The Gay Deceivers (1969) - Because You Watched Starcrash

“I just think it’s a bit much.”  The Distinguished Professors celebrate Pride Month by watching The Gay Deceivers, released mere months after Stonewall. Topics covered include Flatrock Distillery, Ted Nugent’s plan to avoid Vietnam, Elliot’s status as a gigolo, Michael Greer’s role in saving this movie, the weird collapsing of cross-dressing and pedophilia into homosexuality, the status of gay marriage at this point, the Woodman article {“Why Don’t Your Take Your Dress Off and Fight Like A Man”), the mostly sympathetic portrayal of gay folk, Elliot’s experience of gay stigma, excessive reaction shots when Elliot is watching Malcolm in the kitchen, the comedy misfires, gayness and comedians, the film’s deeper acknowledgement of gay stigma, the conflicting endings, Malcolm’s happy ending, the viral flower scene and Malcolm’s over the top flamboyance, Craig is the hidden hero of this movie, our love of ascots, FDR’s portrayal in Annie, Neil Patrick Harris playing a super-straight character, more on Michael Greer, our mourning of the passing of the windbreaker, the naming conventions of gay bars, Vanderpool as the ideal for society, Colonel Dixon, Procrutes vs. Antaeus, more great moments from Malcom, Elliot’s possible discovery of his sexuality, mooring vs. docking, the heavy feeling of paranoia, Elliot’s inability to perform, the role of this movie as a time capsule similar to Cruising (directed by William Friedkin, not de Palma), the role of Judy Garland as a camp icon, our expectation that Elliot would discover that he’s gay at the end, Elliot’s exploration of empathy, the dumbness of the final twist and Vietnam as a substantial killer of fun, and the rug’s name is Beulah.