Welcome back to our queer film retrospective, “A Gay Old Time.” In this week’s column, we revisit 1959’s Pillow Talk, a rom-com that seemingly references the rumors that Rock Hudson was gay while attempting to prove he wasn’t.
It’s not uncommon for an actor’s personal life to inform and sometimes even reflect the roles that they play throughout their careers. The persona that they build outside their movies (a problematic party girl, the beloved America’s sweetheart, the womanizing bachelor, the difficult-to-work-with diva) can sometimes give added context to their performances; either by leaning into them or subverting them completely.
This is especially fascinating looking back at movie stars from the Golden Age of Hollywood, during an era when their public images were carefully curated to align with the studio system and the moral values of the time.
And, decades later, once details of what really went on behind the scenes—behind these manicured personas—the relationship between actor and character can be seen under a whole different light.
In honor of the release of Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed, a new HBO documentary that takes a deep dive into the personal and professional life of the Hollywood icon—as well as the ways his homosexuality played into them—this week we’re taking a look at one of his most famous roles with the 1959 sex comedy Pillow Talk; particularly at the way his character played into the preconceptions audiences had of Hudson as a leading man back then, and a closeted gay man today.
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The Set Up
In Pillow Talk, Rock Hudson and Doris Day (in the first collaboration of what would be a fruitful career together as co-stars and friends) play Brad Allen and Jan Morrow, two neighbors that are forced to begrudgingly share a party line (oh, the 1950s).
Brad is an incorrigible womanizing millionaire with suitors calling him at all hours of the night. Jan is a busy interior designer that just wants to be able to make business calls. Although they live in the same complex, they have only heard each other’s voices, and that’s been enough to get deep into each other’s nerves.
When, through a series of misunderstandings, they run into each other at a dinner, Brad realizes who she is; she doesn’t. Brad then decides to pretend to be a southern gentleman named Rex Stetson, believing he can convince Jan to fall for him in an attempt to get one over on her. Only, of course, they end up actually falling in love.
Women Want To Be With Him, Men Want To…
Pillow Talk marked a turning point in Rock Hudson’s career. Up until then, his career had been curated to be the All-American male aspiration for both men and women.
His most famous role were with the domestic melodramas of Douglas Sirk (Magnificent Obsession, Written In the Wind, All That Heaven Allows), in which he played the ideal of what every woman should look for, and what every man should strive to be like: protective, hopelessly romantic, tender, and manly. He had also made a name for himself in action flicks, westerns, and swashbucklers, playing enhanced and heroic versions of this masculine ideal.
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Selling Sex With A Smile
With Pillow Talk, Hudson made an entrance into a lighter and more subversive genre: the sex comedy. These films are motivated and complicated by romantic and sexual affairs, where two people that are seemingly opposites end up coming together at the end. Here, rather than being someone that women should aspire to have, Hudson became someone that they should want to fix. The swooning leading man that is usually trying to win their hearts now became the charming rascal that is trying to trick them.
This shift in genre within Hudson’s filmography also reflects a shift that was happening with his public persona, as well. The public was beginning to wonder why Hudson was perennially “single” and not publicly dating anyone, despite being one of Hollywood’s most desired leading men. This change into a more overtly sexual (and painfully hetero) type of film felt like a calculated move to get the audience to see him not as just the unattainable romantic ideal, but a flawed partner that is just as charming.
Playing Straight, Playing Gay
Pillow Talk also appear to comment on the rumors (that we now know to be true) that Hudson was gay.
In a standout sequence, Brad asks Jan over the phone about his new suitor (which is of course himself). When she remarks how much of a gentleman he is being with her, Brad warns that “Rex’s” kindness may mean something else: “There are some men who are devoted to their mothers. The type that likes to collect recipes, or exchange bits of gossip…” Jan immediately shuts it down, but a seed of doubt has been planted.
Later on during their date, Brad as Rex is sure to bring up those talking points to play a mind game on her (“Ain’t this tasty? Wonder if I could get the recipe. Sure would like to surprise my ma, when I get back…”). However, her fears that he might be gay (something always implied, never explicitly stated) are quickly squandered when Rex leans in for a kiss right after.
It’s a series of jokes that are quick, played for laughs, and without much weight or repercussion in the plot. But it has bigger significance looking back, either as a clever nod to the circulating rumors, or as an attempt to squash them.
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A Whole New Side Of Rock
Overall, Pillow Talk is a charming, light, and extremely entertaining movie that brings out the natural chemistry and charisma in both its stars, and was in many ways ahead of its time in terms of gender roles and expectations.
But it is a much more fascinating artifact when seen through Rock Hudson’s career at that point. It’s a role that by making him more devious and slippery, it also managed to give him more credibility as a romantic partner for the audience, and that managed to slightly comment on what we know was his real pillow talk behind closed doors.
Pillow Talk is available for digital rental via AppleTV, Google Play, Prime Video, YouTube TV, and Vudu.
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Fahd
Rock Hudson’s Home Movies is a 1992 documentary by Mark Rappaport that gathered together clips from Rock Hudson’s films that could be interpreted as gay entendres.
There´s a lot of the same in the new HBO documentary based on Michael Griffin´s book All That Heaven Allows. I suppose thirty years have passed since Rappaport´s film.
Some people say that the producer Ross Hunter, who ultimately became close friends with Hudson, I think, was behind the sprinkling of gay entrendres in Hudson´s films, not sure Hudson appreciated the humor in real time back then, but who knows.
