The Secret Gay Love Affair Behind Alfred Hitchcock's Rope
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- Опубліковано 14 січ 2023
- Alfred Hitchcock's 1948 film Rope is famous for how it was filmed: To look like one continuous scene playing out in real time with no cuts. But there's something else that makes it an even more audacious film, which is the unstated fact that its main characters are a gay couple. Slipping queer characters past film censors in the 1940s was no easy task -- and in fact, they nearly didn't get away with it. And what Hitchcock didn't know is that during the making of he film, the writer was secretly having an affair with the leading man. Their clandestine romance lent a whole new level of real-life-danger behind the scenes of this iconic thriller. Because if their secret was discovered, they'd face the end of their careers -- or much, much worse.
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The fact that they were hiding a secret affair while doing a movie about a gay couple AND The movie is about a couple murderers who cover up the bodies in the same room as they're holding a huge party... The parallels there are crazy
Yeah I had know idea
Homosexuality was legalised in homophobic Catholic Poland in 1932 ......dear
Lol when u put it this way...I go to every dinner party suspicious..lol looking for a body🤣
@@cherylmaden5989 and I go to every pair of men suspicious that they're gay 👀 we're not so different, you and I
/J
Similar thing happened with the movie Victim.
Wonderful commentary. I'm 82 and have witnessed a huge change in societal attitudes over the years. It is unfortunate that so many so-called 'Christians' support bigotry and hatred, and would like to thrust civilization back to the Dark Ages. I have never been able to understand just what their problem is. Why is it OK for men to beat each other to a pulp in the boxing ring, for instance, but if two men kiss that is suddenly an 'abomination'. Hatred is the perversity, not love. On a more personal note, I met my husband when I was 72, and he was 65. We enjoy beautiful love and companionship, after a long wait for both of us. Thanks again for a great half-hour.
Thank you for your comment. I’m 53 and disabled, so maybe there is still hope! 🌈
@@xtradelite903 You're welcome. I have to tell you that meeting him was totally 'unexpected' because I really wasn't looking. What I'm saying is, you never know what The Universe has in store for us, but I am convinced that learning to Trust [which is NOT the same as 'faith'] is a key factor. I trust that you, too, will find the Love of your life. Sent with blessings.
Thank your for sharing your story. I feel like you have so much wisdom you can afford to the younger generation of gays and lesbians.
blessings upon your union!❤❤
@@theravyshow2570 Thank you very much!
I’ve only ever heard stories about Hitchcock being a tyrant as a director. But to hear him ‘not give a damn’ about gays, has given him a soft spot in my heart. It’s bittersweet to hear about allies from days gone by, while it’s happy to hear that they existed, it’s sad to think how rare it was
haha well dont forget he was super creepy and terrorized actresses like Tippi that he became obsessed with ...
@@d3maccus yeah. Men are gross
@@d3maccus TIppie Hedren is the only performer whoever had something negative to say about Hitchcock. And a fair amount of his leading ladies are still alive (Vera Miles, Kim Novak, Julie Andrews).
What do you mean by "tyrant"?
@@Tolstoy111 im pretty sure there was another actress I will check
It is SO SO SO good to actually hear that most of the queer people featured got a happy ending. I was so scared to hear that they all wasted away or died alone, but hearing them get married and find love and live successful careers is so refreshing and just what I needed
@saintsaltine3909 👍
This was the best thing about the video. The ultra happy ending. I'm so happy for these people
And now they are no longer with us in fact stiff just like the rope.they are all very stiff in playing the part you have to think that rope got somewhere. In the Nags Head at Covent Garden London Edward Arckless ex Royal Oper Ballet Covent Garden London and conservatoire de Ville de Paris France.
Some “so called christians.” There are more “so called christians” EVERYWHERE! For broad is the gate & the way that leads to destruction! Yet narrow is the gate & way that leads to Life!! The genuine followers of Christ do not hate anyone & certainly dont go around saying so! They also do not make the laws of God up on their own! They were written THOUSANDS of years ago & God does NOT change for He is the same yesterday, today & forever & ever! If God hated a sin then, He still hates it now! If it was a SIN in the “dark ages” it is still a SIN NOW! It is not love to cause another to do an act of immorality with you in a fit of lust. The definition of Love, true love is defined by its Creator & no other! Our Creator gave us commandments to live by & made the results of not following those laws clearly defined for all! It is mans free will & choice to follow them & be saved or by opposing them receive the penalty of eternal death! God is NOT mocked, whatsoever a man sows in life, that is what he will receive recompense for in eternity. Sow sexual immorality in this life, the reward is eternal damnation! No matter if the ENTIRE universe has now considered that its alright or was a result of being in the uneducated days of dark ages to think of it sin. It is still considered SIN to He who Created us & set down the laws! Therefore, there will be MANY false christians & those who are of this world & even those who disguise themselves as christians but are liars & are wolves in sheep’s clothing. They will tell you that you are alright in yr choice of lifestyle & leave you in peaceful sin. Not caring if you soon perish for eternity. Then there are those that care bcs God has put His love within their hearts & they will risk ridicule & mocking & beatings & death to share with you the true love of yr Creator & tell you that you have made a terrible mistake & shld turn from yr choice before this life on earth has passed quickly away. Those are the genuine followers of God & as the names says, CHRISTians, they are followers of Christ. I am one of those & I plead with you to turn from yr mistake & stop living in this sin. Fulfilling the lust of yr flesh & turn to God & repent & ask Him to forgive you & to make Himself known to you. I promise you will never regret it. If not, you will be left alone in yr life, but in the end it will be a great sorrow to you throughout all eternity. Your choice my friend. Im praying for you. 🙏🙏🙏
Jaja Marry Are you crazy do if you wanna f*** up you live
As a child, I always knew that my aunt, and her BFF since childhood shared a bed. I never found it odd, because my childhood gal pals often shared a bed during sleepovers, without it being anything but platonic. It wasn't until I was much older that it became obvious for other reasons, that my aunt and her BFF were much more than friends. The entire family knew, and accepted it. But my (2 aunts) never admitted it until literally days before my aunt passed away. And she only it to me alone, knowing she wasn't well, and begging me to look after "the love of her life". I didn't hesitate to fulfill her request, although I'd have done it even if she'd never asked. They came from such a different time. They spent their entire lives together, never feeling free to openly live their truth. When I hear such stories, I always think of my aunts. I am grateful to live in a world where such fear, and shame isn't what it used to be.
