Desire and the Black Masseur
by Tennessee Williamsliterary work· published 1948
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“Desire and the Black Masseur” is a work of short fiction by Tennessee Williams first appearing in the collection One Arm and Other Stories, published by New Directions in 1948. The story is told from a third-person omniscient point-of-view from the perspectives of the two protagonists: Anthony Burns, a 30-year-old white wholesale clerk, and an unnamed black masseur who works at a Turkish bathhouse. The two men enter into a sado-masochistic relationship, in which the masseur provides a measure of gratification to his client. Burns, in search of “atonement,” willingly submits to repeated physical assaults; the diminutive clerk achieves sexual climax under the abuse.
Adaptations (1)
Desire and the Black Masseur was adapted into a 1986 film.
Noir et Blanc1986 · film · 80 min · dir. Claire Devers · IMDb ↗IMDb6.7Antoine is an accountant, uptight and withdrawn, married to Edith, who picks out his clothes and shoes. He's assigned to a fitness gymnasium for a month to straighten out their books. The owner, M. Roland, encourages Antoine to use the facilities, including the massages, so Antoine goes to Dominique, a muscular African. In these sessions, Antoine discovers that the pain is comforting, and Dominique finds the accountant ideal for his own sadism. When Dominique breaks Antoine's arm and then goes to the hospital to take Antoine away, Antoine confesses his fascination with and fear of death. With Dominique's help, the accountant breaks all earthly ties to confront his fear.
