Favorite (and Least Favorite) Gay-Themed Movies

[N13]

"Victim" with Dirk Bogarde was a shocker when it came out. It also proved to be very successful on the Art House circuit. It actually generated sympathy for a gay character at a time when this was not the norm.

[Tonyko]

"Victim" with Dirk Bogarde was a shocker when it came out. It also proved to be very successful on the Art House circuit. It actually generated sympathy for a gay character at a time when this was not the norm.

TOTALLY. And yes though he did lose his entire law career, he STOOD UP and didn't kill himself like the other victims in the film. Perhaps the MOST poignant moment is when his very elderly assistant/law clerk looks at the gay blackmail photo of he and his lover in a car, he doesn't blink an eye and simply critiques it's value saying it's open to interpretation Sir but best to get rid of it etc. ALSO, pretty effing brave for a (closeted to outsiders) GAY movie star like Bogarde to take on that role in 1960.

[Rod Hagen]

Just watched "Eastern Boys"

 

Caught Eastern Boys recently too. It's just as much about the immigrant situation as it is about a gay relationship. Good movie.

[samandtham]

I remember Eastern Boys posters posted at every major Paris subway station last year. Too bad I had to fly back to the U.S. before it came out in the theaters.

[+ azdr0710]

thanks for this thread....

 

as God is my witness, my Netflix queue will never be empty again!

 

http://theheroinesbookshelf.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/10/scarlett-pout.jpg

[Guest]

 

Also, Ma Vie en Rose (the transgender French kid, not Edith Piaf [La Vie en Rose]) and Times of Harvey Milk.

 

 

Kevin Slater

 

For God's sake it's a transgender BELGIAN kid, not French! In any case, Get Real is one of my all-time favorite movies. I also loved Going Down in La-La Land (Matthew Ludwinski is so dreamy!), Burning Blue, and Another Gay Movie.

[Rod Hagen]

Forgot about Ma Vi en Rose. Good movie.

[Tonyko]

"Bell Book And Candle". (I know, a Kim Novak movie from 1958 about witches living in Manhattan isn't GAY themed :-) BUT I remember reading an article about the Playwrite (it was a play first) being gay and suggesting the script was a METAPHOR for the gay world (in NYC in the 50s) using witches and Male warlocks instead. And when I saw the movie again AND LISTENED TO THE DIALOGUE, well. it FIT lol.

They never marry.

They look like everyone else, you can't tell them apart for regular people, they're in the workforce in every area .

But THEY can spot one of their own kind, always. And they have a secret language when others are around.

They hang out in basement bars in Greenwich Village, off the beaten path, that most people don't know exist.

ETC ETC ETC.

[TruHart1]

"Bell Book And Candle". (I know, a Kim Novak movie from 1958 about witches living in Manhattan isn't GAY themed BUT I remember reading an article about the Playwrite (it was a play first) being gay and suggesting the script was a METAPHOR for the gay world (in NYC in the 50s) using witches and Male warlocks instead. And when I saw the movie again AND LISTENED TO THE DIALOGUE, well. it FIT lol.

They never marry.

They look like everyone else, you can't tell them apart for regular people, they're in the workforce in every area .

But THEY can spot one of their own kind, always. And they have a secret language when others are around.

They hang out in basement bars in Greenwich Village, off the beaten path, that most people don't know exist.

ETC ETC ETC.

I remember seeing THAT film on TV, watching with my dad! I was in a period when I was a bit in love with Kim Novak (I may have been a bit of a closet heterosexual for Ms. Novak! ) and it didn't hurt that Jimmy Stewart and Jack Lemmon were both in the film, though Stewart was getting somewhat long in the tooth to be believable as Novak's love obsession. As for the gay subtext, I never had a clue! Thanks Tony, I am going to have to watch it again with this idea. I knew that I enjoyed the film but I thought it was because of Kim! I always thought that the TV show Bewitched (which I really liked back when it was on, even with the two Darrins! ) may have been based on the idea of the movie or the play, but not enough to infringe on copyright!

 

TruHart1

[Tonyko]

I remember seeing THAT film on TV, watching with my dad! I was in a period when I was a bit in love with Kim Novak (I may have been a bit of a closet heterosexual for Ms. Novak! ) and it didn't hurt that Jimmy Stewart and Jack Lemmon were both in the film, though Stewart was getting somewhat long in the tooth to be believable as Novak's love obsession. As for the gay subtext, I never had a clue! Thanks Tony, I am going to have to watch it again with this idea. I knew that I enjoyed the film but I thought it was because of Kim! I always thought that the TV show Bewitched (which I really liked back when it was on, even with the two Darrins! ) may have been based on the idea of the movie or the play, but not enough to infringe on copyright!

