Before the Hays Code

Unrated

23rd February 2023 22 mins Season 1 Episode 1

Maggie Mae Fish (she/her) discusses three early films as examples of radical portrayals of sex, sexuality, and gender. From the homoeroticism of Wings (1927), to the female empowerment of Ecstasy (1933), to the commentary on colorism and mixed-race relationships of Veiled Aristocrats (1932), these old movies were more subversive than you might imagine.

View season

Up next

Next Episode

View season

Season 1 · Episode 2

David Lean: Queer Subtext

Maggie Mae Fish (she/her) explores the work of David Lean, who wasn’t gay himself, but who wove queer themes throughout his filmography. From his early work with the gay writer Noël Coward on Brief Encounter (1945), to the homoerotic subtext of Lawrence of Arabia (1962), to the gender-bending failed romance of Ryan’s Daughter (1970), Lean’s films offer rich subtext, and some surprisingly progressive (though not always) ideas.

Episode details

Details

Talent

Cast & Crew

Recommended