17 Old Hollywood Movies That Were Almost Banned For Being Gay

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Old Hollywood movies had to follow strict guidelines throughout the 1930s–1960s, known as the Hays Code. This basically prevented all US films from featuring anything that was overtly sexual or "inappropriate," which forced a lot of filmmakers to get creative about how they could navigate potential censorship. I have running lists on Letterboxd of every Old Hollywood and LGBTQ+ movie that I watch, so I sifted through them to find a bunch from the Hays Code era that are subtly (and not so subtly) suuuuuper gay. Here are some of my favorites. Enjoy!
Rebel Without a Cause (1955) stars James Dean as a bisexual hottie, so you really can't ask for much more. The original script had his character kissing Plato, who was one of the first gay teen characters on screen, but the Hays Code quickly squashed that from happening. Still, this movie is edgy and dramatic and romantic, and the whole cast is just so fun to look at.
Who's in it: James Dean, Sal Mineo, Natalie Wood, and Dennis Hopper
Here's the trailer:
All About Eve (1950) is a witty and toxic drama about an aging actress who befriends a fan who ultimately tries to usurp her. This movie shares the record for the most Oscar nominations ever, with 14, and it briefly features Marilyn Monroe in one of her first roles ever. There are so many queer undertones and characters throughout, and they're all so delicious. Also, I personally think this is the best film ever made, so I'm basically begging you to watch it.
Who's in it: Bette Davis, Anne Baxter, Thelma Ritter, Celeste Holm, George Sanders, and Gary Merrill
Here's the trailer:
Homicidal (1961) was made towards the end of the Hays Code and sort of pushed the boundaries of what was allowed. You'll see why when the big twist in this horror-thriller is revealed, so I won't spoil anything for you now. Just know that this film was deemed so scary that it literally included a 45-second "fright break" that appeared on screen before the climax, which told viewers they could request a full refund from the movie theater if they were too scared to finish watching.
Who's in it: Glenn Corbett, Patricia Breslin, Joan Marshall, and Eugenie Leontovich
Here's the trailer:
Tea and Sympathy (1956) follows a "sensitive" prep school teen who's bullied by the other students and teachers. He finds solace in an older woman, played by Deborah Kerr, and the whole thing is just sooooo pretty to look at.
Who's in it: Deborah Kerr, Leif Erickson, John Kerr, and Edward Andrews
Here's the trailer:
Compulsion (1959) follows two hot, wealthy, and secretly queer college boys who commit a murder and think they're too smart to get away with it. It's loosely based on the real-life Leopold and Loeb murder trial, so just trust me on this one.
Who's in it: Orson Welles, Dean Stockwell, Bradford Dillman, Diane Varsi, and Richard Anderson
Here's the trailer:
Rope (1948) is Alfred Hitchcock's adaptation of a play that was ~also~ inspired by the Leopold and Loeb murder trial. This one focuses on two young (and queer) killers who host a dinner party after hiding the dead body in their apartment. The movie was shot to look like it was filmed in a single take, which heightens its suspense and helps to keep the characters (and viewers) on edge.
Who's in it: Farley Granger, John Dall, and James Stewart
Here's the trailer:
Edge of the City (1957) is a gritty drama about the friendship between John Cassavetes and Sidney Poitier's characters. It's rough and tough and has a lotttt of queer subtext. Ruby Dee is also in this movie, and she's especially fantastic.
Who's in it: Sidney Poitier, John Cassavetes, Ruby Dee, and Jack Warden
Here's the trailer:
The Children's Hour (1961) stars Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine as two women who run a boarding school for girls in 1930s New England. One of the students is a troublemaking little b*tch who starts a rumor that they're in a lesbian relationship, and all hell breaks loose. The movie is based on Lillian Hellman's famous play of the same name, and it's a must-watch.
Who's in it: Audrey Hepburn, Shirley MacLaine, James Garner, Fay Bainter, and Miriam Hopkins
Here's the trailer:
Purple Noon (1960) is actually adapted from the book The Talented Mr. Ripley. This French film is just so freaking hot, and if you're into suspenseful dramas or even remotely liked the 1999 version with Jude Law and Matt Damon then you absolutely need to check this out.
Who's in it: Alain Delon, Maurice Ronet, Marie Laforêt, and Billy Kearns
Here's the trailer:
Strangers on a Train (1951) is a psychological thriller from Alfred Hitchcock. It's about two strangers who both want someone murdered, so they swap victims to prevent anyone from getting suspicious of them. It's a super fun watch, and Farley Granger is so handsome that he'll kinda take your breath away.
Who's in it: Farley Granger, Robert Walker, and Ruth Roman
Here's the trailer:
Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) is centered around a wealthy widow who tries to get her niece lobotomized to cover up the truth about her secretly queer (and now deceased) son. This one is a little out there, but Katharine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor both received Best Actress Oscar nominations for their roles, so there's that.
Who's in it: Elizabeth Taylor, Katharine Hepburn, Montgomery Clift, and Gary Raymond
Here's the trailer:
The Hitch-Hiker (1953) is about two male friends who are basically taken hostage after picking up a hitchhiker while on their way to a fishing trip. The film is based on the 1950 killing spree of Billy Cook, and it examines homosexual panic, masculinity, and traditional gender roles.
Who's in it: Edmond O'Brien, Frank Lovejoy, and William Talman
Here's the trailer:
The Servant (1963) deals with unspoken desires, homoerotic tensions, and the ultimate dom-sub power dynamic. In it, a wealthy, young Londoner hires a man to be his servant. The servant slowly takes control and manipulates his "master," and it's a wilddddd ride.
Who's in it: James Fox, Dirk Bogarde, Sarah Miles, and Wendy Craig
Here's the trailer:
Victim (1961) is centered around a closeted lawyer in London who's blackmailed for being gay, which was illegal in England until 1967. This is a groundbreaking piece of movie history because it was the first British film to explicitly mention homosexuality, and it should be required viewing for everyone.
Who's in it: Dirk Bogarde, Dennis Price, Anthony Nicholls, and Sylvia Syms
Here's the trailer:
Advise & Consent (1962) is a political drama that was adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name. It's centered around the confirmation of a nominee for Secretary of State, who just so happens to be a married US senator who's being blackmailed for secretly having past relations with a man.
Who's in it: Henry Fonda, Don Murray, Gene Tierney, Walter Pidgeon, and Charles Laughton
Here's the trailer:
The Haunting (1963) is a revolutionary horror movie that features one of the only lesbian characters of its time to be feminine and not predatory. The film is based on the book The Haunting of Hill House, which was ultimately turned into a hugely popular Netflix series, so if you like either of them then you should watch this too.
Who's in it: Julie Harris, Claire Bloom, Richard Johnson, and Russ Tamblyn
Here's the trailer:
Finally, Rebecca (1940) is the only Alfred Hitchcock film to win Best Picture at the Oscars. It features one of the most famous ~coded~ queer characters from Old Hollywood: Mrs. Danvers. Throughout the film, her obsession with Rebecca becomes more and more prevalent, though under the Hays Code her queerness had to be implied rather than stated outright.
Who's in it: Joan Fontaine, Laurence Olivier, George Sanders, and Judith Anderson
Here's the trailer:
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