 

TruHart1

SO funny that you mentioned "Bewitched" cause I LOVED that show, was already off when I was little but was in ReRuns and HOW funny years later to discover it was THE GAYEST show on TV (behind the scenes that is) Second Husband GAY, Uncle (Paul Lynde) GAY, Father (the great Shakesperian actor Maurice Evans) GAY, Mother (life-long bachelorette brilliant film actress Agnes Moorehead) long rumored GAY. (anyone know the still living long rumored object of her affection lol??) AND the wonderful late Ms Montgomery in life has a GAY child. (I've met in LA). *the house is still there btw, hasn't changed, on the Warner Ranch, they're all in a row on one curved street. The I Dream Of Genie House The Bewitched house the Partridge Fam house the park where she walked Tabatha it really is a time capsule :-)

[Daverwr]

Short Bus would be in my top ten. I'm always surprised it never got more notice. Pretty daring in it's own way and a remarkable soundtrack.

Sorry to come to the party late, but...

 

There's a singular scene in Short Bus that can get me off every time! The auto- rellatio scene. Need I say more???

 

But, my all time favorite gay-themed movie is Private Romeo. It is based off of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet set in an all boy's military academy. I absolutely love it! It is beautiful, sensual, and just wonderful. The boys playing Romeo and Juliet have such a true connection. I can't recommend it enough! It is available on Netflix.

[Tonyko]

IDK if I'm alone on this but I ALSO remember thinking THIS guy was really really hot, the old movie The Incredible Shrinking Man was on A LOT when I was a kid and I remember being VERY drawn to his looks even before I knew WHY.

*the actor Grant Williams oddly passed away far too young 30 years ago TODAY.

Info: Starred in the movie "The Incredible Shrinking Man"

Date of Birth: 08/18/1930

Date of Death: 07/28/1985

Age at Death: 54

http://s1.postimg.org/6sevrbxmn/SHRINK.jpg

[+ WilliamM]

I also loved Going Down in La-La Land (Matthew Ludwinski is so dreamy!), Burning Blue, and Another Gay Movie

 

I attended a cast read-through of Another Gay Movie. Not a great movie, but still good. And I got to talk to James Getzloff. Matthew Rush was by far the most nervous.

 

I remember seeing THAT film on TV, watching with my dad! I was in a period when I was a bit in love with Kim Novak (I may have been a bit of a closet heterosexual for Ms. Novak!

 

I remember that people was critical of Kim Novak at the 2014 Academy Awards. She is now 82-years old.

 

More important were Kim Novak's comments about the film "The Artist" the year before:

 

"On 9 January 2012, actress Kim Novak stated that "rape" had been committed in regard to the musical score by Ludovic Bource, which incorporates a portion of Bernard Herrmann's score from Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 film Vertigo (in which Novak had starred). In the article published, by Variety, she stated that "I feel as if my body — or at least my body of work — has been violated by the movie."[58] "This film should've been able to stand on its own without depending on Bernard Herrmann's score from Alfred Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' to provide more drama" and that "It is morally wrong for the artistry of our industry to use and abuse famous pieces of work to gain attention and applause for other than what they were intended", ending her comments with "Shame on them!"

[Tonyko]

I attended a cast read-through of Another Gay Movie. Not a great movie, but still good. And I got to talk to James Getzloff. Matthew Rush was by far the most nervous.

 

 

 

I remember that people was critical of Kim Novak at the 2014 Academy Awards. She is now 82-years old.

 

More important were Kim Novak's comments about the film "The Artist" the year before:

 

"On 9 January 2012, actress Kim Novak stated that "rape" had been committed in regard to the musical score by Ludovic Bource, which incorporates a portion of Bernard Herrmann's score from Alfred Hitchcock's 1958 film Vertigo (in which Novak had starred). In the article published, by Variety, she stated that "I feel as if my body — or at least my body of work — has been violated by the movie."[58] "This film should've been able to stand on its own without depending on Bernard Herrmann's score from Alfred Hitchcock's 'Vertigo' to provide more drama" and that "It is morally wrong for the artistry of our industry to use and abuse famous pieces of work to gain attention and applause for other than what they were intended", ending her comments with "Shame on them!"

SHE (who I really liked btw) is such a mass of contractictions to me. She never planned to be an actress wanted to be an artist or vet cause she loved animals, fell into it TOTS by accident on a trip to LA where her girlfriend's uncle arranged for them to be extras in a movie just as a thrill. She got spotted, and the rest is history. She says she never liked it and eventually she WALKED away from Hollywood at her height for a quieter life is long married to a VET lives on a farm etc, YET it's SO bizarre to me that as earthy and NON show-biz a life as she's chosen, she STILL went in for that gawd awful Hollywood facelift "joker" slasher mouth thing. It doesn't seem to fit to me.

[BabyBoomer]

Kim was one of the all time Hollywood beauties. About 5 or so years ago, Kim ruturned the advance money to her publisher, that she had gotten to write her autobiography. When the time came to put pencil to paper, Kim realized she just couldn't do it. Would've been some book.

 

~Boomer ~

[+ WilliamM]

YET it's SO bizarre to me that as earthy and NON show-biz a life as she's chosen, she STILL went in for that gawd awful Hollywood facelift "joker" slasher mouth thing. It doesn't seem to fit to me

 

Kim Novak has participated in events (at Cannes and live at Turner Classic Movies) over the last decade or so in connection with "Vertigo" and, to a lesser extent, "Bell Book and Candle." Kim Novak may have felt pressure to look as she did in those films. I believe she is the last person connected with "Vertigo" still living.

