MovieChat Forums > Becket (1964) Discussion > Homosexual Themes - SPOILERS

Homosexual Themes - SPOILERS

posted 17 years ago by sosale
39 replies | jump to latest

First off, I'd like to say that if you are going to reply with mere homophobic responses, I would like to ask that you please start your own thread.

There are certain movies that were made in the 1950's and 1960's that had subtle homosexual themes, sometimes mild or implied and some more pronounced. I believe that this movie is one of them.

Like King Henry II's mother says, "You have an obsession about him that is unhealthy and unnatural!" It seems that Henry's obsession with Becket after Becket has become Archbishop seems almost like that of bitter broken up lovers or unrequited love.

Before I go rambling on, I was wondering if anyone else noticed this as well?

Thanks,
-- S

Ready when you are Sgt. Pembry.

[–] CarolinianDude 14 years ago

I think the OP is wrong. They weren't gay for eachother, it was just that they were close friends, at least King Henry was friends with Becket, and he probably was denied regular friendships with anyone as he was king. That being the case, he felt bad because it was a friendship that was ended.

[–] tperkin52 14 years ago

If Henry was had a sexual relationship with Becket, judging from the movie I would have to say he was definately bisexual

[–] ihabsaid74-1 13 years ago

I have read the play and seen the movie many times; and although it may seem that way - their relationship was not sexual. Looking at the context, you can read & see it. yes, they may have loved each other, but that doesn't make them homosexuals.
When I watch the movie, I see two really close friends who love one another dearly.

My thoughts.

"Oh yes, the past can hurt. But, you can either run from it or, learn from it."

[–] jnnfrbryc 13 years ago

I find this thread incredibly interesting and, if nobody minds, I'd like to chuck in my two cents worth.
First of all I'd like to say that, despite its many inaccuracies, I really like this film; it has great dialogue and great acting. I think that, taken in context of the 1960's its quite possible to see homosexual themes within the movie; especially in terms of Henry's character.
However, personally I feel its a trifle obvious to label Henry and Beckett as having a homosexual realtionship. For me their relationship is more complex and interesting when taken in a platonic sense.
Historically, and I'm speaking from a position of having studied the period and these particular characters in some detail, I don't think there was more going on between them. Their relationship just happens to be the perfect fodder for modern drama, much like the relationship between Henry and Eleanor which was brought to life so brilliantly in The Lion In Winter, with O' Toole as Henry again.
In a lot of ways I find the realtionship between Henry and Eleanor far more fascinating than that between Henry and Beckett; they really did both loathe and adore each other with equal fury. The fallout between Henry and Beckett resulted only in the death of Beckett; the fights between Eleanor and Henry resulted in rebellion and all-out war between father, sons, brothers and spanned a kingdom including all of England, most of Wales, parts of Ireland and the majority of France. That's one hell of a domestic disagreement.

Sorry, guess that went a bot off topic.

[–] finnegansword-772-990306 13 years ago

I remember seeing this movie back in the 60's and discussing it with a girl friend. In fact, it was she who raised the topic.* In my view this undercurrent was introduced by the Director to make it more commercially attractive, especially to youngsters. Here we are 48 years later still raking over the ashes and folks, even in a more liberated age, are getting excited as to what these two got up to. What nonsense! The entire structure of the movie is incorrect. Becket's family were minor Norman aristos, and but for his enormous talent which was developed at Paris University, he might have remained just that. This homophobic undercurrent is sheer fantasy, introduced by the author or director, but it surely does intrigue the movie-goers of all persuasions over the past half-century!

* Hello Miss Peterlee...

[–] DennisAlexis 12 years ago

I agree with you! There is a gay subtext in this movie. :)

By the way, I'm so sick of some people complaining about people "looking for homosexuality in everything". Let people believe whatever they want. There's nothing wrong with being gay, so why would it be wrong to look for homosexual subtext in movies? :) Some people are too conservative, I guess. :P

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[–] Hythlodaeus 12 years ago

I am going to start my own thread, not because it's homophobic but because it's a different angle to what you've brought up.

But I think it was a shame that there was this almost overt homosexual tone and I'll tell you why...

I am a "sensitive" man who thinks that men should be men. Our society is all messed up - we are so confused about what male female is (today they removed the ban of women in military combat roles) that we don't know what normal male friendship is.

I think the relationship they showed in the movie was healthy male friendship gone wrong - not homosexual male friendship.

If you read in history - some of the greatest men (and women) had very close friendships - even closer than they had with their spouses - AND THIS DID NOT MAKE THEM HOMOSEXUAL. Yet there is surely some of that as well in history.

If you listen to Peter Kreeft talk about C.S. Lewis and Tolkein's close friendship you begin to get a sense of what good close male friendships are like.

Men today are under a burden of our insecurity - we don't have close male friendships because we're so afraid of them - it's pretty sad.

Becket had homosexual overtones - and I think it shouldn't have. It was stupid, they could have played it down and people could have assumed what they want.

In order to make the homosexual point, they took a lot away from the fact that heterosexual men can have such a close friendship that they can feel just as betrayed as King Henry did.

Though I will say, it would be odd if a heterosexual man acted this flipped out when his friend left him.

What hump?

[–] wait_dream 11 years ago

I don't know, is it really so bad for people to read homoeroticism into platonic friendships? Who does it hurt? Just commenting on this film, what we do know is that Henry loved Becket to the point that it hurt his heart when he turned against him and agitated him to no end when they were separated. As his mother notes, he was unhealthily and "unnaturally" obsessed with him. His wife said that she tolerated his countless affairs with women, but his thing with Thomas that blinded him so was too much. They shared women, beds, and food. Becket changed Henry's life. Becket loved him as much as he was capable. His last words were, "Poor Henry," even though, as far as he knew (from what I gathered), his friend was the one who ordered his execution. Is this romantic or platonic? Whatever the case, it was certainly passionate and extreme.

To me, Henry viewed women (along with almost everyone else) as objects. He could not keep it in his pants around a lovely woman. But because he saw them as beneath him, he was only capable of an [almost] equal relationship with another man. Back in the day, relationships (not necessarily sexual, but homoerotic) between men were sometimes considered "purer" than the relations between men and women. I think that Henry held this idea, though not necessarily consciously. It's just how he lived his life. For goodness sake, he accidentally *sat on a women* he'd just made love to. That's how worthless women were to him. This is based purely on the movie Becket, not actual history or The Lion in the Winter, which showcases his relationship with Eleanor of Aquitaine.

[–] jcnsoflorida 10 years ago

OMG this movie is so LGBT. Easily the gayest mainstream film of the mid-1960s. And let's not forget, Burton and O'Toole were A-list actors then. True, their characters indulge in wenching (gotta love that word) at the beginning of the film but that whole weird 180 when Beck becomes Mr. Supreme Prig overnight and Hen is just CRUSHED.... OMG. This is as gay as it gets, dear readers. Probably historically totally inaccurate. And it seems the filmmakers couldn't care less about anyone's approval. A strangely fun movie, and essential for LGBTs.