. . . any possible gay subtext between Gen. Merritt and Sgt. Mahoney, Mahoney being a little too 'attached' to his Commanding Officer (of 30 years).
Reading gay themes into old movies seems to be a cottage industry in modern film criticism.
Yep, indeed a relief. Please don't give them ideas!
A few years ago, I had to kind of straighten out a blogger over his treatment of a TV character named Bobby, from the 1950's TV show "Rocky Jones, Space Ranger." Bobby was around 8, and was close friends with the elderly Professor Newton, similar to a grandson/grandfather relationship. Well, attempting to inject some humor into his review of the show, the blogger kept suggesting that the elderly professor was a pedophile. It made me angry, and I laid into him. The blogger got pretty upset with me, but I made my point.
'50s television was so pure and innocent, and I too get tired of these modern day "critics" alleging perverted, sexual motives between the characters. It's almost like they're hoping the characters were gay or pedophiliac. I can't understand it.
RockyJones,
People see it because they want to see it. The “love that dare not speak its name” has become the love that won’t shut the hell up. In the six years since you posted it’s only gotten worse.
Or do you mean a cottaging industry?
shareThen you must not be aware that quite some Hollywood movies actually had intentional gay subtexts. :) A good documentary has been made about this, The Celluloid Closet.
But CoS... maybe not.