Burton’s Sexuality

As I began reading Patrick Goldstein’s Feb. 18 article on director Bob Rafelson’s new movie, “Mountains of the Moon,” about the Burton-Speke expedition to find the source of the Nile, I became thrilled that someone was finally going to give Sir Richard Burton, one of my heroes and a giant of the 19th Century, the wider recognition that he truly merits.

Then I was stopped dead by Rafelson’s incredible statement: “I’m sure (John) Speke was a closet homosexual. Who knows what must’ve gone on between the two men. After all, they spent 1,000 days together walking through Africa. Did they (have sex)? It probably happened. But I prefer to let the audience imagine the whole of the relationship.”

Those gratuitous remarks, which speak volumes about Rafelson, are a scurrilous attack upon the memory of a great man and his comrade by someone who apparently believes that men cannot fight wars or explore continents and be deprived of the company of women without resorting to homosexuality. This is the motion picture industry’s answer to creative news reporting by the TV networks.

Unfortunately, Burton isn’t here to defend himself, but, if he were, the great linguist might retort: Honi soit qui mal y pense! (Shamed be (anyone) who thinks evil of it.)

Rafelson isn’t fit to have polished Burton’s boots, let alone make a movie about his life.

SPERO KESSARIS

Rancho Palos Verdes