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Buzz Feed
4 days ago
- Entertainment
- Buzz Feed
17 Old Hollywood Movies That Were Almost Banned For Being Gay
Old Hollywood movies had to follow strict guidelines throughout the 1930s–1960s, known as the Hays Code. This basically prevented all US films from featuring anything that was overtly sexual or "inappropriate," which forced a lot of filmmakers to get creative about how they could navigate potential censorship. I have running lists on Letterboxd of every Old Hollywood and LGBTQ+ movie that I watch, so I sifted through them to find a bunch from the Hays Code era that are subtly (and not so subtly) suuuuuper gay. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy! Rebel Without a Cause (1955) stars James Dean as a bisexual hottie, so you really can't ask for much more. The original script had his character kissing Plato, who was one of the first gay teen characters on screen, but the Hays Code quickly squashed that from happening. Still, this movie is edgy and dramatic and romantic, and the whole cast is just so fun to look at. Who's in it: James Dean, Sal Mineo, Natalie Wood, and Dennis Hopper Here's the trailer: All About Eve (1950) is a witty and toxic drama about an aging actress who befriends a fan who ultimately tries to usurp her. This movie shares the record for the most Oscar nominations ever, with 14, and it briefly features Marilyn Monroe in one of her first roles ever. There are so many queer undertones and characters throughout, and they're all so delicious. Also, I personally think this is the best film ever made, so I'm basically begging you to watch it. Who's in it: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, Thelma Ritter, Celeste Holm, George Sanders, and Gary Merrill Here's the trailer: Homicidal (1961) was made towards the end of the Hays Code and sort of pushed the boundaries of what was allowed. You'll see why when the big twist in this horror-thriller is revealed, so I won't spoil anything for you now. Just know that this film was deemed so scary that it literally included a 45-second "fright break" that appeared on screen before the climax, which told viewers they could request a full refund from the movie theater if they were too scared to finish watching. Who's in it: Glenn Corbett, Patricia Breslin, Joan Marshall, and Eugenie Leontovich Here's the trailer: Tea and Sympathy (1956) follows a "sensitive" prep school teen who's bullied by the other students and teachers. He finds solace in an older woman, played by Deborah Kerr, and the whole thing is just sooooo pretty to look at. Who's in it: Deborah Kerr, Leif Erickson, John Kerr, and Edward Andrews Here's the trailer: Compulsion (1959) follows two hot, wealthy, and secretly queer college boys who commit a murder and think they're too smart to get away with it. It's loosely based on the real-life Leopold and Loeb murder trial, so just trust me on this one. Who's in it: Orson Welles, Dean Stockwell, Bradford Dillman, Diane Varsi, and Richard Anderson Here's the trailer: Rope (1948) is Alfred Hitchcock's adaptation of a play that was ~also~ inspired by the Leopold and Loeb murder trial. This one focuses on two young (and queer) killers who host a dinner party after hiding the dead body in their apartment. The movie was shot to look like it was filmed in a single take, which heightens its suspense and helps to keep the characters (and viewers) on edge. Who's in it: Farley Granger, John Dall, and James Stewart Here's the trailer: Edge of the City (1957) is a gritty drama about the friendship between John Cassavetes and Sidney Poitier's characters. It's rough and tough and has a lotttt of queer subtext. Ruby Dee is also in this movie, and she's especially fantastic. Who's in it: Sidney Poitier, John Cassavetes, Ruby Dee, and Jack Warden Here's the trailer: The Children's Hour (1961) stars Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine as two women who run a boarding school for girls in 1930s New England. One of the students is a troublemaking little b*tch who starts a rumor that they're in a lesbian relationship, and all hell breaks loose. The movie is based on Lillian Hellman's famous play of the same name, and it's a must-watch. Who's in it: Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner, Fay Bainter, and Miriam Hopkins Here's the trailer: Purple Noon (1960) is actually adapted from the book The Talented Mr. Ripley. This French film is just so freaking hot, and if you're into suspenseful dramas or even remotely liked the 1999 version with Jude Law and Matt Damon then you absolutely need to check this out. Who's in it: Alain Delon, Maurice Ronet, Marie Laforêt, and Billy Kearns Here's the trailer: Strangers on a Train (1951) is a psychological thriller from Alfred Hitchcock. It's about two strangers who both want someone murdered, so they swap victims to prevent anyone from getting suspicious of them. It's a super fun watch, and Farley Granger is so handsome that he'll kinda take your breath away. Who's in it: Farley Granger, Robert Walker, and Ruth Roman Here's the trailer: Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) is centered around a wealthy widow who tries to get her niece lobotomized to cover up the truth about her secretly queer (and now deceased) son. This one is a little out there, but Katharine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor both received Best Actress Oscar nominations for their roles, so there's that. Who's