Alexander: The Other Side of Dawn 1977

Following the events of the first film, Alexander Duncan, Leigh McCloskey, is wheeled into a hospital where he undergoes surgery, and a series of vivid flashbacks trace his journey from a rural Oklahoma upbringing to the glitz and grit of Hollywood.

In the present, Alex awakens to Dawn Wetherby, [Eve Plumb], and the two reaffirm their love for one another. Dawn helps him as he recovers, and he urges her to return to her small Arizona town to wait for him. Yet the shadow of his past quickly catches up with him. Due to his involvement with Dawn’s pimp, Swan, Alex loses his job as a stock boy, and he finds it nearly impossible to land another legitimate position because of the stigma she brought into their lives. Desperation pushes him toward prostitution, and he is soon picked up by an undercover police officer.

At the station, Alex asks to contact Donald Umber, and Ray Church, [Earl Holliman], signs for him and vouches for his upcoming court appearance. Ray explains that Umber is no longer in town, but he’s a friend who has helped both Alex and Dawn before. Ray also escorts Alex to a youth house for gay men, a place that makes him uneasy since he is not gay, and he leaves after a brief visit. Back at his apartment, the landlady reminds him that the rent is overdue, adding to the mounting pressure.

Meanwhile, Dawn—homesick and unable to settle back into her ordinary life—struggles with the distance between them. On the streets, Buddy, [Asher Brauner], spots Alex and convinces him to join a double date with one of Buddy’s clients and her friend. They dine at a nice restaurant, and Buddy lends Alex a sharp suit for the evening. As the night unfolds, Alex grows more honest about his life, opening up to his elder date Myra, [Juliet Mills], and then going home with her for the night.

The following day, while lingering at an art museum, Alex is approached by Charles Selby, a glamorous football star who is secretly gay. Selby, portrayed by [Alan Feinstein], entices Alex with a lavish lifestyle and hires him as his current boy-toy, a development that brings financial relief but complicates Alex’s feelings and sense of self. The two cross paths again later at a nightclub with Ray, who warns Alex to focus on his future and reminds him of the pending court appearance.

Back in court, the charges against Alex are dismissed, and he receives a warning rather than a conviction. With the weight of his past still hovering, Alex returns to Selby’s home and finds Selby pursuing another boy-toy, a moment that reinforces for him the precariousness of his new life. Ray drops him off at the bus depot, and Alex purchases a ticket back toward Dawn, hinting at a desire to reclaim what he left behind.

As the bus pulls away, Alex catches sight of Dawn on the street and chooses to step off. He runs to her and tells her that he’s come to take her to a new place, where they can try their luck together. The film closes on their tentative promise to forge a fresh start, stepping into the unknown with a renewed sense of hope.