It is a bit sadly funny you mention your Aunts. When I was a kid in the 60s, the Head Elder of our Church was gay and living openly with his "boyfriend". Everyone in the Church knew, and nobody really cared. There were several Lesbian couples too. What is funny is that about 5 years ago my mother and I were talking about Lesbian couples. She mentioned that the new minister of the Congregation she belong to was Lesbian, and that she did not think she had ever known a Lesbian couple. I proceeded to enlighten her, surprising her no end. That said, I do have to say that both of my parents were very accepting and open.
Your post has warmed my heart! ♡♡♡
Isn't it sad that your aunt had to hide who she was? My uncle had the surgery and became my aunt in j1972. I didn't know what had happened. I just new that my favorite uncle no longer existed. This was disturbing because he was so kind to me. So, when I was 19 and after I found out, I visited my grandfather and told him that I wanted to visit my aunt. My grandfather was born in the 1800s but he was not hateful. He just took me to see my aunt. It is amazing, to me, that there is so much hate these days. I thought that we had progressed but I now know that many have regressed. I am an allie. So, I fight the hate.
oh but fear and shame are still very much alive....we have NO freedom of speech, we are cancelled and our careers are ruined if we don't tote and fall in line with the most popular idea, message, or fad.
The Aged Old Story.
Straight people have been despicable to us in the GLBTQ+ community.
I worked for a gay couple who had been together since the 50s. They had a cabaret act with big marionettes and had worked in nightclubs all over the world. They always told everyone they were brothers, though they reminded me a lot of the couple in La Cage aux Folles. Bob was the more masculine guy who did all the business stuff, while Dave was the guy you couldn't miss, who made the costumes etc. Bob told me that many if not most of the vaudville 'brothers' acts were actually partners. They were quite successful and had owned a big gay bar in London in their late 20s. Dave's father was a US senator and would send his security personnel to Bob's apartment to bring him home. A ton of interesting stories that would have made an awesome book. They sold the theatrical rental and costume business they owned and bought a house in Monte Carlo. I believe Dave died there. I have looked all over the Internet for any mention of them or their act, but they disappeared as though they never existed. Even the business they owned in Phoenix has been torn down and it's a parking lot.
Your record of memories reads wonderfully. Sounds like they got to live out their lives, if not publicly; very nicely personally.
That story is somehow, quite profound.
That is fascinating, a great memory you shared.
I met my first boyfriend the first week of college, when they made us watch 'Rope'. The professor was blathering on about 'secret homosexual signs' when I met eyes with a handsome guy a few seats away. We hung out a few weeks before we realized we were totally gay, for each other at least. He got married to a woman later. It wasn't til I read 'Brokeback Mountain' in the New Yorker that I saw anyone describe how powerful an experience that is. Just my random memory concerning this movie. It makes me think of In Living Color's 'Men on film' when one them says: "Hitchcock's name alone drives me... psycho!" LOL
thats pretty gay yo....
sine we're all sharing, my boyfriend left for his mandatory service in south Korea, I was practically one of those weeping wives watching their lovers leave on a boat. THE very next year his replacement student was his cousin. same height, weird prescription glasses and color hair who was also a lil... sassy. So that was a whole bag of nope, I switched schools and never looked back
That's a great memory for you, I imagine. All best~thomas plagemann*s.f. CA
As a queer actor myself, I find this story fascinating. You certainly did your homework on this;Bravo!!! I should thank these men of the past for paving the way for people like me who do not have a hide any longer. I just played a proud gay dad to the lead girl of a Disney film (Under Wraps 2) that included my fiancé and I's wedding and a kiss. Hallmark cast me and another gay man as a married couple owning a Vermont country Inn ( We Wish You A married Christmas) where the leads came in to stay. And a McDonald's commercial is about to come out where my friend and I play gay dads to two teenage girls. Times are changing. Thank you for this amazing story.
Don’t be so sure.
