In the 1997 film In & Out—directed by Frank Oz and written by Paul Rudnick—schoolteacher Howard Brackett (Kevin Kline) is shocked when his former student, Cameron (Matt Dillon), wins an Oscar for playing a gay role and thanks Howard for inspiring him. Howard’s whole world is thrown off-course when Cameron declares, “…and he’s gay!” Howard insists he’s straight (he’s not), and begins to question his sexuality. Further complicating things, Howard’s set to get married to fellow teacher, Emily (Joan Cusack);
Released by Paramount Pictures, it’s hard to understate what a big deal In & Out was for its time; studio-produced movies about queer characters and themes were a rarity, especially light-hearted comedies that dared to *spoiler alert* give the gays a happy ending. The fact that a movie like Bros could come out in theaters a full 25 years later and still feel like a rarity only highlights how groundbreaking In & Out was.
But it was a bet that paid off, and the comedy was considered a box office hit—with a $63 million box-office gross, it remains one of the top ten highest-earning LGBTQ+ films of all time.
Read on for 25 fascinating facts about In & Out.…
1. The movie was inspired by Tom Hanks’ Oscar speech.
Hanks won the Academy Award for Best Actor for his role in Philadelphia, where he played a gay man dying of AIDS. In his speech, he thanked his high school drama teacher Rawley Farnsworth, a gay man, for inspiring him. Rudnick used this as the basis for the film.
2. Hanks asked Farnsworth if he could disclose his sexuality.
According to reports, Hanks had asked Farnsworth for permission to mention him ahead of time.
3. He also mentioned his friend, actor John Gilkerson.
Gilkerson sadly died of AIDS-related complications in 1989.
4. In & Out is one of the few LGBTQ+ movies of the 1990s made by a major studio.
Most films played it safe in the 1990s. No Brokeback Mountain here, folks! In & Out depicts a fun—if safe—gay sensibility meant to be consumed by the masses.
5. Rudnick’s play, Jeffrey, was independently made into a film in 1995.
Jeffrey is a much less “mainstream” movie for its time, with a title character who is actually allowed to cruise and have sex. It also deals with topics like AIDS.
6. A kiss between Kline and Tom Selleck made headlines…
“They’re calling it the movie kiss of the year,” read an article in The Virginian Pilot. In the article, Selleck says he had no problem with filming the kiss.
7. …and got nominated for an MTV Movie Award!
We are going to go ahead and guess that was the only MTV Movie Award nomination for the older, conservative Selleck.
8. Rudnick wanted to tell a coming-out story that wasn’t sad.
While Howard deals with internalized homophobia and is briefly fired from his job before a climactic scene in which his character is embraced by the town and reinstated, In & Out is largely a coming-out story with a happy ending.
9. Whoopi Goldberg appears as herself in the film…
Goldberg appears in the Oscars scene—fitting as she would go on to host the Academy Awards ceremony four times.
10. …just a few years after starring in Sister Act, also written by Rudnick.
Sister Act, released in 1992, won Goldberg a Golden Globe (and an MTV Movie Award—take that, Selleck!).
11. Other stars play themselves, too.
Glenn Close and Jay Leno also make cameo appearances in In & Out.
12. Cusack also appeared in Addams Family Values, written by Rudnick.
Rudnick was an uncredited script doctor on the first Addams Family film, and Cusack appears in the sequel as Debbie Jellinsky, a psychopath who marries Uncle Fester (Christopher Lloyd) with ulterior motives.
13. She also appeared alongside Matt Dillon in the 1980 film My Bodyguard.
Dillon, with his chiseled jawline and striking good looks, appeared in the comedy opposite a young Cusack in her first major film role.
14. Frank Oz’s longtime musical collaborator, Miles Goodman, died before he could score the movie.
Goodman worked with Oz on What About Bob?, Little Shop Of Horrors, and Dirty Rotten Scoundrels, among others. You’ll also see his name on hits like Sister Act!
