Forget Cowboys. All Movies Are Gay

Following the success of Brokeback Mountain and Capote, 2006 has been called by some, the gayest year in recorded history. But one man has gone further still. Josh Tenttrow is Professor of Gender Studies at the University of San Francisco. Often called the most flamboyant academic in the US, Tenttrow has written a string of books examining gender and sexuality issues in mainstream cinema. These include works like, 'Steers and Queers: Gay Imagery in the Contemporary Western', 'Is that your Lightsabre or are you just pleased to see me?: Science Fiction and Sexuality' and 'Hello Dolly!: The Musical as a Gay Text'.

Now Tenttrow has gone one step further. He says that in fact all movies have a hidden gay subtext. I went to San Francisco to meet him.

AC. Josh, Your new book, 'Forget Cowboys. All Movies are Gay' makes some startling claims about the way we should look at movies.

JT. You are so right. But as a gay man I'm quite used to being challenged and judged at every turn. Controversy follows me at every turn like a dog follows a bone. I was born controversial. I was a controversial school kid. When the teacher asked us what we wanted to be when we grew up, do you know what I said?

A fireman?

A fireman? Are you serious? No, I said I wanted to be Barbra Streisand. I mean just how fabulous was that? I'm outrageous, I really am!

Returning to the book…

And it wasn't just her either. The next year, I said I wanted to be Monroe. I think I was just fixated by the glamour. So no change there! But of course it was different back then. Gay wasn't fashionable. Now it's very now. If you know what I mean. For example did you know the Japanese have invented a car that runs entirely on the power of lesbianism? It's called a Honda Sapphic.

Really?

I'm joking!

Back to the book…

Isn't it fabulous? I designed the cover myself.

I was going to ask you about that. I've never seen an academic work covered in glitter before.

The way I see it, a book should be an extension of the author's personality. That's why it's only available in hardback! I'm too much! I really am! But honestly, this is a serious academic work. I just think glamour and academia aren't mutually exclusive.

The central theme of the book is that virtually all films have a hidden gay subtext. That's quite a claim to make.

Hey! My motto is "think big". Although these days thinking big is virtually as far as it goes if you know what I mean!

But to go back to the book, gay themes in cinema are nothing new. For instance, the screenplay for the colour version of 'Ben Hur' was very famously written to allude to a homosexual love affair between the two main characters.

That's correct. Although you can bet your life nobody told Charlton Heston! His wig would probably have exploded or something.

I suppose what I'm really asking is, could you give me some examples of what you are talking about?

Absolutely! Well, I guess the archetypical gay movie would be today be seen as something like 'Brokeback Mountain' but actually you need to go back much further then that.

How far?

Well take 'Dumbo', for example.

Dumbo? The cartoon about the flying elephant?

You got it.

I'm sorry. I just cannot see a gay theme present in that film.

Whoop! Whoop! Prejudice alert! That film couldn't be gayer if it tried! Think about it! He's a young elephant, he doesn't quite fit in. He feels different but he can't explain why.

Then he discovers he can fly. I just don't see it.

You're thinking too literally. Once he discovers that he can fly he's liberated. It's clearly a metaphor for man-on-man action. And nobody spotted it until now! How outrageous!

But you go further. You say that all of John Wayne's films are coded gay love stories.

Oh. My. God. You only have to look at them! That walk! He's practically mincing! Talk about repressed! That stoical, cool exterior - it's a front! He's repressed I tell you!

But this is nonsense.

Whoop! Whoop! Call for Doctor Cousins on the Phobophone. Open your eyes!

Look, I bet I could name a film that can't possibly have a gay subtext.

I'll take you on. Chance would be a fine thing! Oh Joshy, stop it!

What about Oliver Stone's JFK. A film about the death of a famously womanising president.

A sexually liberated man who dared to be different! Shot dead in his prime just for being gay.

John F. Kennedy wasn't gay.

Metaphorically he was.

Er, Ok. I'll try another one. The Wizard of Oz.

A young girl bewildered by the world she suddenly finds her self in. She can only get home by finding the Emerald City. The imagery couldn't be more vaginal! She's a lesbian!

What about Titanic?

No that doesn't have a gay subtext.

Thank you.

It's a metaphor for the holocaust.

What?

The ship represents the death camps. People imprisoned for being Jewish, gay, disabled or all three. The iceberg represents the Nazis. It speaks for itself really.

How do you respond to the accusation that you're ever so slightly obsessed? That in fact you see gay themes everywhere?

I'm only obsessed by exposing the truth. Say it loud, movies are gay and proud!

Josh Tenttrow, thank you.