The Celluloid Closet **** (1995, Lily Tomlin, Tony Curtis, Gore Vidal, Farley Granger, Harvey Fierstein, Quentin Crisp, Whoopi Goldberg, Tom Hanks) – Classic Film Review 656

Joint directors Rob Epstein and Jeffrey Friedman’s 1995 invaluable documentary is a revealing and entertaining look at cinema’s 100 years of hidden agendas. Armistead Maupin’s screenplay is based on Vito Russo’s landmark book on gays in the movies The Celluloid Closet, which looks at how Hollywood has reflected homosexuality and  portrayed gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender characters over the years.

The film is based on Russo’s 1981 book, which he revised in 1987, and on the lecture and film clip presentations given in person by Russo from 1972 to 1982.

The Celluloid Closet is illustrated with clips from over 100 all-time greats and includes revealing interviews with the likes of Gore Vidal, Susan Sarandon, Tony Curtis, Farley Granger, Tom Hanks, Quentin Crisp, Whoopi Goldberg, Shirley MacLaine, John Schlesinger, Harry Hamlin and Harvey Fierstein.

The journey takes us from Marlene Dietrich’s gloriously ambiguous cross-dressing performance in Morocco, via Doris Day dressed as a man and singing Secret Love in Calamity Jane…

… and then on to Stephen Boyd staring longingly at Charlton Heston in Ben-Hur…

… and finally to Tom Hanks’s moving and noble Oscar-winning portrayal of an AIDS victim in Philadelphia.

It includes Susan Sarandon with Geena Davis in Thelma and Louise and with Catherine Deneuve in the vampire picture The Hunger.

Joan Crawford acts like a bloke in Johnny Guitar…

… Jack Lemmon and Tony Curtis act like broads in Some Like It Hot…

…and poor Sal Mineo gets the hots for James Dean in Rebel without a Cause.

It is narrated by Lily Tomlin (who also co-produces) and k d lang sings Secret Love.

The Celluloid Closet is passionate, probing and great fun, too.

Russo approached Epstein about making a film version of The Celluloid Closet and wrote a proposal for it in 1986. But it wasn’t until Russo died in 1990 that the UK’s Channel 4 offered development funding to write a treatment and see if it would be possible to obtain the film clips from studios. Tomlin launched a direct mail fundraising campaign in Russo’s honour. Then ZDF/arte signed on and finally HBO committed to supply the remainder of the budget.

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© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 656

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