It's November 30, 1962. Native Brit George Falconer, an English professor
at a Los Angeles area college, is finding it difficult to cope with life.
Jim, his personal partner of sixteen years, died in a car accident eight
months earlier when he was visiting with family. Jim's family were not
going to tell George of the death or accident let alone allow him to attend
the funeral. This day, George has decided to get his affairs in order
before he will commit suicide that evening. As he routinely and
fastidiously prepares for the suicide and post suicide, George reminisces
about his life with Jim. But George spends this day with various people,
who see a man sadder than usual and who affect his own thoughts about what
he is going to do. Those people include Carlos, a Spanish
immigrant/aspiring actor/gigolo recently arrived in Los Angeles; Charley,
his best friend who he knew from England, she who is a drama queen of a
woman who romantically desires her best friend despite his sexual
orientation; and Kenny Potter, one of his students, who seems to be curious
about his professor beyond English class.
On what he plans will be the last day of his life, George Falconer reflects
on his past, particularly on the death of his partner of 16 years, Jim, who
was killed in a car crash some months before. He's decided to take his own
life that evening and meticulously plans the event, hoping out loud that he
can just make it through the day. He goes to his class, he's a college
English professor, and stops at the bank to collect his insurance policies
and other documents from his safe deposit box. He then lays everything out
on his desk, writing notes to friends and his housekeeper. He fondly
recalls meeting Jim at the end of World War II and their subsequent life
together. Now, in October 1962 with the Cuban missile crisis upon them,
George lectures his class on fear. As the time approaches for him to end it
all, one of his students wants to spend time with him and his friend
Charley, who he's known since his days in England, invites him for dinner
where she obviously sees something is wrong. As the evening wears on,
George reconsiders but fate intervenes.
