Black White & Gray: A Portrait of Sam Wagstaff and Robert Mapplethorpe

This is a terrific documentary by James Crump about the unsung collector, Wagstaff, and his lopsided relationship with his hungry young lover, Mapplethorpe.

Crump's film colourfully depicts Wagstaff's complex inner mindset and rarefied eye for imagery by allowing the stunning prints to linger on the screen.

The movie makes its main point. Wagstaff was an important, complex, fascinating figure, well worth remembering.

Wagstaff's character accounts for some of the frustration the film induces. Crumb's documentary style accounts for the rest.

Good taste is examined in all its implications in James Crump's elegant documentary Black White + Gray: A Portrait of Sam Wagstaff and Robert Mapplethorpe.

Crump's film is a vitally important document in this respect, bringing out Wagstaff's personality and vividly capturing the stories of the people who knew him.

A well made portrait of an intriguing man, presented with a tragic but resounding weight.

Let's hope this is the springboard for a biopic on the art world's dynamic gay duo - maybe by the time it gets made we'll even have some openly gay actors to play the parts.