in it: Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn, Montgomery Clift, and Gary Raymond Here's the trailer: The Hitch-Hiker (1953) is about two male friends who are basically taken hostage after picking up a hitchhiker while on their way to a fishing trip. The film is based on the 1950 killing spree of Billy Cook, and it examines homosexual panic, masculinity, and traditional gender roles. Who's in it: Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy, and William Talman Here's the trailer: The Servant (1963) deals with unspoken desires, homoerotic tensions, and the ultimate dom-sub power dynamic. In it, a wealthy, young Londoner hires a man to be his servant. The servant slowly takes control and manipulates his "master," and it's a wilddddd ride. Who's in it: James Fox, Dirk Bogarde, Sarah Miles, and Wendy Craig Here's the trailer: Victim (1961) is centered around a closeted lawyer in London who's blackmailed for being gay, which was illegal in England until 1967. This is a groundbreaking piece of movie history because it was the first British film to explicitly mention homosexuality, and it should be required viewing for everyone. Who's in it: Dirk Bogarde, Dennis Price, Anthony Nicholls, and Sylvia Syms Here's the trailer: Advise & Consent (1962) is a political drama that was adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name. It's centered around the confirmation of a nominee for Secretary of State, who just so happens to be a married US senator who's being blackmailed for secretly having past relations with a man. Who's in it: Henry Fonda, Don Murray, Gene Tierney, Walter Pidgeon, and Charles Laughton Here's the trailer: The Haunting (1963) is a revolutionary horror movie that features one of the only lesbian characters of its time to be feminine and not predatory. The film is based on the book The Haunting of Hill House, which was ultimately turned into a hugely popular Netflix series, so if you like either of them then you should watch this too. Who's in it: Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, and Russ Tamblyn Here's the trailer: Finally, Rebecca (1940) is the only Alfred Hitchcock film to win Best Picture at the Oscars. It features one of the most famous ~coded~ queer characters from Old Hollywood: Mrs. Danvers. Throughout the film, her obsession with Rebecca becomes more and more prevalent, though under the Hays Code her queerness had to be implied rather than stated outright. Who's in it: Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, George Sanders, and Judith Anderson Here's the trailer: Looking for more LGBTQ+ content? Check out all of BuzzFeed's Pride 2025 posts here!
AsiaOne
25-06-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Brandon Flynn to play James Dean in new biopic, Entertainment News
Brandon Flynn will play James Dean in a new biopic. The 13 Reasons Why actor has been cast as the late legendary star in Willie and Jimmy Dean, writer-director Guy Guido's upcoming film, which is based on William Bast's 2006 memoir Surviving James Dean, in which he alleged he had a love affair with the Hollywood icon at the University of California, Los Angeles. Brandon, 31, has praised the script for humanising his character and showing an understanding of who he really was. He told The Hollywood Reporter: "James Dean is like the known unknown. His short life left behind just three films, a mountain of photographs and a cultural mythology we keep trying to decode. This script is a beautiful attempt at truthfully understanding who he really was — not just the icon, but the man. "It highlights how Hollywood has historically forced LGBTQ people into performance, even in their personal lives. "This story dares to present James Dean as a man with real, complex relationships, and I think there's power in that truth." The script is set from the first meeting between the two men to James' death in September 1955 and Guy is delighted to have Brandon on board. He said: "This is not a traditional biopic. It's a tender and sometimes tragic story about two young men who found each other in a time and place where being seen — truly seen — came at a cost. Brandon Flynn brings both the fire and vulnerability this role demands. I couldn't imagine anyone more perfect to explore and play out the complexities of James Dean." The filmmaker, who spoke to William in 2011, four years before his death at the age of 84, previously told how he felt "drawn" to the author's "unique story". He told The Hollywood Reporter: "I have been a fan and historian of James Dean since I was 18 years old, so I knew about his 'friend' Willie, even when information about their relationship was straight-washed by the Hollywood machine. "As a filmmaker, I love telling the story of a celebrity's life in their coming-of-age period. As a gay man, I was particularly drawn to Bast's unique story." In the book, William claimed he and the Hollywood legend become roommates, close friends and eventually lovers during their time at the UCLA's theatre programme when the pair were 19. The author — who also wrote James Dean: A Biography in 1956 — claimed the fling was kept private in an effort to protect the actor's flourishing Hollywood career, though he hoped he could reunite with his supposed forbidden lover one day. However, the writer's dream of a relationship was cruelly taken away from him when the Rebel Without a Cause star died in a car accident at the age of 24 in 1955. [[nid:719440]]
Yahoo