The right is trying their best to do WRONG...😑
They are quite SCARY with so many hate~fueled followers.
Baby steps are the beginnings of every great marathon. Its always important in history, to recognise those who first let go of the table and began the scary adventure to the couch.
Excuse me sir, what's the difference between a queer actor and a gay one?
@@amafirenze-vi1uh , the word queer is still offensive to some, as it has been used pejoratively in reference to LGBTQ+ people.
Now, the term gay, as Stonewall states, “refers to a man who has an emotional, romantic and/or sexual orientation towards men.”
It is also “a generic term for lesbian and gay sexuality - some women define themselves as gay rather than lesbian”.
If we look further down Stonewall’s glossary of terms, queer is listed as “a derogatory term for LGBT individuals” - but, the charity is keen to emphasise, this is “in the past”.
“The term has now been reclaimed by LGBT young people in particular who don’t identify with traditional categories around gender identity and sexual orientation,” the entry continues.
However, the organisation cautions, the term is “still viewed to be derogatory by some”.
As suggested above, the term queer is sometimes preferred because it is ambiguous.
It therefore allows people to avoid the more rigid boundaries associated with labels like gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.
Queer is not as specific as gay, for instance.
It doesn’t reveal your gender, or the gender of your partner, whereas lesbian, for example, usually implies that you’re a woman attracted to other women.
Similarly, if people are attracted to people across the gender spectrum, they may not want to identify as bisexual, because the term implies a person is attracted to just two genders.
Other terms are available for people who feel this way, like pansexual, but queer has become a useful umbrella term for some sexual and gender minorities who do not fit into the traditional categories around gender identity and sexual orientation.
So, queer essentially means ‘a person who is not straight’, while gay means ‘a person who is attracted to the same sex’.
Ultimately, however, it’s up to the individual as to how they label - or do not label - themselves, and opinions on the subject certainly do vary.
@@claudeknowltonactor thanks for the lengthy explaination but artistically speaking, what's the difference between being a gay or a queer actor?is a queer actor oriented in playing certain roles, with certain nuances, different from a gay actor?
In graduate school, I took a Hitchcock seminar in the film school at the university I attended. My big project for the semester was about Hitchcock’s coded depictions of gays and lesbians in his films. This was back in the ‘80s when the topic wasn’t as widely written about, so I undertook the task of watching dozens of Hitchcock films through the lens of Queer Theory. It was by far my favorite research project in all my years of schooling.
Turn that into a book and I'll buy it! 💵
Really cool. I didn't know that Hitchcock was a rebel with a good cause but I did already like him.
Fasanating
What other coded depictions of gays and lesbians in H's films can you tell us about?
@@catherineenglish9542 Yes, I called my daughter who was a theater major in college. She was like "Yeah, so. I know that. You didn't?" To me, this is astounding and brings a new level of admiration for Alfred Hitcock. I remember that everything was sanitized when I was little, well except maybe Liberace. So, to see that Hitchcock bucked the system is wonderful.
I love how rope was one of the first movies to try and be told in a long take. Hitchcock was such a master
There's invisible cuts and the whole 1 take is BS.
I’m so happy that Arthur and Farley both had happy endings at the end of their lives ❤️
Didn't they get the death penalty in his movie
@@lisashapiro5758 I’m talking about in their personal lives
How times have changed; thankfully so. A late lesbian mate of mine remarked a few years ago, "the love that dare not speak its' name" will one day become "the love that won't shut up!". How correct she is. Can one imagine the superb, much loved, "Red, White and Royal Blue" being released, say, a decade ago?
I took a Hitchcock class in college and queerness NEVER came up -- and we barely touched on Rope. Thanks so much for this video -- I feel like I was missing a huge part of the picture.
This omission is why Queer Theory needed to exist, else it would just be ‘theory’… and hopefully at some point it will be.
How do you analyze Rebecca without mentioning the lesbian subtext?
How do you ever begin to understand Hitchcock without the queer subtext?
"Most people quit on each other, and we never did." In this day and age when divorce rate is off the chart, this sentiment in any form of relationship is rare.
Rope is legitimately one of my favorite Hitchcock movies. I'll stop and watch it every time it's on. I was holding my breath about how things were going to work out for them, and I'm so, so glad they got their happy endings
I had a prolonged chuckle by the way you edited in a female actress from the movie say, "How queer" after you said that the writer of the film was secretly having an affair with the lead actor.
😂
Hitchcock was a master of shock and innuendo in his films and he knew what audiences really wanted to see and what their secret desires were. Visionary director and ahead of his time
Vertigo is an absolute masterclass in movie making. I feel it's also one of his least accessible films.
How did he know what the audience wanted???
I just spent the last 34 minutes spellbound by your exquisite storytelling and the fact that people like Farley Granger and Arthur Laurents, et al., were the incredible people they were...talented, courageous and so wonderfully human.
Rope is one of my favorite movies. The subtext. The performances. The tension through the whole movie. It's all so well done. It's a shame it didn't and doesn't get the credit it deserves. It's good to hear that Hitchcock wanted gay performers to play gay parts and didn't care that Granger and Laurents we're together.
