MovieChat Forums > The Lady Vanishes (1938) Discussion > Gay couple

Gay couple

posted 12 years ago by marlfox4
30 replies | jump to latest

Weren't the two British gentlemen talking about rugby and playing with sugar homosexual lovers? They seem rather upset when they learn the German maid would be "changing" in their room. Also, when she enters the room and surprises them, both of them are in bed. If you notice, a pajama shirt and pants are hanging up beside the bed. One of the men is clearly nude (or wearing only underwear). When the mustached man leaves the bed, he is also without pants.

So, gay or nay?

I'm on... fire.

[–] Molly-31 10 years ago

I think those guys are too obsessed with cricket to even think about anything else. As for the poster who said filmmakers wouldn't even have thought about it back then, thanks for giving me the biggest laugh I've had all day!

You've got me?! Who's got you?!

[–] 10 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Apophos 8 years ago

The only 'Gay' people in old black and white movies were the ones who were happy and merry. Since then the word 'Gay' has been hijacked by the lesbian and homosexual communities instead of finding their own word.

[–] jd-276 8 years ago

Would everyone here just relax?!?!? This is just old music hall-style comedy. Sharing a bed - for sleeping - was a lot more common then than it is now.

[–] tedge-2 8 years ago

Dude, you horrifyingly macho stereotype...come here... closer...just a bit closer...okay *SLAP* NOT GAY!!! *SLAP* GROW UP, you wretched child! *SLAP* *SLAP*!!! You are WAY gayer than the guys in the movie, so you might want to STFU if you insist on concealing your orientation.

[–] jd-276 8 years ago

Who'd have thought at the time that 78 years later, Americans would be over analysing this film looking for a gay subtext. This is a simple irony. It's true: Americans don't understand British humour, particularly the subtle stuff.

[–] cate08 8 years ago

I agree.

[–] roreyking 8 years ago

There it goes again, spewing its anti-Americanism. Any more sweeping generalizations you need to make, you pompous British scumbag?

[–] NotoriousRio (12927) 5 years ago

They weren't written as gay lovers but as sports mad Cricket fans, but it's humorous to view them as gay from today’s viewpoint.

They are just Gentlemen from another era.

[–] noisebox666 (39) 5 years ago

I think it's much funnier if they're not gay.
They seem to have a certain standard of living (the nice tuxedos when they get down to eat at the hotel, the fact that they don't travel in the low-cost wagon like Gilbert...)
But because the train is uphold, the hotel is overbooked and not only do they have to share the same room, they also have to share the same small bed, and finally the same pyjamas. Which certainly seems to qualify as a huge downgrade for them.
But their composure makes them tolerate this promiscuity as long as they can talk about cricket.