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Brandon Flynn cast as James Dean
Brandon Flynn will play James Dean in a new biopic. The 13 Reasons Why actor has been cast as the late legendary star in Willie and Jimmy Dean, writer-director Guy Guido's upcoming film, which is based on William Bast's 2006 memoir Surviving James Dean, in which he alleged he had a love affair with the Hollywood icon at the University of California, Los Angeles. Brandon, 31, has praised the script for humanising his character and showing an understanding of who he really was. He told The Hollywood Reporter: 'James Dean is like the known unknown. His short life left behind just three films, a mountain of photographs and a cultural mythology we keep trying to decode. This script is a beautiful attempt at truthfully understanding who he really was — not just the icon, but the man. "It highlights how Hollywood has historically forced LGBTQ people into performance, even in their personal lives. 'This story dares to present James Dean as a man with real, complex relationships, and I think there's power in that truth." The script is set from the first meeting between the two men to James' death in September 1955 and Guy is delighted to have Brandon on board. He said: 'This is not a traditional biopic. It's a tender and sometimes tragic story about two young men who found each other in a time and place where being seen — truly seen — came at a cost. Brandon Flynn brings both the fire and vulnerability this role demands. I couldn't imagine anyone more perfect to explore and play out the complexities of James Dean.' The fimmaker, who spoke to William in 2011, four years before his death at the age of 84, previously told how he felt "drawn" to the author's "unique story". He told The Hollywood Reporter: 'I have been a fan and historian of James Dean since I was 18 years old, so I knew about his 'friend' Willie, even when information about their relationship was straight-washed by the Hollywood machine. 'As a filmmaker, I love telling the story of a celebrity's life in their coming-of-age period. As a gay man, I was particularly drawn to Bast's unique story.' In the book, William claimed he and the Hollywood legend become roommates, close friends and eventually lovers during their time at the UCLA's theatre programme when the pair were 19. The author - who also wrote James Dean: A Biography in 1956 - claimed the fling was kept private in an effort to protect the actor's flourishing Hollywood career, though he hoped he could reunite with his supposed forbidden lover one day. However, the writer's dream of a relationship was cruelly taken away from him when the Rebel Without a Cause star died in a car accident at the age of 24 in 1955.
Perth Now
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Brandon Flynn cast as James Dean
Brandon Flynn will play James Dean in a new biopic. The 13 Reasons Why actor has been cast as the late legendary star in Willie and Jimmy Dean, writer-director Guy Guido's upcoming film, which is based on William Bast's 2006 memoir Surviving James Dean, in which he alleged he had a love affair with the Hollywood icon at the University of California, Los Angeles. Brandon, 31, has praised the script for humanising his character and showing an understanding of who he really was. He told The Hollywood Reporter: 'James Dean is like the known unknown. His short life left behind just three films, a mountain of photographs and a cultural mythology we keep trying to decode. This script is a beautiful attempt at truthfully understanding who he really was — not just the icon, but the man. "It highlights how Hollywood has historically forced LGBTQ people into performance, even in their personal lives. 'This story dares to present James Dean as a man with real, complex relationships, and I think there's power in that truth." The script is set from the first meeting between the two men to James' death in September 1955 and Guy is delighted to have Brandon on board. He said: 'This is not a traditional biopic. It's a tender and sometimes tragic story about two young men who found each other in a time and place where being seen — truly seen — came at a cost. Brandon Flynn brings both the fire and vulnerability this role demands. I couldn't imagine anyone more perfect to explore and play out the complexities of James Dean.' The fimmaker, who spoke to William in 2011, four years before his death at the age of 84, previously told how he felt "drawn" to the author's "unique story". He told The Hollywood Reporter: 'I have been a fan and historian of James Dean since I was 18 years old, so I knew about his 'friend' Willie, even when information about their relationship was straight-washed by the Hollywood machine. 'As a filmmaker, I love telling the story of a celebrity's life in their coming-of-age period. As a gay man, I was particularly drawn to Bast's unique story.' In the book, William claimed he and the Hollywood legend become roommates, close friends and eventually lovers during their time at the UCLA's theatre programme when the pair were 19. The author - who also wrote James Dean: A Biography in 1956 - claimed the fling was kept private in an effort to protect the actor's flourishing Hollywood career, though he hoped he could reunite with his supposed forbidden lover one day. However, the writer's dream of a relationship was cruelly taken away from him when the Rebel Without a Cause star died in a car accident at the age of 24 in 1955.