15. The score was eventually composed by the prolific Marc Shaiman.
Shaiman still composes to this day, and is a seven-time Oscar nominee. He’s only one win away from an EGOT, with an Emmy, Grammy and Tony under his belt.
16. The soundtrack has some bangers…
The soundtrack features “I Will Survive,” by Diana Ross, “Everything’s Coming Up Roses” from Gypsy, and “Crazy” by Patsy Cline.
17. …including the gay anthem “Macho Man,” which is prominently featured.
The Village People’s hit song is played twice, including at the celebratory end of the film.
18. In & Out was produced by out producer Scott Rudin.
Rudin is married to John Barlow, who ran a Broadway communications firm.
19. Rudin is one of only 18 people to have an EGOT…
Rudin won an Emmy for He Makes Me Feel Like Dancin’, a Tony for The Book of Mormon, and a whopping 12 Tony Awards.
20. …but was the subject of an explosive misconduct report.
The Hollywood Reporter published a damning piece on his abusive and unacceptable behavior, which resulted in studios like A24 cutting ties.
21. The film was critically well-received.
In & Out got positive buzz for its uplifting portrayal of coming out, as well as its performances, notably by Joan Cusack.
22. In & Out was nominated for several major awards.
Cusack was nominated for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actress, and the movie won the GLAAD Award for Outstanding Film – Wide Release.
23. Kline’s own Oscar was used as a prop!
Kline’s Oscar for A Fish Called Wanda is used as a prop when Cameron accepts the award at the beginning of the film.
24. A week after In & Out’s release, a very different film starring Kline opened.
The Ice Storm is a dark drama by Ang Lee, who would go on to direct the landmark gay film Brokeback Mountain.
25. Production paused briefly when the cast and crew got sick.
According to Oz, the entire cast and crew came down with the flu and had to pause production.
Paulie P
made when movies cast actors based on their acting not their sexual preference and by doing so made us the audience believe. joan cusack as she runs out of the church…. is everybody gay!!!!!!
we don’t get great movies like this any longer and hollywood needs to go back to this type of film and leave the superhero, explosions, f/x, etc alone.
dbmcvey
They still cast movies based on acting and not sexual orientation. Gay actors can still act.
Also, this was the only movie like this at the time. It’s not like there were a bunch of studio produced gay themed movies.
Diplomat
That was my favorite scene in the movie! But it was outside a bar after getting rejected by Tom Selek, not a church. Just floored me.
Putting Bros, or more aptly called ElCrappo, in the same article as In Out was a big nono.
FreddieW
I like that movie a lot, primarily because of Tom Selleck. But my favorite gay movie from that time is “I Think I Do”, which is hard or impossible to find on streaming, or was, last time I tried.
theaterbloke
I Think I Do is a favorite of mine as well. I tend to buy things on DVD just because I don’t trust the streaming services to keep them in their libraries. That and I’m still predicting their change from a subscription model to a pay-per-view model.
inbama
I love Paul Rudnick as a writer (especially “The Most Fabulous Story Ever Told”), but his humorous political tweets really don’t cut it.
Ronbo
At my party, Rudnick said that he repeatedly asked you to stop being disgustingly homophobic. Yet you continue to attack this community… without providing any noteworthy examples or positive social substance.
Every comment does not have to include your negative opinions; it makes the entire community seem hatefully judgy.
dbmcvey
You just don’t like them because you don’t agree with him.
jkg411
I worked on the film (color-correcting dailies footage) and I got to go to the wrap party, where I was thrilled to talk to not only Kevin Kline but the legend herself, Debbie Reynolds! She was so nice… and tiny!
dbmcvey
She was so great and so much fun! I was at the Catalina Jazz Club here in LA once and turned around and she was there with Bob Mackie! I almost screamed!
Trublusu
A very funny movie about those of the gay persuasion. All the principal actors were swell, but Joan Cusack was sweller. Why she does not have a supporting actress Oscar by now does not make sense. Hope she doesn’t win one “postumously.”
Diplomat
I totally agree. She was over the top in Adam’s Family Values. Just a scream.