The 30 Gayest Straight Movies of All Time
Same-sex marriage was legalized in Massachusetts just over two decades ago and has been the law of the land since 2015, yet somehow LGBT-themed films still seem relatively rare. Despite a string of critically acclaimed films over the past couple of years ( The History of Sound , The Commuter , Queer , I Saw Television Glow , Ponyboy , Blue Moon , and others), 2025 marks a low point for LGBT representation on screen .
But that doesn’t mean there aren’t gay characters in cinema; you just have to look a little harder to find them. After all, Hollywood has been making gay films since the dawn of cinema —albeit with plausible deniability. The late 1920s and early 1930s were a golden age for films that explicitly (or almost explicitly) explored LGBT characters (Garbo, Dietrich, and Hepburn were bisexual icons before the term was even widely accepted); the same could be said of the independent 1970s. In other periods, representation was built on subtext—filmmakers subtly inserted themes that remained obscure to censors but resonated with the right audience, or emerged as unintentional subtext. In other words, sometimes even the most heterosexual films end up being incredibly gay—the inevitable result of overzealous attempts at heterosexuality.
Rope (1948)
In 1924, Leopold and Loeb, two wealthy University of Chicago students, kidnapped and murdered a 14-year-old boy, primarily to prove they could do it. They’d read enough Nietzsche to believe they were the supermen he wrote about. They weren’t, of course, but they weren’t the first rich white guys to believe they were inherently superior. The murder was a tragedy, but for someone with Alfred Hitchcock’s worldview, it was too compelling a story to pass up. The film Rope is best known for its unique filming technique: it’s presented as one continuous take, though in reality, the shots lasted about ten minutes, a limitation limited by the film technology of the era. But Rope is based on a play only loosely inspired by the Leopold and Loeb murders, and in that play, the characters are explicitly gay. The film, a product of its time, conceals this without hinting at anything else. These effeminate and brash “roommates”—played by Farley Granger (who came out as gay in adulthood) and John Dull (who many assume is gay, though he never publicly acknowledged it)—host a party where the body of their murder victim is hidden. Screenwriter Arthur Laurents, himself gay, masterfully circumvented the restrictions of the Hays Code to subtly introduce subtext that was only moderately veiled—a technique Hitchcock also excelled at.
Did audiences in the 1940s really not realize these characters were more than just friends? Apparently, Laurents and company didn’t let Jimmy Stewart know his character was more than just a friend. You can rent “Rope” on Prime Video .
Bride of Frankenstein (1935)
Following the events of Frankenstein , the protagonist, a doctor, is ready to settle down with his fiancée when his old university mentor, Dr. Septimus Pretorius, appears, distracting Henry from his fiancée’s embrace so they can spend time together after work and create new bodies. Known for his cheeky one-liners and chain-smoking in mausoleums, Dr. Pretorius (Ernest Thesiger) was the epitome of kitsch before the term was codified. While there’s nothing overt here, there’s no overt hint of homosexuality: the charming Thesiger has never tried to hide his homosexuality or conform to anyone’s notions of masculinity, and he certainly doesn’t do so in this role. After being wounded while serving in World War I, he took up needlework and passed on the skills to other wounded soldiers, despite official warnings that the work was too “effeminate.” He was later awarded a Commander of the Order of the British Empire for his embroidery skills and acting career. Despite all this, he remains best known for coaxing Colin Clive’s Frankenstein out of retirement. The film is so gay that it inspired the 1998 film Gods and Monsters , a super-queer biopic of its director, James Whale, played by Ian McKellen, who publicly came out in 1988. Watch Bride of Frankenstein on Prime Video .
The Matrix (1999)
Beloved by children and film buffs alike, The Matrix made waves in 1999 with its blend of psychedelic philosophy and fast-paced (and sometimes agonizingly slow) action. But beneath the surface lurked something more: themes touching on the experiences of transgender people, who saw this parable of transforming from an artificial external identity (living in the Matrix) to a truly authentic one (waking up in the real world) as a reflection of gender dysphoria. This story of liberation from societal constraints inspired thoughtful analysis and attracted the attention of even the most notorious scoundrels (when Elon Musk and Ivanka Trump invoked the film’s “red pill” imagery, co-director Lilly Wachowski famously responded with a resounding “Fuck you both”). Sometimes queer themes emerge in art without much conscious thought on the part of the creators, but Lilly Wachowski made it clear that transgender allegory was always part of this complex mix. Rent The Matrix on Prime Video.
