Kill Your Darlings

Film Review by Robb Chadwick

Kill Your Darlings is one of the best films of 2013 and certainly the most interesting film that I've seen regarding the group of individuals collectively referred to as The Beats. It has recently been released on DVD and video (for rent or purchase). The movie covers only a short period of time in their lives which includes the pivotal event which helped to shape their future and provide a significant contribution to their future literary work. Kill Your Darlings begins with Allen Ginsberg (played by Daniel Radcliffe) enrolling at Columbia University, meeting Lucien Carr (played by Dane DeHaan). Lucien Carr then introduces Ginsberg to David Kammerer (played by Michael C Hall), William S Burroughs (played by Ben Foster) and Jack Kerouac (played by Jack Huston). During the first part of the film, we see them interact in ways that gives us insight into their thought processes and their unique approach to the world. This is an interesting introduction to The Beats; but it is not the main subject of this film. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD! If you are not familiar with the murder of David Kammerer or prefer to see the film before knowing more about it, stop reading now; but please come back once you've seen the film to read more. Comments and discussion are always welcome. Lucien Carr was nineteen years old when he murdered David Kammerer who was approximately fifteen years his senior. The two formed a close relationship when Lucien was only fourteen while both were living in St Louis. David Kammerer was obviously totally infatuated with Lucien Carr. That is not in dispute. Over the years as Lucien moved from school to school, David also moved to Lucien's new location so that he could be near the younger man. What is in dispute is Lucien's actual feelings about

David Kammerer and the extent of their physical relationship. You will see many accounts which paint Kammerer as a stalker; but if you dig more deeply into the facts, it is apparent that Carr did not totally object to David's affection and did not seriously attempt to extricate himself from the relationship. In fact it is clear that regardless of the extent of their physical relationship, Lucien made ample use of Kammerer when it suited him. Let's get one sticky point out of the way right now. Fifteen years is a big age difference in any relationship; and it is certainly even more a problem when one of the two is a teenager. However, before assigning labels like child molestation, statutory rape or similar terms, I think we do need to remember the time period during which these events occurred. The legal age of consent was generally much lower at that time than it is today. In fact, it may surprise you to learn that until fairly recently fourteen was still the legal age of consent in a few states; fifteen was even more common. Today the age of consent has been raised in almost all states with sixteen being the most common. However, in the first and middle part of the twentieth century things were different. Young people grew up faster then. Im certainly not suggesting that this was a good thing; but when we consider events from a different period of time, it may not be wise to judge them by current day standards. With that out of the way, lets continue by saying that over the years Lucien Carr accompanied David Kammerer on trips that included only the two of them and maintained a close relationship in several locales. As far as we know, Lucien never made a serious attempt to end the relationship or dissuade David in a very real way. Even though Luciens mother did not approve of the relationship, she also did nothing terribly definitive toward ending it.

When Lucien attempted to commit suicide the year before the events in this film unfold, David saved his life and was listed as the next of kin on the hospital admitting form. As Kill Your Darlings opens, it is 1944; and the locale is New York City. Lucien is nineteen and David is about thirty four. In some ways it does appear that Lucien is now finally ready to move on without David Kammerer in his life. Lucien makes new friends and complains about David to them. However, Lucien still allows David to be a part of his life. One of the first events in the film shows Lucien taking Allen Ginsberg to Davids apartment to attend a party. In fact he continues to allow David to tag along with him and his new friends wherever they go. He uses David to write school papers for him. Lucien spends alone time with David and seems unsure whether he wants to actually remove David from his life. As events unfold, there comes a time when the two of them are on a walk alone together in a park on the upper west side of Manhattan where an argument occurs and Lucien stabs David in the chest several times with a knife. David is mortally wounded but not yet dead. Lucien weighs David down by placing rocks in his pockets and drags him into the Hudson River to drown. Lucien takes Davids eyeglasses and the murder weapon with him. Lucien seeks advice from William S Burroughs, who advises Lucien to get a lawyer and turn himself in; but Lucien doesnt especially like that advice at the odd moment. He turns to Jack Kerouac who helps him dispose of the glasses and knife and accompanies Lucien on a day of drinking, museum visiting, cinema hopping and the like. Eventually Lucien does turn himself in, claims that the murder was a result of defending his honor against a homosexual advance and eventually gets a light sentence in a reformatory. (Did I mention that it was 1944? Homosexual panic was a much easier

defense back then than it is today.) William S Burroughs and Jack Kerouac were also arrested as accessories. Things worked out even better for them as they spent little time in jail before making bail. Even though it is clear from their later writing about the crime that they were aware of the complexities of the case, they both decided that since David Kammerer was dead and Lucien Carr was alive, it was best to throw their support behind Luciens defense and not raise any doubt about its authenticity. Lucien Carr served eighteen months for the murder of David Kammerer in a reformatory instead of a prison. He went on to become a respected journalist for UPI and was married and had children. He maintained his friendship with Ginsberg, Burroughs & Kerouac for the rest of their lives but never sought fame or recognition in the same way his friends did. Let us now turn to the final point of dispute. Was the relationship between Lucien Carr and David Kammerer a physical one? Kill Your Darlings unfolds from the point of view of Allen Ginsberg who certainly believed that the relationship between Kammerer and Carr either was or had been very physical. Ginsberg states in his memoirs and elsewhere that he also had a physical relationship with Lucien Carr during the first part of their friendship and provides other interesting personal observations regarding Luciens relationships with men. William S Burroughs said that he did not believe the relationship between Kammerer and Carr was physical; but that statement may have been an attempt to help and reinforce Lucien Carrs honor defense for the murder of David Kammerer. We know from the later writing of Ginsberg, Burroughs and Kerouac that none were unaware of the complexities of the situation.

Another point of view regarding the relationship between Carr and Kammerer is offered by the author, Caleb Carr (Luciens Carrs son), in a recent posting on the internet. After reading the lengthy piece, I couldnt find a great deal with it that differed from the movie except for one thing. Caleb Carr seemed very determined to prove that his father was NOT gay. He had no trouble referring to his father as a monster, abuser and good at using homosexuals for his own benefit. He accused his father of abusing him when he was a youngster; but he wanted to assure the reader that his father was not a homosexual. I couldnt help but think that I would personally prefer a father who was a closet homosexual to one who was a monster, abuser and clever manipulator of the gay people in his life. Caleb Carr seems also to be convinced that this film is part of a Hollywood homosexual agenda to prove that all men are gay. Im not sure I understand that viewpoint. Nothing about the film suggests that viewpoint at all. I highly recommend this film.