How Mainstream Hollywood Movies Have Portrayed the LGBT+ Community
“Cinema is a matter of what’s in the frame and what’s out.”
Martin Scorsese said the above quote that defines cinema and time in the most perfect way. And though there may be a lot more to be said about his words, one thing is certain — the queer community is in the frame, and it is there to stay.
Representation is a lot more important than the general public often realizes. The normatively ‘ideal’ section of society sees a media full of their faces and more people just like them. Even when the ‘others’ are explored, it so often based on harmful stereotypes that the portrayal of so many communities is marred. The LGBTQ+ is one such community. Raising awareness regarding what the community represents and normalizing their appearance in media is a big step that seems impossible for so many filmmakers to take. However, there are many movies (though not enough) that portray the community in a positive and more importantly honest eye. That is largely what inspired this article; a whim to explore the queer community on screen and a wish to illustrate why these movies do it best.
1. Carol
Subtle, elegant, restrained, and passionate are just some of the adjectives that can be used to describe Carol. Hailed as the best romance film of 2015 with an astounding 95% on Rotten Tomatoes, the film captures love previously unseen on screen, mired in complexities of class and marriage. The film received a ten-minute standing ovation at the Cannes Film festival and I believe A.O. Scott from the New York Times articulates it better than I can ever hope to — “At once ardent and analytical, cerebral and swooning, ‘Carol’ is a study in human magnetism, in the physics and optics of eros. With sparse dialogue and restrained drama, the film is a symphony of angles and glances, of colors and shadows.”
The movie is able to beautifully capture the difference in maturity between Carol and Therese as they come to terms with their attraction to one another, the process being a lot slower in the case of the latter. An aspect of the movie that stands out among many other LGBT films is the fact that Carol’s being gay does not act as a forgiving, ‘get-out-of-jail-free’ card, as she is called out for her selfishness and immaturity by her young lover. A trope seen too often in gay media is that of the ‘ideal’ gay character, making it a refreshing change to see the humane imperfections that arise within Carol. Alongside the blooming relationship we also see the brutality of her circumstances as her child is snatched away from her due to her ‘deviant’ behavior, and the pain she suffers simply for being who she is. The intensity of these scenes making Carol the heartbreaking tale it’s known to be.
2. Call Me By Your Name
A sensual study on love and a brutal examination on loss, Call Me By Your Name has gained a cult following today. The film is a visual treat packed with a sexy European backdrop and an irresistible vibe. Tactile and bodily, it will unabashedly tell you what it means to love and be loved with little regard to time, space, and conscience. With powerful performances from both Armie Hammer and Timothee Chalamet, this film is a must watch.
With its beautiful depiction of a budding romance between Elio and Oliver, the movie manages to encapsulate the nervousness of exploring an unfamiliar part of one’s sexuality while also laying emphasis on the fear that revolves around the same. While the movie is extremely erotic and blatant about the sexual exploration undertaken by the two characters, the most intense part of the emerging love lies in the whispered conversations, the phone calls, the touching of hands, and the midnight confessions. The movie manages to circumvent the harmful stereotypes that surround the community while simultaneously bringing out love and desire as one in this near-perfect cinematic experience.
3. Imitation Game
This American historical drama is powerful, bold and heart-breaking. The film captures the life of cryptanalyst Alan Turing who helped the British decrypt German intelligence codes during the second world war. The film also drives home the horrific repercussions of being a homosexual in the mid-21st century and the condemnable societal perception of homosexuality in the time. Though the film has garnered some controversy for its distorted portrayal of history, it has gained critical acclaim, especially from the Human Rights Campaign, for protecting and furthering Turing’s legacy to a wide audience.
The movie manages to completely normalize Turing’s homosexual identity by making it a subtle part of who he is and what he identifies as while also being able to harp on the difficult times he was living through by showing his engagement to a woman simply to protect himself. The secrecy in the ‘male prostitutes’ he had over and the danger of prosecution he faced once his secret was revealed intensify the experience and enrich the audience’s understanding of the unaccepting society he was then a part of.
4. Moonlight
With 8 academy award nominations and 3 wins, this film is undoubtedly a must-watch. A melting pot of racial and sexual tensions in America, this exemplary film reflects the present day and age like few others. Stunning cinematography, a cathartic score, and brilliant performances only enhance this surreal cinematic experience. Above all, Moonlight is a story of love — love as is, love in its rawest, purest, and most poetic form.
The power of the love felt by Kevin and Chiron shines through with the intensity of being both gay and black in a prejudiced world. The reality of harsh homophobia is seen as words such as the f-slur and ‘queer’ are often used as insults, which highlights the difficulty of the time they are living in, as well as the meaning and value this newfound attraction holds for the both of them in the tough times they are going through.
5. Three Generations
Tackling the issues of a transgender boy, this film navigates a ‘modern’ world and the troubles the younger generations face while exploring their gender and sexuality. Delving into a ‘broken’ family and the trans son of a divorced couple, it exalts beautifully the way in which adults find themselves in a position to decide the identities of their children. It manages to bring out the insecurity they face when confronted with the fact that they may have to let these decisions be in the hands of their children. No matter how supportive someone may seem, or a parent may intend to be, there is a vulnerability in letting the child take a decision that is so integral to their identity, and we can see the parents unable to let this go. It is a story of pure joy and the journey towards being more you than you’ve ever been, interlaced with the pain and confusion that these explorations are often inadvertently coupled with.
The best parts of the story lie in the smallest details. The grandmothers of the trans boy, Ray, are lesbian, yet have a hard time accepting him for who he is. The truth in this revelation of the fact that being part of the queer community does not make you tolerant is similar to what we saw with Carol, and the characters’ imperfections aren’t sidelined due to their sexuality. This takes an even more interesting turn as it acknowledges that being a part of the LGBT community doesn’t grant you infinite acceptance and that biases exist within the community itself. It’s a beautiful amalgam of love, joy, pain, trust, and finally, the truth.
6. The Danish Girl
Whether it’s the way Eddie Redmayne embodies the role, or Tom Hooper’s immaculate direction, or the melodious soundtrack, The Danish Girl manages to capture the emotion and truth of the transgender experience in an extremely heartwarming way. The movie revolves around one of the first transgender operations in the world and manages to reflect the time and day of the events in the most resounding manner. The acting coupled with the perfection of dialogue and script makes the cinematic experience unlike any other and the movie is guaranteed to leave you an emotional wreck, in the best way possible.
The best parts of it come from the reality of the whole situation and not the romance. The difficulty of the transition are tackled, and we are simultaneously made aware of the points of view of the trans woman as well as the woman she was married to. The emotions are real and they’re reflected beautifully in the time Lili is bound by. It’s a mesmerizing mashup of the worst and best things about living and it is sure to make an impact.
There are so, so many more movies that shine through in the world of the queer community. There’s so much to look up to, so much to look forward to, and maybe these will make your list of movies to look forward to.
The judgment for scrapping Section 377 came amidst hopeful pessimism as we prayed for the sense and sensibilities of the Supreme Court to finally overcome their pride and prejudice.
With the historic overturning of Section 377, I couldn’t help but be at least marginally proud of our country for taking a step towards a more accepting society. While this is only a small, maybe even deceiving step, that’s a whole other conversation. But maybe beyond this, representation is what we need more of. Until then, this list of LGBT movies should gay up your day!
Written by: Manjima Gupta