Cat People (1942)
Cat People was directed by Jacques Tourneur and, crucially, produced by the extraordinary and intellectual Val Lewton. It stars Simone Simon as Irena Dubrovna, who believes she is descended from, well, cat people. Convinced she will transform into a panther if she ever allows her true, repressed sexuality to surface, she avoids sexual relations with her new husband. Metaphors of otherness operate on several levels, but the most memorable is the view of Irena as a woman trapped in a traditional marriage she was never meant to be in. Watch Cat People on the Criterion Channel or rent it on Prime Video.
Johnny Guitar (1954)
This low-budget film by Nicholas Ray isn’t among Joan Crawford’s most famous works, but it’s one of her best and most gripping, earning a place in the prestigious Criterion Collection . As a saloon owner in the wilds of Arizona’s Old West, Crawford is introduced by one of her employees: “I’ve never met a woman who was more courageous.” Her nemesis is a “cattleman,” played by Mercedes McCambridge, a straight (as far as we know) actress who has become an LGBTQ icon for her roles as strong, queer-focused women. There are male love interests, but they’re mostly secondary. The real heart of the film is the simmering energy between the two leads, often confronting each other in black leather that borders on the fetishistic. Watch Johnny Guitar on Kanopy or rent it on Prime Video .
Rebel Without a Cause (1955)
Moody and sensitive teenager Jim Stark (James Dean) meets Plato Crawford (Sal Mineo) and Judy (Natalie Wood) at the police station, and one of the greatest love triangles in cinematic history is born. Though subdued in the finished film, Plato’s attraction to Jim is undeniable, and it wasn’t an accident— concerned censors during filming told director Nicholas Ray, “It is, of course, imperative that there be no suggestion of a questionable or homosexual relationship between Plato and Jim.” However, Mineo later recounted how Dean instructed him, “Look at me the way I look at Natalie…” In retrospect, it doesn’t seem so ambiguous, and the poster of then-heartthrob Alan Ladd in Plato’s locker is just one of many hints for discerning audiences. Watch Rebel Without a Cause on Prime Video .
Ben-Hur (1959)
Don’t tell Charlton Heston, but everyone else involved in creating Judah Ben-Hur’s relationship with his old friend Messala was open to the idea that they were lovers. Screenwriter Gore Vidal claims he convinced producer and director William Wyler and actor Stephen Boyd that the drama surrounding the relationship wouldn’t make sense unless there were clear hints that they were dating. Everyone was in on it except Heston (who, being a big kid, was furious when he learned about it decades later , calling the suggestion an insult to the director). Watch Ben-Hur on Prime Video .
Red River (1948)
Don’t tell John Wayne, but the homosexual subtext of Red River has been discussed for decades, which is especially understandable given that the film was a breakout hit for gay actor Montgomery Clift, who played Matt, the more sensitive protégé of the typically masculine Wayne. Complicating matters is the appearance of John Ireland as Cherry Valance—the scene in which Matt and Cherry compare guns is rightly remembered as a euphemism—and even the film’s characters seem to be aware of it: Wayne describes them as “groping each other,” and Walter Brennan’s character, an old man, describes them as “…having fun. A kind of fun.” Which, I imagine, is a Grindr filter. Watch Red River on Prime Video .
Ghost (1963)
The more recent Netflix series The Haunting of Hill House , also based on Shirley Jackson’s novel, made the subtext explicit, but the homosexual relationship between the stylish and brash Theo (Claire Bloom) and the reserved, demure Eleanor (Julie Harris) is felt throughout the original early 1960s series. Theo rejects men who flirt with her, preferring to pursue the shy Eleanor, and they form a charmingly traditional lesbian couple: one glamorous and fashion-conscious, the other a more awkward tomboy. Rent The Haunting of Hill House on Prime Video .