As a lifelong Hitchcock aficionado, I thought I knew all there was to know about "Rope." But the personal relationship between Granger and Laurents is a revelation. Thanks again, Matt, and thanks for all the pop culture/LGBT analyses you do. I've enjoyed them for years!
Finally an old Hollywood story where both people end up happy and live fulfilling lives. Not HIV/AIDS related or tragic deaths omg yes
How sad, people being shunned or forced to live a hidden life.
No one should have to deny who they are. Love and respect to everyone.
An additional point you might be interested to know is that the music in the film Rope is composed by Francis Poulenc, a gay French composer whose own life is worthy of an episode on this channel.
I love the music. Composed in 1919, when my Dad was born. I wonder what it means, though? Inspired by the broken world, post-WWI?
Nicely Done.
Whenever I hear about movies that were initially flops but are now considered classics, I think "They were obviously ahead of their time."
thank you for not only discussing the behind the scenes stuff about rope but also what happened to grander and laurents later in their lives. this video genuinely made me tear up! queer history is so beautiful
I showed this film to my partner last summer. One of our roommates came in about five minutes in and heard the "how did it feel for you" line. He was immediately hooked and stayed though the whole thing. He said he enjoyed it so much because it was "an old movie about gay people".
It's amazing what people could do back then even faced with the strict censors and scrutinizing public. Maybe it didn't succeed, but the fact that it even got made at all is pretty impressive.
The fact that they both eventually found long-lasting love by the end was just so sweet. ♥ I was also tickled by how accepting Hitchcock was. Definitely one of my favorite videos so far Matt!
Hollywood was, and is, gay! It's a wonder Leo the Lion, the cat which roars at the beginning of a movie, wasn't dressed in pink. If Hitch wanted to work in Hollywood he minded his business He would have no actors to work with if he left out gay actors. It is not known if he approved or not. Being a naughty boy himself (but straight) he probably got a chuckle out of all his leading men living two different lives.
Yep, it was such a relief to see them both happy at the end.
it's weird because... hitchcock was a bad person. like, he stalked and harassed that one female lead of one of his movies for a long time. but also he was good in some ways.
@@alyssahopson5926 Tippi Hedren. He was obsessed with her and grieved when she turned him down for a long time. Hitch was the "ugly duckling" child growing up and never had dates until he met Alma whom he married. They were more like brother and sister and had one child, the actress Patricia Hitchcock who appeared in many of his movies in a cameo role and also appeared in many Alfred Hitchcock Presents t.v. episodes.
@@edwardtjbrown2193 He definitely was. He was a former Catholic schoolboy raised on a fear of sin. I read a marvelous bio years ago on him. Wish I could remember the name..AH! It was "The Dark Side of Genius". Buy it. Hitch had a little school boy's dirty sense of humor and loved to be naughy with his jokes that turned his actresses' faces red, but it was harmless. He loved Janet Leigh, a buddy, who "got it". She and husband Bob Brandt used to dine with the Hitchcocks at their home often. The book outlines his formulae in bringing a movie to fruition, from outline, to storyboard, to lighting, to camera angles, etc. Get that book.
Rope is one of my all time favorite films. I grew up in San Francisco and had many gay friends and yet I was naive in never realizing the gay aspect of this film. It wouldn't have made a difference to me either way as I still love this film. Funny, I never suspected the gay aspect of it. Love the way Matt Baume tells the story......he's articulate, animated, and obviously very intelligent as I was riveted throughout the entire video. Fascinating and brilliant. Thank you.
One of my favourite Hitchcock thrillers and one of my favourite films of all time, period. Brilliant how Hitchcock and his crew made a film that looks and feels like a stage play and the performances are superlative! Stewart's speech in the climax still gives me goosebumps, even though I've seen this film dozens of times. Thank you for covering it.
Also one of my absolute favorites! The bit where you see one character dropping the rope into the kitchen drawer in between swings of the kitchen door is AMAZING. I wonder how many takes that scene took to get the timing right!
Ditto!
my favorite too! SOAT a close second. loooooooove to hear that both actors' stories had happy endings. SO much queer joy here!
Mine, too! Rope, The Trouble with Harry (another Hitchcock movie), and Bringing Up Baby were three of my favorites as a kid, the latter two also being favorites of my mom.
I always felt like Stewart's speech deflected blame from himself, and tried to differentiate his philosophy from their actions without any points to do so. As a kid, that bothered me. Now it seems uncannily realistic to watch someone go on about the benefits of killing inferior people, then disavow those who put that philosophy into action.
@kobaltkween ::
You were an extremely mature "kid". Your observations were very intuitive for someone so young. I was going to write something similar ... but why bother ?
The only thing I will add ::
at this point in Stewart's career ( his white-knight, good guys roles ) ... he couldn't risk playing a Eugenicist ... so he had to denounce, non-sensicallly, what he should have known what would lead to thinking that some people are more worthy of life than others ... his character wasn't able to recognize the two nut-jobs in his class, because, with them, he had a kinship of ideas. There's no way you could Not see Stewart's character as anything but, a Eugenicist.
📌
In my pedestrian opinion, after seeing the clips of the movie, there's no way Grant could have played that role. He definitely was a sharp-looking actor : looked great in suits ... but the physical closeness of the two characters ; the super-superiority of the character, must have turned him off. He may have jumped around in a woman's dressing-gown, yelling :: " I'm gay ! ", but that was comedy.
