Gender and Media

Jessica Sowa

VSAR 422

Gender; Panel 4

Homosexuality in Hollywood Cinema

I will present to you a brief history of Homosexuality in cinema. Ranging from the beginning of film history in Hollywood itself to today in mainstream cinema. My presentation will show how, in the beginning homosexuality was shown through images of the sissy, a sure-fire source of humor. Then came the cross-dresser, as in Morocco and Some Like It Hot.

In the late 1930’s came the Hayes Code and censorship from the Catholic Church. Because of this many scenes were deleted out of films, such as in Tarzan and Spartacus. If directors were subtle enough, they could get away with it. The Maltese Falcon, Hitchcock’s Rope, and even Rebel without a Cause hinted around. Censors couldn’t cut any scenes though because the innuendo was so vague. Writers wrote between the line on purpose.

The code let up around the late 1950’s but queer subject was still taboo. Homophobia and gay bashing came about around this time. Most people with questionable sexes died at the end of movies. Hollywood became very conservative for fear of losing their jobs.

Slowly Homosexuality came out in more positive films, but only with big producers, directors or actors backing them. This made the films more acceptable. The Color Purple had hints but nowone criticized it. Philadelphia was all about homosexuality and AIDS and the public embraced it with sympathy.

Whether the public wants to believe it or not, film is the best representation of real life. Most people said in the beginning, ‘Visibility at any cost, better negative than nothing.’ This eventually led to the somewhat open film industry we are still trying to have today. Cinema acknowledges the true diversity of humanity.

I will use the following films to support my words:

-1895, Edison Experimental Film

-1923, The Soilers

-1929, A Broadway Melody

-1930, Morocco

-1933, Queen Christina

-1934, Tarzan and his Mate

-1936, Dracula’s Daughter

-1948, Rope

-1955, Rebel Without A Cause

-1959, BenHur

-1960, Spartacus

-1962, Advise and Consent

-1970, Boy’s in the Band

-1982, Personal Best

-1985, The Color Purple

-1986, Top Gun

-1993, Philadelphia

-1999, But I’m a Cheerleader

Bibliography

-Russo, Vito. 1985. The Celluloid Closet. San Francisco, Harper and Row Publishing.

-Burston, Paul and Colin Richardson. 1995. A Queer Romance. New York, Routledge Publishing.

-1996. The Celluloid Closet. Video. Columbia Tri-Star.

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