A Nightmare on Elm Street 2: Freddy’s Revenge (1985)
The subtext here is so strong it barely qualifies as subtext, but in 1985, many straight viewers still missed it. The film’s basic setup involves a role reversal that places Jesse (Mark Patton) in a position that would have been the “last woman standing” in most slasher films of the era. Freddy taunts Jesse, at one point caressing his lips with his razor-like fingers; Jesse flees danger and his girlfriend alike, almost always scantily clad. He confronts his gym teacher in a leather bar, and that same jerk is later bludgeoned to death with his bare ass in the locker room. As a metaphor for the torment of a closeted teenager, it could have been a lot worse (it could have been a lot better… but it could have been a lot worse). Rent Freddy’s Revenge on Prime Video.
Top Gun (1986)
Coming out in the military in 1986 would have meant a dishonorable discharge, which is why Top Gun pauses every now and then to emphasize that Tom Cruise really, really likes kissing Kelly McGillis—even though the film’s central relationship and passion is between Cruise’s Maverick and Val Kilmer’s Iceman. And then what? Often shirtless, often sweaty (well, oiled up) Navy SEALs do things like play volleyball to Kenny Loggins’s “Playing with the Boys,” and dialogue samples include lines like, “I want some ass! I want it right now!” and “I’d love to kick your ass, but I can’t!” The late director Tony Scott admitted to using books of gay musclemen as his primary source of inspiration for how to photograph male genitalia in film—which likely explains the abundance of slightly pornographic mustaches. Watch “Top Gun” on Paramount+ or rent it on Prime Video .
The Maltese Falcon (1941)
Most of these films have queer themes; I’m not sure that’s the case here, though I’d be happy to be wrong. Still, I’ll let Peter Lorre’s Joel Cairo speak for all the many queer-themed villains in classic Hollywood. It wasn’t always a successful reception, but audiences were always willing to turn straw into gold, showing a particular fondness for the scant, often problematic, depictions of LGBTQ+ characters in classic films. Characters created to be ridiculed or hated become valuable figures, and this is precisely the case. In Dashiell Hammett’s novel, Joel Cairo is openly gay, but the Hollywood censors of 1941 certainly wouldn’t have allowed him to be out in the film version. So, Petter Lorre gracefully enters Sam Spade’s office, wearing fine clothes, wearing fancy gloves, carrying a cane he can barely resist touching, and, of course, carrying gardenia-scented business cards… because the planned lavender ones were deemed too overt by the censors. Rent “The Maltese Falcon” on Prime Video.
Star Wars: The Force Awakens (2015)
In 2015, the release of Star Wars: The Force Awakens caused a major ripple in the Force, but the millions of voices that would have welcomed the recognition of gay characters in Star Wars were slowly and painfully silenced. The chemistry between then-new characters Poe Dameron (Oscar Isaac) and Finn (John Boyega) seemed more than just friendship, and the film (and its direct sequel, The Last Jedi ) left open the possibility of something more. Alas, the final film in the trilogy featured heterosexual love interests for both men, despite both actors making it clear they would prefer to play romantic relationships; Considering that Kelly Marie Tran’s Rose was almost entirely written out of The Rise of Skywalker after “fan” resistance to the franchise’s first Black woman and targeted harassment, the sudden addition of Poe and Finn as friends feels… very convenient. It’s a gift for the worst kind of Star Wars fan. Still, leaving aside the final film (which isn’t such a bad thing), you can still see the beginnings of what could have been a game-changer for the franchise. Watch The Force Awakens on Disney+ and Starz, or rent it on Prime Video .
Brief Encounter (1945)
Two strangers, each in an unsatisfactory marriage, meet by chance at a train station and develop a relationship that begins as a matter of convenience and develops into an intense emotional bond, complicated by their personal lives and the constant threat of exposure. The 2015 production of Noël Coward’s original play (titled Still Life ) stars two men, making it clear that while the story works beautifully with a heterosexual couple, it also brilliantly captures the unique challenges of same-sex relationships. I’m not sure what director David Lean had in mind, but it wouldn’t surprise me if Coward was at least partly thinking about the inherently tense, dangerous, and exciting nature of chance encounters among members of the LGBT community. Brief Encounter is available to stream on HBO Max and The Criterion Channel, or to rent on Prime Video .