I’m crying at the happy endings that Granger and Laurents got and how many beautiful shows he wrote ❤
I’m really glad I watched this movie especially after just watching Rope for the first time today
One of my favorite films, both my parents said they saw this film when It came out. Both said they got the gay subtext even then, it's just that people didn't talk about it. This was a small southern town, my Mom said two barbers in town were a gay couple, everyone knew it, they had a business together, shared a house together, if it ever came up people would say they're funny and that was that. It just wasn't talked about in the open. I think most people picked up on the gay subtext in the story when the phone is mention of being in their, the two male main characters bedroom.
Yeah, and the lady replies "Wild!" Haha
I saw Rope on AMC years ago and I never picked up on the homosexual overtones. I was completely oblivious to it - being a straight 20 something in the 2000s. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Once again I say thank you for the great history lesson and an insight into context I’m completely unaware of but appreciate immensely thanks to your story telling abilities.
Really? It was pretty obvious to me
How I teresting, I am gay and see gay overtones in a lot of stuff!
I didn't pick up on it either and I have no excuse. I had just seen a musical based on Leopold and Loeb where they make out onstage. Woooosh. I famously have no gaydar though.
Same! Watched it on AMC and loved it. Totally missed all the gay overtones until watching this video. Still love it but now have a greater appreciation
@@deejaye2647 I really am oblivious to a large number of things. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯
I saw rope in the 80’s fell in love with that story instantly! To be honest I had no idea it was about to gay men. Excellent writing ✍️!
I remember watching Rope for the first time having heard endlessly about the camera technique, but nothing about the main characters’ sexuality. Almost immediately it became plainly evident to me that they were a couple and I was bewildered as to how a film from this time period got away with it. It really does feel unique in that respect. Thanks for fleshing out the backstory behind it.
I love the fellow's last words. He went from believing he was broken to accepting who he was and allowing love into his life. Fascinating look back, thank you.
I just want to say how I appreciate how welcoming and accepting Matt Baume is of bisexuality. It's a breath of fresh air.
It really is! Every time I go into LGBTQ content on UA-cam, I hold my breath a little in case someone's about to say something awful about bi, ace, or trans people. (I'm two of those, myself.) Or erase them entirely, which is awful in a different way. I really appreciate Matt calmly laying out the facts and then moving on with the story without further comment. Almost like we're part of the same community, and our presence is occasionally relevant but otherwise unremarkable. It's weird to say, but it's nice to be included but not necessarily the center of attention.
@@onbearfeet one of my friend's friend once told me, when I remarked similarly to you (pan/NB myself), "why wouldn't we treat you like family?"
People from Australia will relate to this. In the 60’-70’s Bill Collins, our Mr Movies, would host the midday and Sunday evening movies on our tv. Before he screened the movies, he would take us through the gossip, interesting anecdotes and sometimes the lives of the stars behind the scenes. I saw the Rope on one of these occasions which I’m sure would have been screened at night and Bill not going into great detail would instead discuss the tension between the characters. He was an ex teacher and I felt I was attending one of his classes. I’ll watch anything that Hitchcock produced, to me they were all made by a brilliant mastermind.
I loved Bill Collin's trivia and explanations of old films, as a kid of the 80s. 😊
I knew Bill although not well. It was always rumoured that he was gay, but, of course, given his high profile it was necessary for him to remain in the closet.
I love “Rope”. I’ve seen it many times. I’ve always had a huge crush on Farley Granger. My husband gave me a collection of Hitchcock films from the 30s. Super.
Touching to learn that Granger and Laurents ended up in rewarding love affairs and that both knew great success after the tepid reaction to Rope. Not so lucky was John Dall, who despite earning an Oscar nomination for his first film in 1945, and trying very hard to eradicate any gay rumors by his uber-masculine performance in 1950's Gun Crazy, ended up an unnoticed TV guest star for the rest of his career, dying sadly from a drunken fall in 1971 at only 51 years of age.
😢
Gun Crazy is an underrated classic. The way the film depicts the two central characters sexuality through the use of guns is really different for the time.
John Dall kept trying to reinvent himself but couldn't quite pull it off. He did a decent job in "Spartacus." He guest-starred on TV's "Perry Mason" four times, once as a helpful (probably) gay uncle. He could play straight and menacing when he put his mind to it.
Sad ending.
Did John hall have anyone he loved tho
Absolutely adored this. Rope was my favourite movie when I was a kid in the 80s and I tried out for the school play doing Rupert's speech at the end. I'm 50 and I still remember every word! "Brandon, Brandon... until this very moment the world and the people in it have always been dark and incomprehensible to me..." Thank you thank you. Of course, as a teen, I missed ALLLLL the obvious gay overtones. I was pretty thick. Or maybe it was just so normal to me. Who knows.
Don't feel bad about being "thick." This 67-year-old woman remembers finally watching this great movie about 30 years ago and all that subtext flew right over my head. 😳
@@maggierioux6501 I’m 75 and I saw it back in the early 70’s and it went right over my head. Read about the “Leopoldo and Loeb” which I thought was about two kids who were murdering this boy and were defended by the legendary Clarence Darrow who talked a jury into giving the boys life imprisonment instead of death.