USA Today
24-06-2025
- Entertainment
- USA Today
Bobby Sherman, '60s teen heartthrob and 'Easy Come, Easy Go' singer, dies at 81
Bobby Sherman, a 1960s teen idol and pop star-turned-public servant, has died. He was 81. John Stamos announced Sherman's death in a Tuesday, June 24, Instagram announcement in collaboration with Sherman's wife, Brigitte Poublon Sherman. "From one ex teen idol, to another - rest in peace Bobby Sherman," Stamos wrote. "It is with the heaviest heart that I share the passing of my beloved husband, Bobby Sherman," Poublon said in an ensuing statement. "Bobby left this world holding my hand—just as he held up our life with love, courage, and unwavering grace through all 29 beautiful years of marriage." In late March, Poublon shared that the singer/actor had been diagnosed with stage 4 kidney cancer and later told Fox News that his body was "shutting down" because the cancer had "spread everywhere." Throughout the 1960s, Sherman, with his dimpled chin and forelock of chestnut-colored hair, became an object of teen fandom, blanketing walls and lunch boxes alike with hit songs like "Little Woman" and a starring role on popular TV series "Here Comes the Brides." In her statement, Poublon said, "I was his Cinderella, and he was my prince charming. Even in his final days, he stayed strong for me. That's who Bobby was—brave, gentle, and full of light." Poublon added that she'd recently read aloud to Sherman "fan letters from all over the world—words of love and gratitude that lifted his spirits and reminded him of how deeply he was cherished. He soaked up every word with that familiar sparkle in his eye. "And yes, he still found time to crack well-timed jokes—Bobby had a wonderful, wicked sense of humor. It never left him. He could light up a room with a look, a quip, or one of his classic, one-liners," she wrote. Poublon noted that though he was "known around the world for his music and acting," to his loved ones he "was something much more. He was a man of service. He traded sold-out concerts and magazine covers for the back of an ambulance, becoming an EMT and a trainer with the LAPD. He saved lives. He showed us what real heroism looks like—quiet, selfless, and deeply human." Sherman is survived by his two sons, Tyler and Christopher, and six grandchildren. Bobby Sherman songs like 'Little Woman' and role in 'Here Comes the Brides' boosted career Born in 1943 in Santa Monica, California, his career kicked off with his dueling talents. In 1964, "Rebel Without a Cause" actor Sal Mineo invited Sherman to sing at a Hollywood party attended by high-powered industry types. The appearance led to Sherman signing with an agent and landing his first TV role on ABC's "Shindig!" as a house singer and member of the cast. While Sherman had been recording music since the early '60s, it was 1969's "Little Woman," a gold-certified No. 3 hit in the U.S., and the string of hits that followed – "La La La (If I Had You)," "Easy Come, Easy Go," "Hey, Mister Sun" and "Julie, Do Ya Love Me" among them – that earned Sherman his pop bona fides. Between 1962 and 1976, Sherman released 107 songs, with seven of them landing in the Top 40. While engaging in pop music stardom – the screaming from smitten girls at his concerts was reportedly loud enough to affect his hearing – Sherman also was a familiar presence on TV. His role as Jeremy Bolt on the Western comedy series "Here Comes the Brides" from 1968-70 earned him copious fan mail, while subsequent appearances on episodes of "Honey West" and "The Monkees" continued to boost his profile. Bobby Sherman left Hollywood to become a paramedic But by the mid-'70s, after guest starring on the TV series "Emergency!," Sherman decided to detour from celebrity life and began a new career as a paramedic. He volunteered at the Los Angeles Police Department from the 1990s through 2017 and worked as a technical reserve police officer with the unit. In 1999 he was named the LAPD's reserve officer of the year. Sherman was also a reserve deputy sheriff for the San Bernardino County Sheriff's Department. "It was a labor of love," Sherman told the podcast "A Breath of Fresh Air" in 2024. "I really enjoyed every minute of it." In 2011, Sherman and Poublon created the Brigitte and Bobby Sherman Children's Foundation, a Ghana-based youth center dedicated to blending music and education and providing children in Ghana with educational tools. In his "Fresh Air" interview with podcast host Sandy Kaye, Sherman grew contemplative and left fans with a message. "Just enjoy life, be respectful of others and trust in the Lord," he said. "(They) always used to say that the minute you're born you begin to die, but you know what? It's true. So it's one of those things just to live it the fullest and the most righteous way you can." Contributing: KiMi Robinson
