An Early Frost (1985)

As a 1980s made for television film, this is noted for being one of the first to deal with the topic of AIDS, particularly for a mainstream audience. Aidan Quinn is a closed gay attorney living in Chicago with his partner. After an illness takes a turn for the worse and he discovers that he is HIV positive and that his partner had cheated on him, he travels back to his family home, coming out to them simultaneously regarding his sexual identity and his medical diagnosis. It’s a bit of a sanitized version for what many were experiencing at the time, but they do a fairly good job of providing medical information, particularly through Terry O’Quinn’s doctor character, and pulling away from blaming any one individual. There’s also a great supporting cast in his family members (Ben Gazzara, Gena Rowlands, Sylvia Sidney) who provide a mirror to the complicated feelings loved ones, particularly those accustomed to being bigoted on the subject, can experience and how even allies can turn their backs unexpectedly.