Homosexuality in Film - 1931

Well, it certianly seems homosexual. And I love it! From The Public Enemy, which I do NOT own.

-"Z"

Category:

Entertainment

Tags:

• gay
• homosexual
• gang
• mobster
• mob
• gangster
• taylor
• size
• sizing
• suit
• movie
• 1931
• The Public Enemy

[VanillaSwirlsOfDoom]

Now the whole WORLD knows James Cagney's measurements! Diabolical...

[FakeID81390]

@VanillaSwirlsOfDoom Haha

[aglewi41]

i think this was more a french feminism joke.

[FakeID81390]

@aglewi41 Most likely, however, one can't deny that in the modern world, it reads as homosexual. It most likely wasn't intended to be, but it's original intent isn't why I posted this video. (Hehe, and come on, feminine French men always seem gay :p jk -NOTE: I have several straight fem-French guy friends and several macho French guy friends, so I know its just a stereotypical thing- )

Thank you for watching!

[jimjimmyjames59]

@jacobbenmichael "The man being measured"?! Please say someone has already smacked you for that one!  James Cagney!!!

[jacobbenmichael]

LOL....TOTALLY gay. The man being measured looked extremely uncomfortable too!!!

[eldritch1985]

I love the look on the shop guy's face when he says: "Oh, sir, here's where you need the room...Such a muscle!" Thank you for posting this neat clip! (Plus, the guy sitting in the chair is really cute! Love the hat and the little dark bow-tie.)

[PrairieOasos]

Yes. One of the earliest ways that Hollywood -- especially American -- cinema dealt with homosexuality was through depicting very prissy effeminate men and very angry masculine women. These stereotypes were in place that early on in the culture. Their were a entire crew of 'sissy' characters. The Hays Code forced much of this to vanish or be buried in subtext.

[hebneh]

This tailor IS supposed to be gay. Before the Hays Code was enforced for movie censorship starting in 1934, there were gay characterizations like this one, as well as fairly open acknowledgment of any kind of sex, in addition to scanty costumes on young women, and all kinds of good stuff. This kind of thing wouldn't be present in Hollywood films again till censorship fell apart in the 1960s.

[Foofighter18]

"Why don't you two mo's get an adding machine." XD

[hardmous]

He's not gay just better than you.

[FilmNoirFreak]

Um yes it is gay...i mean the guy who's measuring James....so what?

whats the big deal?

Hollywood has quite often portrayed homosexuals in films...even in the "olden days"

[logicalMeta]

This is a clip from when homosexuals didn't die from AIDS. Just embarrassment.

[squeapler]

@FakeID81390 "French feminism joke" my Aunt Fanny. Of course the character is meant to appear gay. Gay characters during the pre-code era were extremely common in movies. Often they were played for laughs or to contrast with some really "masculine" character like Cagney here. I don't doubt that a lot of real life "men's fashion" experts were just like the stereotype in this and other movies, and in TV shows like "Are You Being Served" decades later.