The gayness just is. Meh. It's funny so polarized,when honestly most Americans don't care about your orientation, never have. The difference now ,is we ' re supposed pretend it's sanctioned by God. One extreme to the other. All their poor wives and girlfriends
@montyollie Did you get the part?
@@sassymasassyma5169 LOL I did! But the idiot kids who were writing it never got around to writing it, so the play never hit the stage. But I got the lead, for what it was worth! LOLOL
Hi, Just wanted to say , "I'm a completely straight man", and I have been binge-watching your videos. It's very interesting to see the history. I would love to learn more about how gay people had to 'get by' and 'get on' through the years. I know several gay people that I grew up with, but didn't know they were gay until I was an adult. It made me angry that my friends didn't trust me, but I also felt sad for how difficult it must have been.
hearing that they got their happy endings made me cry but this was v v informational, thank you for uploading these for free lol :)
the way you tell this story, it makes me want a movie of the behind the scenes of rope! i can see the scenes play out, them moving in together, the double datel, the "he's in love with him too!" moment, i can see the edits lmao.
it's a queer love story where they don't end up together, but we get the text and pictures showing us that they lived a happy life and loved freely! someone make this
please make this!
Great video! The line about how the Hays Code censored things like people disrespecting priests made me think about all the abuse that was covered up and how they were able to get away with it because even disrespecting a priest on screen was taboo. I think ultimately that’s what censorship does. It silences people whose voices need to be heard and elevates those with power that shouldn’t.
It's really is like living in a back word, Topsy turvy world, that line you said about the priest it's spot own . Just think very powerful organization that can, and in some cases, skirt the law and send pedophiles to other parts of the country or the world only to molest more children or young people , but show a gay person on the movie screen. I never heard about that law in California before, I wonder how many priests ended up being castrated in California ?
It's ironic that the priests abusing children, ( mostly boys) were primarily homosexuals.
The Hays Office was not bothered by two men sharing a bed, but actors playing a married couple had to use single beds.
There's an anecdote about Hitchcock that touches upon your point;
''One day when Alfred Hitchcock was still a churchgoing Catholic, he was driving through a Swiss city when he suddenly pointed out of the car window and said, "That is the most frightening sight I have ever seen."
His companion was surprised to see nothing more alarming than a priest in conversation with a little boy, his hand on the child's shoulder.
"Run, little boy," cried Hitchcock, leaning out of the car. "Run for your life!"
Oh dear! We priests are all bad and wicked and are now the persecuted minority. I had a phone call yesterday. A man wanted me to take his mum's funeral. He lived next door as a teenager forty years ago. We had not met since I moved parish, nor was he a churchgoer. However, his mum's death led him to track me down and ask for help. That doesn't get into the newspapers.
Having come out in May 1968, I am aware of the pressures placed upon those of us who were working toward specific careers. I was "rumored" about by many, but few were offered my secret. I was known to those whom I could trust, a very small and tightly knit circle of friends.
Your review is superb! Thank you.
I watched 2 minutes of this video, paused it to watch Rope for the very first time, then came back and watched the rest. I love the movie and this video, thank you so much!
You never fail to teach me something new with these retrospectives! I had no idea Hitchcock was so open and accepting. Funnily enough, I remember seeing Rope on cable when I was a teenager (in the 80s) and had zero clue of the gay sub-text. Even funnier, I had recently learned about Leopold and Loeb and I was feeling all smug about recognizing the obvious parallel in the story. Not as smart as I thought. :D
Never up on the gay sub-text. Guess I was blind.
@@sandranorman6451 I didn't notice it in Rope, but the opening scene of Strangers on a Train is pretttttttty queer. Glad I wasn't just a queer hammer seeing queer nails everywhere - it was intentional
@Greta C Wink "a queer hammer seeing queer nails" lol that's great!
He once sent Tippy Hedren's daughter (Melanie Griffith) a doll of her in a coffin with a noose around its neck. This supposedly was in retaliation of her rebuking his advances.
@@pauladautremont1728 Hitchcock did a lot of very shitty things to his leading ladies. I thought of that all while watching this. He's no Angela Lansbury. However. My joy comes from the happiness the non-Hitchcock men found.
The excitement that I felt when I saw the thumbnail for this video could power a small nation.
I remember being in the cinema, and when Phillip asked 'Brandon, you don't think the party was a mistake, do you?' I let out an unrestrained laugh and felt SO embarrassed, but it truly seemed such a funny line. Thank you Matt for a fascinating insight into one of my favourite films.
Ooooh I did not expect to cry at this! The fact all those people couldn't just be themselves, that Arthur and Farley had to hide their love, but in the end they got to be themselves and they fulfilled their dreams, they found their respective true loves and led happy lives...woah! I need more tissues!
This video gives me hope that one day, with enough perseverance and hard work, I too will reach that career goal, find love and lead a happy life. And I hope whoever reads this has the same success! 😘
Only Matt Baumes channel could have a video thumbnail title so incendiary yet have me go 'oh yay, can't wait to watch this!'
Well played sir.
