A Very Natural Thing 1974

The film opens with a mini-documentary of New York City’s 1973 Gay Pride parade and rally, capturing a moment of visibility and courage. A young lesbian proclaims that being gay is a very natural thing, and the scene lingers as a voiceover introduces a personal story that unfolds against this backdrop. > being gay is a very natural thing.

David, [Robert McLane], a former monk who has become an English teacher in the New York City area, spends his days immersed in teaching and his nights driving into the city to be with his oldest friend from Schenectady, Alan, at a bustling gay bar. The atmosphere is both celebratory and intimate, a place where connection feels possible and real. One evening at the bar, David is singled out to dance by Mark, [Curt Gareth], a sharp, confident businessman who embodies a different kind of energy than Alan’s quiet steadiness. Their dance sparks an unexpected chemistry, and what begins as a one-night encounter soon blossoms into something deeper. Mark agrees to see David again, and a monogamous relationship forms, with David moving in beside Mark.

Yet the relationship soon hits a rough seam as Mark openly desires sex with other men and resists the idea of modeling their bond after heterosexual marriage. He would rather have an arrangement in which either of them can pursue sexual connections when the mood strikes, a stance that leaves David feeling unsettled and unused to such a distance between love and commitment. The tension grows as Mark rejects the notion of saying “I love you” in a steady, romantic sense, forcing David to wrestle with what he truly wants from a partner. In a playful moment, David prods Mark to voice the sentiment, and the exchange lands with a forked weight: “Say it…again…once more for good measure.” After a year, it becomes clear that they are merely marking time rather than building a shared future. To salvage the relationship, they escape to Fire Island for a weekend, hoping a change of scene will rekindle something real. David even attempts to participate in an orgy to please Mark, but he cannot fully commit to that path. A heated disagreement follows, and David ends up staying with his friend Alan long enough to gain a clearer, more objective perspective on what has happened. A subsequent meeting with Mark on Coney Island seals the realization that reconciliation isn’t possible; Mark’s focus remains more on sexual freedom than on nurturing a romantic bond with David.

After a season of loneliness, David encounters a different kind of connection at the 1973 Pride rally: Jason, a divorced photographer who has spent time living a heterosexual life before embracing his true self. Jason, [Bo White], is a divorced dad who still maintains a relationship with his ex-wife and works with her on photo shoots, a dynamic that fascinates David with its complexity and honesty. The two men grow comfortable in each other’s company as they talk, share confidences, and see possibilities for a relationship built on steadiness and mutual care. Jason invites David into his world, explaining how he balances parenthood, art, and romance in a way that feels hopeful and mature.

Jason’s persona as a photographer becomes a bridge for David, who learns to open up and imagine a life beyond the heartbreak of his failed relationship with Mark. Jason’s ex-wife’s presence in his life is handled with a candid pragmatism that resonates with David, who has spent time wrestling with his own expectations of fidelity and commitment. The two men begin to envision a future together, one in which love is not constrained by traditional scripts but nourished by honesty, patience, and a shared longing for connection.

The film culminates in a quiet, intimate moment of tenderness and trust. Jason documents David in small, tender ways, teaching him how to pose and how to capture the right moment of emotion. The two men explore this new chapter as a couple, free to build something genuine without pretending to fit into someone else’s mold. The narrative ends with a powerful, simple image: the two of them splashing naked in the surf on Cape Cod, a visceral reminder of their willingness to be open, vulnerable, and truly present with one another.