Strangers on a Train (1951)
Lesbian writer Patricia Highsmith wasn’t afraid of homosexual subtext (see: The Talented Mr. Ripley ), both textual and interpersonal (see: The Price of Salt ); director Alfred Hitchcock wasn’t afraid to incorporate queer cultural elements into his films either, as we learned from Rope and Rebecca (among others). Given all this (and the presence of Farley Granger), it’s no surprise that Strangers on a Train deals with these themes quite humorously. Guy Haines (played by Granger) meets Bruno Anthony (Robert Walker) on a train (obviously), and they have a rather tense conversation about a double murder: Guy is to kill Bruno’s hated father, and Bruno will kill Guy’s wife. It’s a funny hypothetical, except Bruno is dead serious and keeps his end of the bargain. This whole story is a bit like a heterosexual man’s nightmare—even a fleeting affair with another man can ruin your life. Or tear you out of a terrible marriage… Watch “Strangers on a Train” on Kanopy or rent it on Prime Video .
Diabolik (1955)
One of the most important thrillers of the 1950s, this adaptation of Boileau-Narcejac’s novel eliminates the explicit lesbian relationship between the two women at the center of the plot—the wife and mistress of the man they team up to kill—drastically altering the ending. However, much of this relationship remains; the closeness between Nicole and Christine is noted by the students and faculty of the boarding house where they live. They travel together, share rooms and even a bed. The climax plays out like a breakup scene. Simone Signoret and Véra Clouzot are one of the most memorable couples in French cinema, even if their romance is never explicitly portrayed. Watch Diabolica on HBO Max and The Criterion Channel, or rent it on Prime Video .
2 Fast 2 Furious (2003)
I’m wary of finding homosexual themes in any male friendship—men can just be friends (or so I’m told), and there aren’t many good cultural examples of healthy male intimacy. But then comes something like 2 Fast 2 Furious , where the two leads exhibit such passionate, sassy chemistry with Eva Mendes’s Agent Monica Fuentes (she calls them “the girls”) that the whole thing feels like a bisexual fever dream. Paul Walker plays Brian O’Conner, returning from the first film as a disgraced LAPD officer tasked with teaming up with his old friend (or more than just friend?) Roman Pearce (Tyrese Gibson). They spend the film bickering, wrestling, and seemingly non-homosexual encounters, while Brian struggles with his attraction to Agent Fuentes, knowing it will hurt Roman. The key moment comes when Brian displays the same kind of flirtatious, staring driving style we see in car movies: he speeds along, his eyes glued to Monica. Eventually, Roman quips, “He got that from me.” Watch “2 Fast 2 Furious ” on Peacock or rent it on Prime Video .
Scream (1996)
As with Hitchcock’s Rope , Scream screenwriter Kevin Williamson was partially inspired by the Leopold and Loeb murder couple when creating the film-obsessed, murder-obsessed duo of Billy Loomis (Skeet Ulrich) and Stu Macher (Matthew Lillard). However, even before he openly addressed it in interviews, LGBTQ fans understood his intentions; at least Stu is clearly smitten with Billy. You can watch Scream on Paramount+ or rent it on Prime Video .
The Babadook (2014)
The Babadook became a gay icon entirely by accident. While there had been discussions on social media before, everything exploded when Netflix, for no apparent reason, categorized the film as LGBTQ+. Queer interpretations suddenly gained acceptance—and, I think, rightfully so. While at first glance, The Babadook represents grief and the dangers of trying to paper over trauma, it also works well as a metaphor for being hidden in the closet. In flawless Gothic style, it torments a mother and young son who try to ignore it and pretend it doesn’t exist. The more the mother tries to shove it back into the metaphorical closet, the more horror it inflicts. Only through acceptance does their small family have any hope of moving forward. Watch The Babadook on Disney+ and Hulu , or rent it on Prime Video .