I love hearing about gay men that served in WW2. I’d love to see you do something on that. X
Funny to consider bc the lack of war or other “manly” things are often cited as reasons for society’s “plunge.”
I’m always recommending this movie, Rope, along with Spielberg’s Duel. The suspense is unnerving!
And Rear Window, Shadow of a Doubt, Psycho, The Birds, etc Hitchcock have a good list of classics
Watched Rope when i was about 16, its been like 8 years now..i should really rewatch it. This video was so emotional 😢
Rope was one of my and my mother’s favorite Hitchcock films, because the camera shots were amazing, and the tension was palpable. I was on the edge of my seat the whole movie.
I’m glad they found happiness in the end. Farley Granger was an excellent actor and Rope is a very good movie.
So happy you got to this! Love it darling! Rope is one of my favorites! Also, the main theme of the score was taken from a piece by composer, Francis Poulenc, one of the first openly gay composers!
Wonderful add on! Thanks!
I’m a Gen X and Queer or Gay story lines were never spoken about where I grew up in the South. I had absolutely no idea how horrifying it was for LGBTQIA people in the past! I am so curious about this subject now! There has actually been more progress in LGBTQ acceptance than in racism in my opinion. Also, does anyone know if Hitchcock was before his time as an ally, or if he was actually Bisexual himself? I’m so thankful for your videos 😍🙌🏼
He was definitely a before his time ally- I've read other stories about he & his wife and their double dates with gay couples, as well as the parties they would throw as couples. As for his sexuality- there are too many stories about his attention & affection for his blonde actresses to question his sexuality, he was definitely hetero.
@@cissyiniguez
Mae West was an ally for the LBG community when it was unpopular to speak out and she definitely hetro was not gay.
How can you be a Gen X and not know how bad it was for gays in the past? It was bad enough in the 80s for F sake!
@@gaywizard2000Very true!
Of all the golden age actors mentioned that I knew were or were rumored to be gay, TODAY is the first day I heard the Van Johnson. I'M SHOCKED! How did this open secret miss me. Now I'll have to look at all his old movies to see if I can ferret out the clues. "ROPES" has always been one of my most favorite movies. This background recap is well done and informative. Bravo.
Thanks so much for creating this commentary on "Rope." It's a great Hitchcock film and I find it even more fascinating as time goes by.
The first time I saw this film was in a Hitchcock course in college and I was fascinated with it immediately. Your video was excellent and excited me again to now re-watch it so many years later.
Really fantastic! You are a great storyteller. One correction, Harvey Firestein didnt write the lyrics to LaCage. He wrote the book. The music and lyrics were by Jerry Herman.
Back in the 2000s I watched the movie with some friend who was a cinema student; I thought the movie was amazing and totally gay, it reminded me so much of Dorian grey. My friend, a straight girl did not see anything “gay” and said I call everything “gay” because that’s what we gays do 😂😂😂 thanks for your videos
This is one of those comfort movies I rewatch regularly. There's something cozy about it, which I guess it's a weird thing to say about a movie starring two supremacist killers. I just love the artifice of it all and hanging out with all the different characters. What I would give to be able to watch an alternate version with Cary Grant queering the Rupert role, though!
It’s one of my “comfort movies” too!
Haha I know exactly what you mean! It’s cozy and entertaining
AND the apartment is amazing.
yes. love the supporting cast as well and i love the background shot of the city as the sun goes down.
"Homosexual, out out out!"
"You want us to make them MORE out? Ah...ok!"
"Wait no...."
Excellent piece! Very good information on Hitchcock and these actors. I love to learn that they eventually found love and peace that lasted decades. Very good work Matt!
Farley Granger was absolutely gorgeous!
John Dall was hot too.
So was John Dall❤🫠
!! So excited! Learned about this movie from Rantasmo's channel years ago, I love learning queer media history
That’s where I learned of it too!
Thanks so much for sharing this, it was quite interesting. I really appreciate how you're helping to keep Gay History alive. There have been endless efforts to erase us from History, but we've always been here and always will be.
I'd never heard of the film "Rope" before, but now I'm intrigued to see it. It's unfortunate that critics and censors were so hard on it. From what you shared, it sounds like a great story with a timeless moral tale to convey. One that seems sadly necessary in our present era, which is another good reason to be aware of it, IMHO. I think I'll check it out this evening. :)
Thanks for all you and your team do to bring us slices of Gay History like these.
I’ve seen Rope more times than any other of his great films and it remains my favorite. Thank you for this incredibly insightful and informative video.
Superbly compiled video. Loved your diligent compilation of so many vignettes regarding the actors and the other crew.
I have been a subscriber for a long time
and I have seen most all of your vids and
THIS STORY by far is my favorite.
I truly have enjoyed how you researched and told
this most incredible historical story.
THANKS!
It warms my heart that both these men found success, love and happiness. ❤
This was fascinating and interesting on so many levels. Thank you for bringing these stories to light.
Another excellent report of behind the scenes and the people in and around them. Thanks, Matt.
Such a good film and I adore it even more for the gay subtext. It's funny, as a little kid watching it for the first time, I remember being confused by the two killers' relationship, thinking that they weren't just friends but not really sure "what" lol. Also, the camera rehearsals and having everything wheels really reminds me of what the crew had to do for that one episode of the Haunting of Hill House. The making of that episode is really fascinating too!
