Behind the Candelabra

Scott Thorson, an 18-year-old animal trainer, meets Hollywood producer Bob Black in a Los Angeles gay bar. At Black's urging, he leaves his adopted home and foster parents in search of better-paying work. This marks the start of his entry into a world of show business and Liberace's orbit.

Black takes Scott to Las Vegas to see Liberace perform live. They become intrigued by the pianist's flamboyant persona and wealth. This visit sets the stage for their eventual involvement with Liberace.

After the show, Black takes Scott backstage where Liberace takes an immediate liking to him. Liberace invites the two men into his luxurious Las Vegas home. Scott uses his veterinary background to help treat a sight-impaired dog, earning the pianist's trust.

Scott moves in with Liberace and becomes part of his act, even driving a Rolls-Royce onstage as the pianist's chauffeur. The relationship quickly becomes intimate as he joins Liberace in a romance. The dynamic centers on control and performance.

Billy Leatherwood is removed from Liberace's stage act and leaves town after a large payout from Liberace's management. The move signals Liberace's willingness to reshape his circle. It also foreshadows the precariousness of Scott's own standing.

After another night together, Scott confides that he is bisexual and attracted to women as well. Liberace is supportive, revealing his own history of being drawn to men. He recounts a 'divine healing' moment from 1963 involving a near-death experience and a message that God still loved him.

In 1979, Liberace has his face altered with a facelift and asks his surgeon to help make Scott resemble him. He also makes an unsuccessful attempt to formally adopt Scott, underscoring his desire to control both their images. The power imbalance deepens as Scott becomes more entangled in Liberace's world.

In 1980, Liberace's mother dies, and Liberace holds the funeral with minimal outward display of grief. Scott observes the absence of genuine mourning and feels a sense of relief or release. The moment marks a turning point in their relationship.

From 1981, Scott's drug use escalates alongside Liberace's growing promiscuity toward younger men. The couple's mounting secrecy and jealousy begin to erode trust. Scott's anger grows as Liberace tries to keep their romance hidden from the public.

In 1982, Liberace suggests they see other people and hires Cary James as his new 'personal assistant.' Scott becomes cold and withdrawn, especially after returning from his foster mother's funeral. The relationship fractures as the power dynamic shifts.

After another heated confrontation, Scott is thrown out with his belongings in plastic bags and told never to contact Liberace again. He moves in with Bob Black, who urges him to pursue a palimony claim. The breakup marks the end of their intense coexistence.

In 1984, Scott hires an attorney to seek his share of Liberace's wealth in a palimony suit. Liberace denies the sexual relationship and offers a modest settlement with cash, cars, dogs, and a house. Scott accepts the deal to avoid further legal costs and the uncertainty of court.

While working as a post office clerk, Scott encounters a book about Liberace and later sees a 1985 newspaper front page announcing Rock Hudson's AIDS death. The contrast between Liberace's private life and public perception becomes clearer. He grapples with whether to reveal or keep silent about his past relationship.

On Christmas Day in 1986, Liberace phones Scott from Palm Springs, announcing he is dying of AIDS and asking him to visit. The pianist gives Scott one of his gold rings as a keepsake and asks him not to reveal their relationship. The moment crystallizes the secrecy that had defined their years together.

On February 4, 1987, Liberace dies after a long illness. Scott attends the funeral in Los Angeles and imagines Liberace performing once more on stage before ascending to heaven. The film closes on a memory of his flamboyant, show-stopping legacy.