Jim
Blah blah blah blah blah
Rambeaux
What is Queerty’s obsession with trying make Rock Hudson some type of gay icon?
He is not now, and never has been a gay icon.
He was a closeted, terrified man that took the terror with him to his deathbed.
FreddieW
What do you think he should have been back then? Unemployed? Or a stereotypical joke like Liberace?
He was a fabulously good-looking man whose life impacted people he never met. I consider him a gay icon.
Pietro D
That sounds so harsh. Those of us of today’s generation are a bit more forgiving of all the faults Rock might have had, but he was a victim of a time and place I shudder to have lived in. You are right. He did nothing for the gay agenda. We know what he should have done, but could not. Can we at least try to be forgiving of this man who was so tortured throughout his entire life?
Kangol2
@PietroD, but he DID do quite a bit for the “gay agenda,” by confirming that he had AIDS, and, after others had shared the news, that he was a gay man. You might be too young to know the effect that this had, but it was a huge deal, because he was a matinee idol, he was beloved by several generations of moviegoers and TV viewers (MacMillan and Wife, etc.), and many major Hollywood stars, including Elizabeth Taylor and Doris Day, rallied to his side, pushing for better funding for AIDS treatments and research, better education about the disease, and acceptance of those living with it. It also put a very famous face to a disease that many people had chosen to ignore or respond to with extremist fear. And it linked AIDS directly to the Reagans, since Nancy Reagan and Hudson were longtime friends. So yes, he did advance the “gay agenda,” even if inadvertently, and deserves credit for doing so.
storm45701
He’s a gay icon to me and many others. He was a product of his time, and of a Hollywood not accepting of any “out” gays unless it was meant as a big joke (see Liberace, Paul Lynde, Rip Taylor). Have some sympathy, man. Many women were in love with the Rock Hudson ideal. Many were disappointed when they found out he was gay. He would have never had a career if he had been “out”. Hollywood is better for having Rock Hudson in its history.
Ronbo
Elizabeth Taylor is the REAL gay icon from this era – not Hudson.
Some of these comments from individuals who didn’t live through the social transition and who (hilariously) think it was easy. And yes, Hudson did take the easy way out, hiding in the closet.
I have quit jobs because of anti-gay management; I’m sure that Hudson had more in the bank than me. Hudson participated in their games – gave them weight and influence. Even spineless people like tRump, Musk and billionaires are considered icons by low-information individuals.
Hudson was both famous and spineless, not a good icon. Lt. Dan Choi, on the other hand, chained himself to the White House fence in order to show President Obama that “God was (not) in the mix”. Spotlighting a black man’s ironic bigotry, helped VP Biden willingly accept and eventually support us.
How many Dems remember the Dem politicians who supported out-dated and unconstitutional “separate but equal” concept? (domestic partnerships) They claimed that we didn’t deserve marriage equaltiy because … get this… God made marriages. The Clinton’s and Obama’s dragged their feet and chose their imaginary gods over us. Icon’s of bigotry? You bet. They only supported us AFTER being forced by public opinion.
dbmcvey
He is a gay icon. They don’t need to try to make him one. He was a gay icon when he was in the closet and after he came out.
FreddieW
When activism sours to self-righteousness, they tell you Rock Hudson isn’t a gay icon.
I don’t remember Lt. Dan Choi, and I don’t know about the jobs that Ronbo quit on principle. But I’ve watched most of Rock Hudson’s movies. Some multiple times.
Ronbo
FreddieW,
Is ignorance bliss? Were you too young to remember historic events or are you just not interested? Lt. Dan Choi chained himself to the Whitehouse fence to illustrate the fact that President Obama did not keep his word (campaign promise) ending DADT. Even worse, his administration lobbied for Nancy Pelosi to NOT vote to end DADT thru legislation in the House! The bigots in his military insisted that LGBT individuals would destroy morale and weaken national defense.
Please LEARN history. Hudson is a film icon; but, he certainly was never a gay icon. He remained closeted and ashamed throughout his entire life. That doesn’t meed the definition of “icon”: a person or thing regarded as a representative symbol or as worthy of veneration.
Kangol2
Just a reminder to Ronbo that Barack Obama took office in January 2009. Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell was repealed the following year, in December 2010, after delays by Nancy Pelosi and repeated attempts by Senate Democrats to pass bills to repeal it and repeatedly hold-ups in that legislative body. Remember, the GOP filibustered the bill in late 2010, I believe. Obama also delayed his initial push, he said, to ensure the military generals were on board. One year later, after he took office, he signed it into law on December 22, 2010, and directed the military to implement the law. Dan Choi’s pro-LGBTQ activism is worthy of the highest praise. What that has to do with Rock Hudson, though, is like comparing apples and oranges; they are figures from very different times.
dbmcvey
I enjoyed the HBO doc but am surprised at a lot of things they left out.
Sergio68
I enjoyed the doc also. I never knew he was in so many films, and I also didn’t know that he came out as a gay man after he had AIDS. I thought he had died in the closet. I didn’t know of his fundraising for AIDS either.
abfab
I had such a huge crush on Susan St James. And also jealous that ”Sally” got to sleep with ”Mac” each night.
Anyone with a brain knew he was not straight…….one of our great Gay Icons. Yes.
Sergio68
I loved the documentary. To me he was a gay icon because he lived how he wanted to live all his life. He never cared about the haters, he had as many men as he pleased, quite a few gay friends and made lots of money in his acting career.