 

It seems to have worked in her 70s, but trying to look 27 at age 81 (under conditions she could not control and before many younger Academy member who did not know her) was a mistake. To her credit, Novak did respond at length to her critics.

[+ azdr0710]

wow, she was fantastic-looking back in her younger days....admittedly, this is a highly-posed shot by a professional photog, but....

 

http://classiccinemaimages.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Kim-Novak-1956.jpg

[Tonyko]

A TCM event was where she told the story I told re how her career unexpectedly started. I "believe" she is also the last surviving cast member of the film Picnic since now Cliff Robertson and even the young Susan Strassberg is gone.

http://ia.media-imdb.com/images/M/MV5BMjI5MTMzOTY5N15BMl5BanBnXkFtZTcwMzY1Njc2Nw@@._V1_SX640_SY720_.jpg

 

Kim Novak at 81 or 82. I believe it's a Turner Classic Movie event.[/quote

[+ WilliamM]

A TCM event was where she told the story I told re how her career unexpectedly started.

 

She is not an easy person to figure out. I remember a TCM interview in which she emotionally questioned whether she should have left Hollywood. Novak is so lucky that she found such a wonderful husband, and, of course, he is very lucky too.

[Kevin Slater]

But, my all time favorite gay-themed movie is Private Romeo. It is based off of Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet set in an all boy's military academy. I absolutely love it! It is beautiful, sensual, and just wonderful. The boys playing Romeo and Juliet have such a true connection. I can't recommend it enough! It is available on Netflix.

 

Thanks for recommending Private Romeo. Never heard of it before this, just watched it, liked it a lot.

 

Kevin Slater

[BSR]

My problem with most gay movies (that is, where the lead character(s) and main storyline are gay, as opposed to, for example, a film like "Clueless," where one of the supporting characters is gay) is that they tend to be second-rate sh*t: poor acting, lousy contrived script, shoddy production values, etc. One of the worst examples of this, and therefore my nominee for "Worst Gay Movie Ever" is "Mulligans," a story of two best friends - one gay, one straight - and the gay friend's burgeoning romance with his gay best buddy's father. OMG, I almost PUKED!! The list of reasons "Mulligans" was absolutely fecal is almost too long to delve into, but for starters: 1) the actors are lousy - wooden, awful amateurs (the guy who played the dad was at least uber-hot, though); 2) the script had no credibility - the two characters were so different that it was difficult to imagine that they would even know each other, forget being best friends; 3) the dialogue was so clunky that listening to it made me feel embarrassed for the writers (imagine the worst piece of sh*t paper you ever wrote in college being posted on the Internet for all to read for all eternity - eek!) ... I could go on and on (and on and on).

 

Which brings me to my favorite gay movie: "Plata Quemada" ("Burnt Money"). It's my favorite gay movie, even though I didn't absolutely love the movie itself (so damn depressing!). But everything about "Plata Quemada" is top-notch: the director's lurid compositions, the tango/pop soundtrack, the tragic script based on a true story, the dialogue, and the talented and professional cast. Most of all, the actors who play the leads are two of the most talented in Spanish-language cinema. Noriega and Sbaraglia have each been nominated twice for the Goya (the Spanish Oscar), with Sbaraglia winning in 2002 for most promising newcomer. The two leads in "Mulligans" weren't even the most talented in their high school acting class. I'd watch a lot more gay cinema if it were the same caliber as "Plata Quemada." Unfortunately, far too many gay-themed movies are the caliber of "Mulligans" - second-rate schlock, and sometimes "second-rate" is being generous.

[Tonyko]

ANYONE REMEMBER?? I'm trying NOT to google lol) Late 60's, basically a GAY "Who Afraid Of Vifginia Wolf" with two middle aged HUGE stars Richard Burton and Rex Harrison as an aging long-together battling gay couple living in England, one a men's hair dresser. (I think Burton's character still wasn't even "out" to his elderly mum etc) I remember they played it VERY over the top and though ground-breaking for such big starts to play lovers it wasn't a hit. TITLE??

[thickornotatall]

Cut Sleeve Boys/ One of our favorites....a British gay movie...I'll say it again....European Gay themed movies almost always show real life characters and not cartoonish and psychotic gay characters...most have a happier ending and not a suicide or accidental death....That being said....try Bridegroom....so sad...but real...http://bridegroommovie.com/

[Tonyko]

ANYONE REMEMBER?? I'm trying NOT to google lol) Late 60's, basically a GAY "Who Afraid Of Vifginia Wolf" with two middle aged HUGE stars Richard Burton and Rex Harrison as an aging long-together battling gay couple living in England, one a men's hair dresser. (I think Burton's character still wasn't even "out" to his elderly mum etc) I remember they played it VERY over the top and though ground-breaking for such big starts to play lovers it wasn't a hit. TITLE??

No one lol??? I'm gonna have to google eventually or it'll drive me carzy lol

[Guest]

Another movie I liked was Grande Ecole.