Based on the autobiography of Billy Hayes, this intense film explores the hellish years Hayes spent in a Turkish prison for drug smuggling. Brad Davis gives a remarkably complex performance as Hayes, and a good cast includes John Hurt and Randy Quaid. The film contains many good moments, but one frustrating scene involves a gay prisoner, Erich (Norbert Weisser) and Hayes. Seductively and tastefully filmed, Erich makes a pass at Billy in the shower. After a discreet kiss, Hayes politely brushes him off. Under most circumstances, that would be an admirable scene. But in real life the two men were lovers during their prison stay. Hayes himself observed, "I wish that they’d let the steam in the shower come up and obscure the act itself instead of showing a rejection". Director Parker disagreed, however. It must be acceptable for a hero smuggling drugs, or biting a person’s tongue off, but evidently he can’t remain a hero in real life if his lover is another man.