▁to ▁discuss ▁bringing ▁“ Lat in ▁American ▁mag ical ▁real ism ” ▁into ▁the ▁main stream . ▁Although ▁Lanc aster ▁was ▁attached , ▁giving ▁it ▁built ▁in ▁market ability , ▁the ▁novel ' s ▁un trad itional ▁narr ative ▁made ▁it ▁a ▁challenge ▁to ▁adapt , ▁and ▁its ▁hom osex ual ▁theme ▁was ▁perce ived ▁as ▁a ▁det r iment ▁to ▁attract ing ▁w ides p read ▁aud ien ces . ▁B aben co , ▁who ▁was ▁an ▁exp atri ate ▁in ▁Brazil ▁at ▁that ▁time , ▁fe ared ▁a ▁x en oph ob ic ▁back l ash ▁against ▁the ▁production ▁for ▁casting ▁American ▁actors . ▁Add itional ▁obst acles ▁to ▁the ▁production ▁included ▁Manuel ▁Pu ig ' s ▁ant agon ism ▁toward ▁B aben co ; ▁he ▁did ▁not ▁like ▁P ix ote , ▁and ▁sus pected ▁the ▁director ▁was ▁an ▁“ o pport un ist .” ▁ ▁Pre - production ▁ ▁B aben co ▁continued ▁to ▁develop ▁the ▁property ▁despite ▁the ▁author ' s ▁mis giv ings , ▁and ▁attract ed ▁potential ▁invest ors , ▁including ▁German ▁film maker ▁Frank ▁R ipp lo h . ▁Richard ▁G ere ▁was ▁set ▁to ▁play ▁Val entin , ▁giving ▁the ▁production ▁further ▁box - office ▁cred ibility . ▁New ▁York ▁City ▁social ite ▁Jane ▁Hol zer , ▁who ▁appeared ▁in ▁several ▁Andy ▁War hol ▁films ▁and ▁was ▁an ▁acquaint ance ▁of ▁David ▁We is man , ▁agreed ▁to ▁fin ance ▁initial ▁production ▁costs , ▁and ▁Leonard ▁Sch r ader , ▁who ▁had ▁collabor ated