tangents

news & views

by del mcintire

The increased prevalence of homosexuality in films of late would seem to indicate an easing of the ban against the subject by the motion picture industry. But according to Variety this is not the case. The reason homosexuality plays a part in so many films recently is that motion picture producers are relying more and more on the so-called pre-sold properties -that is material that has already become a success in some other medium. The Broadway legitimate stage is the source of most successes and it isn't helping to reduce the incidence of homosexuality at all. A homosexual element, it was pointed out, plays a featured, if not starring, role in at least five of Broadway's better-attended productions: "The Best Man," "Advise and Consent," "Big Fish, Little Fish," and "A Taste of Honey."

By offering such a large number of critically acclaimed but highly censorable (by motion picture Production Code standards) plays to the industry, the legitimate stage is making things particularly difficult for Hollywood. The problem is that homosexuality is just about the last taboo that is still specifically forbidden under Code Code bylaws which read: "Sex perversion or any inference of it is forbidden." Fortunately, the Code has not been

strictly adhered to. Code administrator, Geoffrey Shurlock, visiting in New York to catch the current Broadway shows, explained to Variety that whereas in "the good old days" of safe and sane romance, perversion was deemed a fit subject only for clinical and psychological drama, it's now turning up in political melodrama (Advise and Consent), political satire (Best Man), religious drama (Devil's Advocate), and straight comedydrama (Big Fish).

Three of the five "perverse" offerings have already been sold to major company film makers. As major company pictures these will all have to get Code approval or else, as has happened in so many cases before, undergo a complete change or watering down of the homosexual elements.

Meanwhile, "A Taste of Honey" is being made in England and, therefore, isn't bound by the Code. Also a film adaptation of "A View From the Bridge" is being produced in France. The latter play caused some furor on the Broadway stage six years ago because of a scene in which Van Heflin kissed a fellow actor full on the mouth.

Because of the anguished cries raised by the Legion of Decency when the Production Code approved "Suddenly Last Summer" in