Billy Budd (1962) Queer Film (C)
Many, including gay composer Benjamin Britton and his famous opera, maintain that there is an undercurrent of homoeroticism between the three leads.
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Walk on the Wild Side (1962) Queer Film. C-
Stanwyck and Capucine have a few good scenes together. However, Harvey is wan, and Fonda does not have enough to do. The movie is no fun.
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The Haunting (1963) Queer Film A-
As a chic Greenwich village lesbian named Theo, whose couture is designed by Mary Quant, Claire Bloom is a knockout in Robert Wise’s 1963 movie “The Haunting”.
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The Servant (1963) Queer Film (A)
A savage indictment of the waning British class system, it’s one of the most chilling films ever made. Winner of Best Screenplay of 1964 from the NYFCC.
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The Best Man (1964) Gore Vidal A+
“The Best Man” boasts three outstanding performances: Henry Fonda, Cliff Robertson and pre-code star Lee Tracy who returns to the screen.
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My Fair Lady (1964) Queer Film. Cukor’s Late-Career Triumph A+
The couple are phonetics professor Henry Higgins and Colonel Hugh Pickering. The two actors are perfect together, practically finishing one another’s sentences
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Seven Days in May (1964) Rod Sterling A+
A peak entry in the American political thriller genre, the film boasts four of the greatest performances of the sixties.
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Inside Daisy Clover (1965) Queer Film C+
Robert Redford insisted that his character in the novel be changed from homosexual to bisexual. It was a brave role to take at the time, but it got him noticed.
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King Rat (1965) Queer Film (A)
An actor of unusual sensitivity, James Fox is an easy actor to queer-code, and he is mentioned twice in this essay and once in the next. No matter, his scenes with Segal have a beauty about them, a longing that every gay man can recognize.
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The Pawnbroker (1965) Queer Film A-
Rod Steiger is exceptional in what is, arguably, his greatest performance. He received the first of his two Best Actor Oscar nominations for this movie but lost out to Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou. He won two years later for In the Heat of the Night (1967).
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Persona (1966) Queer Film A+
Two of the world’s greatest actresses under the gaze of one of the greatest movie directors the world has ever known.
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The Group (1966) Queer Film. A Lost Opportunity. (C)
Sidney Lumet’s movie is like a microcosm of his career – he bites off more than he can chew. The dreadfully wooded Candice Bergen as lesbian Lakey.
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Valley of the Dolls (1967) Queer Film. High Camp at a Midnight Screening.
A movie to be seen AT A MIDNIGHT SCREENING WITH A GAY CROWD, – a GROUP experience. Do not see this movie on your own.
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The Producers (1967) Queer Film B+
Not nearly as shocking today as it was in 1967, The Producers remains wildly entertaining. A huge part of its staying power comes from Roger De Bris and his exquisitely mannered assistant Carmen Ghia
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Reflections in a Golden Eye (1967) Queer Film A+
Marlon Brando does something unique with his closeted gay character, it’s one of his truly great performances right up there with his Stanley Kowalski. Elizabeth Taylor gives one of her best, most relaxed performances in years. She was just beginning to pile on the weight at this time in her life and she uses her body fearlessly, like a weapon.
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The Swimmer (1968) Eleanor Perry (B)
With a near-great performance by Burt Lancaster as the title character who “swims his way home” through his “river” of backyard swimming pools…
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No Way to Treat a Lady (1968) Queer Film B-
“Dorian”, Gill’s gay hairdresser persona, says that being a homo does not make you a terrible person, as he fondles the neck of Miss Belle Poppie
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The Detective (1968) Queer Film D+
“The Detective” boasts a dreadful script by Abby (“Judgement at Nuremberg”) Mann and the mediocre direction by Gordon Douglas puts the kibosh on everything.
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The Boston Strangler (1968) Queer Film C-
Although not part of Queer Cinema per se, “The Boston Strangler” is filled with “queers” and “faggots” as the police comb the gay demimonde.
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Rachel, Rachel (1968) Queer Film B-
Highly regarded at the time of its release (NYFCC awards going to Newman as Best Director and Woodward as Best Actress), it seems a bit underwhelming today.
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2001: A Space Odyssey (1968) Queer Film A+
In Stanley Kubrick’s “2001: A Space Odyssey”, HAL 9000 is the psychotic gay computer abord Discovery One. HAL is in love with Dave and quickly dispatches with copilot Frank.
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The Sergeant (1968) Queer Film C+
The subject matter, its release during the Christmas season, and a couple of scathing reviews by the major critics sealed its fate.
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The Lion in Winter (1968) Queer Film B-
The dialogue and the performers carry it, although it is basically a filmed play with little directorial input.
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Midnight Cowboy (1969) Queer Film (A)
John Schlesinger’s American debut is only X-rated movie to win Best Picture. It boasts two great performances courtesy of Jon Voight and Dustin Hoffmann.
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Z (1969) Queer Film (F)
Few seem to have noticed that “Z” is a virulently homophobic film in which the main villain is a homosexual and convicted pedophile.
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Goodbye Columbus (1969) Queer Film B-
The Queer element in the film comes from Brenda’s older brother Ron. Ron has the hots for Neil (Richard Benjamin) who he keeps inviting back to his room.
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The Sterile Cuckoo (1969) From Pookie to Sally. B-
Liza Minnelli’s Oscar-nominated turn as quirky, oddball and needy “Pookie” Adams is a preview of her Oscar-winning performance in “Cabaret.”
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Satyricon (1970) Queer Film B-
Seeming longer than its 129-minute running time, and with no discernible plot, the movie becomes a bit of a chore. However, the images stay with you.
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Performance (1970) Queer Film B+
There will always be an argument as to who was the real auteur behind the camera.
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There Was A Crooked Man (1970) Queer Film A-
Hume Cronyn and John Randolph are our happy and well-adjusted gay couple. Yes, they fight and bicker all the time. However, they are clearly madly in love with each other.
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