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| “ | I want it all! I want it all! I want it... I want it all. | „ |
| ~ Marvin's most famous quote. |
| “ | Whizzer's supposed to always be here. Making dinner; set to screw! That's what pretty boys should do: check their hairlines, make the dinner and love me! | „ |
| ~ Marvin showing his toxic, possessive nature. |
Marvin is the protagonist of the late William Finn's Tony award-winning sung-through musical Falsettos. Though the musical doesn't feature a main antagonist, Marvin starts out so covetous and destructive that he essentially serves as the villain of the first act as well as the original one-act 1981 musical March of the Falsettos from which the half of Falsettos originated.
In the original 1992 production of Falsettos, he is portrayed by Michael Rupert, who also played Professor Callahan in the 2007 Broadway musical adaptation of Legally Blonde. In the 2016 revival, he is played by Christian Borle, who also played Black Stache in the 2009 Broadway play Peter and the Starcatcher, William Shakespeare in the 2015 musical Something Rotten, Orin Scrivello in the 2019 production of Little Shop of Horrors, and voiced Vox in Hazbin Hotel.
Biography[]
Act 1[]
The year is 1979. Marvin has recently left his wife Trina for his gay lover Whizzer. Instead of moving in with Whizzer, however, Marvin chooses to maintain the image of a "tight-knit" family by making Whizzer live with him, his wife and his son, Jason. This causes unbelievable tension in the home.
Marvin seeks to assert his dominance and masculinity by essentially forcing Whizzer into the role of a housewife, replacing Trina and bringing misery to them both. Trina goes to see Marvin's shrink Mendel to help cope with the emotional distress Marvin is causing her, and Mendel eventually ends up hooking up with her after a few sessions of at-home-therapy with the slightly odd kid Jason. This enrages Marvin, who still wants to have monopoly on Trina.
Eventually Mendel and Trina move in together, leaving behind Whizzer and Marvin. During a game of chess, Whizzer defies Marvin and abruptly wins. This causes Marvin to snap and throw his lover out. Whizzer concludes to himself that he won't let himself be abused by men like Marvin anymore.
When Marvin receives an invitation to Trina and Mendel's upcoming wedding, he blows up at Trina, verbally abusing her, and madly accuses her of marrying Mendel only to make him look bad. When both Mendel and Whizzer stand up for Trina, with Whizzer stating he doesn't love Marvin, Marvin sees red and violently slaps Trina.
Realizing how bad he's gotten, Marvin admits defeat. They all admit in unison that they can't control who they love, and Marvin promises to always be there for his son.
Act 2[]
In 1981, two years later, Marvin has grown into an understanding and sympathetic man. He shares split custody with the re-married Trina instead of trying to claim her and Jason for himself. In the run-up to Jason's Bar Mitzvah, Marvin manages to rekindle his flame with Whizzer, and the two re-launch their relationship, grown up and evolved.
Tragically, Marvin comes to learn through the lesbian Dr. Charlotte that Whizzer has contracted AIDS and is slowly dying. Furthermore, it's implied Marvin has naturally been infected as well, though the musical gives no conclusion to this. After Jason's Bar Mitzvah is held in Whizzer's hospital room, Whizzer passes away.
Seeing Whizzer's spirit in front of him, Marvin asserts he doesn't regret their relationship despite all its pitfalls and shortcomings, and would do it all over again if he was ever given the chance. Marvin then breaks down, and Trina and co. comfort him.
Trivia[]
- Despite being horribly abusive and generally detested by audiences in the first act, Marvin undergoes such a growth that a large part of the Falsettos fanbase sees him as a genuinely good human being by the end.
- While the general fanbase considers Marvin being deemed a villain as controversial, the statement is not unfounded.
- Although majority of the fandom claims Marvin's occupation is advertising because of Christian Borle's whimsy claim, both Michael Rupert (Falsettos OBC Marvin) and William Finn (creator of Falsettos) have said that Marvin owns a doctorate in meteorologist, earning him a job as a weatherman.