I saw “Boys in the Band” mentioned briefly in another thread, and it made me think about one unresolved issue in the movie/play. (I’m thinking that the movie and play are similar enough since the movie is supposed to be an exact copy of the play, only done on location.)
In the other thread on this message board about gays in movies, a referenced source lists the entire cast of the movie as portraying gay characters. I read a biography of Ruth Warrick, who described one of her soap opera co-stars as being the only straight character in BITB. The IMDB also seems to feel that the character is straight in their brief description: http://us.imdb.com/Title?0065488
The character in question is Alan, Mickey’s old college friend who crashes the birthday party. A couple of people who have seen the movie or play have asked me if Alan’s character is actually gay, and just in denial. I tend to think there are enough clues in the movie to suggest that he is gay, if you look closely.
Does anyone here have a definitive view one way or the other?
First off, its been over two decades since I saw the film or play. When I saw the play, it was on tour in Kansas City and I felt Alan was clearly gay and just in denial. But later when I saw the film, I felt that Alan was straight just feeling really threatened by this group of gay men and thus hitting all the wrong notes when cornered.
You’re right. Clues are there, but are they clues or red herrings? It is a delightful character that can be played either way, isn’t it?
Well, Vito Russo in his at-the-time definitive book The Celluloid Closet identifies Alan as “the heterosexual” but he also describes the film as the first Hollywood film in which all of the “principal characters” are homosexual. So I guess it mattered to Russo whether one considers Alan to be a “principal” character or not.
The thread inspired me to dig out my ancient VHS copy and review Alan’s scenes. Alan refers to Hank as “an attractive fellow” and says “we have a lot in common.” He shows up at the party because he’s upset about something and needs to talk to Michael about it. He attacks Emory for intimating that he (Alan) is homosexual. He sits alone in a room for a while then comes down an gets sucked into the telephone game. He gets into a deep heart-to-heart with Hank, who’s the friend of Michael’s who’s most like him. Michael accuses him of being in love with another college friend, Justin Stewart, and having had sex with him. Alan denies everything. Alan’s round of the telephone game is him calling his wife.
So, there’s no real definitive answer from the text. My feeling is Alan is closeted and had been ready to come out, but meeting Michael’s friends drove him back into the closet. But the character could just as accurately be read as heterosexual and upset over a fight with his wife.
By the way, Mart Crowley has written a sequel, called The Men from The Boys, but I can’t find anything online as to whether Alan is a character or is even discussed. So The Question may remain forever unanswered.