In & Out

In & Out
September 19, 1997
Paramount
Comedy, Romance
VHS
B-

Screenwriter Paul Rudnick had appeared as himself in Celluloid Closet, a documentary that showed that for gay characters onscreen, their fates were often tragic, or overly comic.  While this movie is exaggerated (and directed by Muppet veteran Frank Oz), it places its gay stereotypes in a small-town full of stereotypes.  And the twist is that the Kevin Kline character, Literature teacher Howard Brackett, must be gay because he's so smart, nice, and well-groomed.  By the time most of the entire town stands up and says that they're gay, too, in his support, "gay" is definitely a compliment.

But along the way there are of course farcical complications.  The trouble starts when stupid yet Oscar-winning actor Cameron Drake outs his former teacher during an acceptance speech.  (Cam is played by Matt Dillon, 17 years after Little Darlings but passing for his early 20s.  The blond hair helps.)  This comes as a shock to everyone, including Howard, who's engaged to Emily Montgomery, played by 34-year-old Joan Cusack.  And his mother tells him she doesn't care if he's gay, she still wants the big wedding.  (Now 65-year-old Debbie Reynolds, ties George Burns for the longevity record, 45 years after Singin' in the Rain.)  Meanwhile, reporter Peter Malloy (Tom Selleck) wants the real story (and more), and principal Tom Halliwell (Bob Newhart, his stammering and discomfort used to fine effect) wants to avoid scandal, with graduation coming up.

The timeline is all screwy, with the Oscars presented on a Wednesday and graduation the following Monday.  (In what month?)  I have to wonder if this is carelessness, or if it's meant to add to the air of unreality.  It's almost like the story couldn't quite take place in our world.  (That the small town is in Indiana has recently become ironic.)  And it is very much a gay comedy for straight people.  I remember the dismay and then amusement in my theater when Selleck kissed Kline.  I don't think it would be as shocking now.  Although only 18 years have passed, this movie is already a relic, and I suspect that even a few years later we wouldn't have got the trick ending, where it looks like Howard and Peter will get married, but it's actually Howard's parents renewing their vows.  (His dad is played by Wilford Brimley, and I kept thinking, "Because it's the right thing to do.")   As a movie, I think it's still cute, sweet, and sometimes funny.  (The straight guys debating Barbra Streisand films will never get old.)  Kline is a good moral and narrative center for the film.  Everyone else is doing what they're hired for, although this is far from my favorite Joan Cusack role.

Note, there is never a moment when someone says, "Um, Howard, maybe you're bi," although admittedly he's much less sexual than Chasing Amy's Alyssa Jones.  The mainstream was definitely not ready for that kind of complexity.

Joseph Maher was Gridley in Going Ape! and is Father Tim here.  (He's got one of those faces where you feel like you've seen him somewhere before.)  Richard Woods was a Board Member in The Hudsucker Proxy and is Reverend Morgan here.  Marla Sucharetza was Exercising Woman in The First Wives Club and is a School Reporter here, while Debra Monk was Jilted Lover there and is Mrs. Lester here, and J-Smith Cameron was Miss Sullivan there and Trina Paxton here.

Audience Member Todd Stockman would be Dad in The Object of My Affection the following year, while Audience Member Jeannette Gould would be Senior Center Woman in Two Weeks Notice (all uncredited).  John Cunningham, who almost steals the movie as the Be a Man Tape Instructor, would be Justice of the Peace in Two Weeks Notice.  Wally Dunn is Cousin Lenny here and would be Gym Teacher in School of Rock.  MacIntyre Dixon, who was Cole Oyl in Popeye, has a small role as a Bachelor Party Guest here and would be the bus driver in School of Rock.   

This time, Dan Hedaya plays a Military Attorney in the film within a film on Oscar Night.  Jay Leno appears as himself, 18 years after his role in Americathon.  Selma Blair, then 25, has an early role as Cousin Linda.

The Celluloid Closet

The Celluloid Closet
March 15, 1996
HBO etc.
Documentary
VHS
B

Although this remains an insightful and often funny look at the history of gays and lesbians (and to a lesser degree transfolk and bisexuals) in a century's worth of movies, I don't think it has aged entirely gracefully.  There are two things, not unrelated.  One, almost twenty years have passed, and the way we look at "gay movies," and indeed the LGBT (etc.) community/communities has changed.  Homophobia definitely still exists, but there's a lot more mainstream tolerance, as evidenced in the progress with the gay marriage issue.  Also, sexuality (which now includes asexuality) is by no means a binary subject anymore.  (Not that it ever was, but people are more conscious of that.)  And two, although this is better organized than Hollywood Uncensored, I felt it didn't do a good enough job of putting things in context with the larger culture.  For example, there's only a brief mention of the medical view of homosexuality and some mention of Catholic censorship, but Hollywood was heavily affected by the perspectives of the dominant culture.  Still, the movie continues to offer a different way of seeing the movies, and I know I've never been able to watch the gymnasium scene in Gentlemen Prefer Blondes without grinning.

With the exception of Will H. Hays, I've decided not to tag everyone in the film clips, but instead focus on those who are interviewed (Gore Vidal is hilarious of course), as well as Tomlin, who narrated.  At the time this movie was released, she wasn't officially out, but then she was never exactly closeted either.  Interestingly, Paul Rudnick would soon write In & Out, which was quite an experience to see with a mainstream audience.

The movie is based on a much more pessimistic book by Vito Russo, who had died in 1990.

"I just went gay all of a sudden!"