This is such a wonderful look behind the scenes for one of Hitchcock´s most underrated films, i am so happy to hear in the end Granger and Laurents lived long happy lives with partners that loved them.
Another excellently researched and entertaining behind-the-scenes. Thanks Matt 👍😀
A fascinating and thorough analysis, not only of the film itself but also insights into gay history in Hollywood. Uplifting to learn that some couples were able to survive danger and discrimination in pursuit of loving relationships. Kudos to Farley Granger! This video make a great companion view alongside "Fellow Travelers," currently streaming on Paramount.
Your weekly newsletter gives us a chance to develop background knowledge and context before your videos premier, and I can't thank you enough. I even watched Strangers on a Train based on one of your tweets. Thank you for running a free film and television studies course. Baume University needs to have a logo and a collegiate merch drop.
I ran into rope free on UA-cam one night and have loved it since.
The tricks he used to make it look one shot with only 10 minutes of film are fascinating and the story itself having a true crime backing always helps the chill factor.
Nobody did it like Hitchcock back then.
i love how much detail you put on all of your videos im obsessed
Thank you very much for this channel. I love biographies and facts behind the scenes. And also I am a big fan of old movies. Although it’s been a little difficult to follow your head-movements. I have never seen someone talking from the side.
What a beautiful video. I haven't seen this movie since I was a kid. Classic kid me (religious and homeschooled), always crushed on queer coded male characters, and I thought Brandon was a dish. Now I'm inspired to read Strangers on a Train and rewatch this film. You're awesome at telling these stories! I love your channel!
I really didn't know anything about these actors other than Jimmy Stewart. It's so interesting to hear the story of someone's life told through to their passing. Live life to the fullest. Leave it all out on the table and have no regrets. You don't get a do-over.
Beautifully done. We have come a long way and it is scary how so many want to go back to the good old days . Thank u so much for this compelling piece about such talented people who deserved to be who the were without worrying about being judged and ostracized
Wonderful video, as always.
When I was taking film classes in college, my TA recommended Rope as a Hitchcock film that didn't get the attention it deserved, so that's when I watched it. It's a classic to me, for sure, but I also know I missed most of the gay subtext. Guess it's time for a rewatch.
He also absolutely loved Strangers on a Train, and I'm sure he mentioned the gay subtext there.
After seeing this, it's even funnier to me that my entire section thought the TA was gay, and we only found out at the get together at the bar after the final that he was engaged (in the 90s that could only have been to a woman).
This was the very first movie we discussed in my class on gay imagery in media, it gave me a completely new look on media and history.
First video of yours I've ever seen, Matt. Bravo!!! Subscribed. Really good and really fun. Thanks.
Fantastic video! Exhaustive, thorough, and beautifully narrative. Thank you!
i haven’t watched Rope since my highschool film class, but this video made me want to watch it again!
Just an FYI. Jerry Herman wrote the music and lyrics for “I Am What I Am” not Harvey Fierstein. Fierstein did write the book for La Cage however
Matt does so much research that it sucks to have to point out an error, but Jerry Herman is another queer icon that deserves his due.
I just watched this documentary and was taken aback when he said Fierstein was the lyricist for La Cage and was going to point out this mistake. But you cleared that error up. Thank you.
Good to see you again Matt, I was a fan years ago and saw your video suggested in my algorithm today. Glad to rediscover you and subscribe
Mr. Baume, this is an absolutely wonderful, fascinating, beautifully written and edited documentary video. Thank you very, very much for such marvelous work.
Thank you for such an interesting, well made video! I first became aware of Farley Granger when I saw "Strangers On A Train" in high school in the 1960's, on TV. I wondered if the two leads were supposed to be secretly gay. Back when repertory cinemas still existed, I saw "Rope" at the UC Theater in Berkeley in about 1975. I saw the two leads as obviously gay and wondered how on earth Hitchcock got the movie past the censors. Then, in about 1980, I read Shelley Winters' first volume of memoirs, "Shelley Also Known As Shirley" where she recounts her friendship with Farley and how he gave her emotional support during her tormented love affair with Burt Lancaster. Finally, I read Arthur Laurents' memoir, "Original Story By Arthur Laurents," where he recounts his secret love affair with Farley Granger. That was the first time I read a frank account (by a leading Hollywood player back in the day) of what it was like to negotiate a public life and a secret life in order to survive and thrive. There are lots of things in your video I had never heard before. Again, thank you.
This is really great! (One note: the score to LA CAGE AUX FOLLES was fully written by Jerry Herman, the libretto was by Harvey Fierstein)
WOW, this video was amazing. So interesting and insightful. You are a fantastic narrator!! I am looking forward to seeing more of your videos.
Thanks for Producing this Wonderful Video, I have viewed it several times..
I was in my early teens when I first saw Rope, and it has remained my favorite Hitchcock film (with Psycho in a very close second). Probably due to me being rather sheltered and straight, I never caught any of the subtext, but I now see this film in a new light, and have a much greater appreciation for it. Thank you once again for educating me, Matt.