.

This film is beautifully done, gentle in spirit and deep in emotion, as it explores the despondency of profound grief compounded with the secretiveness that a homosexual relationship required in the 1960's.

Excellent film. Very moving!