Venom (2018)
Tom Hardy lurks darkly in Venom , which tells the story of two “roommates” who accidentally share a body. Possessed by an alien symbiote, Eddie Brock constantly bickers with his newfound partner before they begin to appreciate, and maybe even love, each other. Just a couple of crime-fighting buddies? Perhaps, but they have real chemistry, and when Venom takes over the body of Eddie’s girlfriend, Annie (Michelle Williams), in the final act, it’s unclear who’s kissing whom. It’s a real trifecta of energy. Watch Venom on Disney+ or rent it on Prime Video .
Fear No Evil (1981)
Fear No Evil is a low-budget cult film with a completely unpredictable tone. It tells the story of a somewhat effeminate young man (Stefan Arngrim) who gradually realizes he is the true Antichrist. He is mercilessly hounded by middle-aged actors playing high school jocks, who delight in stripping naked and inspecting him in locker rooms (so much man-buttocks on display!). When he finally becomes a Satanic figure, our hero declares it by applying makeup and taking revenge. The film muddles its message; we aren’t necessarily supposed to rejoice at the climactic scene with the gay Satan, yet many viewers do. Watch Fear No Evil on Prime Video .
Fight Club (1999)
At some point, hypermasculinity starts to look a lot like homoeroticism, and you can’t help but wonder how many sweaty, half-naked men you can literally cram together in a space that completely excludes women before it starts to resemble a gay club. Oh, and let’s not tell our wives, girlfriends, or coworkers what’s going on here. Rent Fight Club on Prime Video.
Batman & Robin (1997)
Start with the generally kitschy style of gay director Joel Schumacher (who once claimed to have slept with tens of thousands of men in his lifetime—not that queer credibility is determined by mathematics… but, dammit!), add a Batman suit with prominent nipples, a massive codpiece, and an excessively low cleavage, and you have the recipe for the gayest superhero epic of all time. And all this before George Clooney’s Batman adopts a nearly grown man just nine years his junior. Watch Batman & Robin on HBO Max or rent it on Prime Video .
Frozen (2013)
Let it go, Elsa. Part of it is Elsa hiding a secret she’s afraid people will discover, and the subsequent joyful sense of liberation she feels when she finally comes into her own. All of this speaks volumes about the queer community, but there’s also the fact that in Frozen, Elsa doesn’t have a love interest, while virtually every other Disney princess’s story centers on finding a boyfriend. Frozen 2 left Elsa’s romantic relationship open-ended, which feels like a tiny step forward for a company notoriously desperate not to offend its straight audience. Plus, the climax, where she races across the sea on her magical horse, is very gay. Watch Frozen on Disney+ or rent it on Prime Video .
Fright Night (1985)
When Chris Sarandon and Jonathan Stark move in next door, it’s all business as usual: “I heard he has a carpenter living with him. Luckily for me, he’s probably gay,” says the protagonist’s mother. Usually, these are “friends” or “roommates,” so the “living carpenter” part is a novelty, but it’s not hard to see what’s really going on. It turns out they’re vampires and familiars, but they develop an easy rapport and genuine care for each other—the picture of a healthy, supportive relationship, even if they’re evil vampires. Watch Fright Night on Prime Video .
Red Heat (1988)
Writer and director Walter Hiller described Red Heat as a “love story” between dedicated cops played by Arnold Schwarzenegger and Jim Belushi, and while I’m not sure he meant it literally, you wouldn’t have to change the script much to make their relationship explicit. The film serves as a stand-in for many hyper-violent, hyper-masculine films of the 1980s (many of which starred Schwarzenegger): it’s full of the expected sweaty male fight scenes, with an entire opening scene set in a bathhouse. The film is mixed, but the male characters are overwhelmingly the focus, fighting in clothes that barely qualify as loincloths. Rent Red Heat on Prime Video.
Bend It Like Beckham (2002)
Rumors have long circulated that the original plot involved soccer players Jess (Parminder Nagra) and Jules (Keira Knightley) eventually getting together romantically, but the film was altered to appeal to more conservative American and Indian audiences. Even without that, the chemistry between the two star players is palpable, and moments of them holding hands and even kissing offer a fresh take on this above-average “underdogs win in sports” film. Watch Bend It Like Beckham on Disney+ or rent it on Prime Video .
The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King (2003)
If Sam and Frodo were of different genders, their relationship would be virtually impossible to understand without romantic overtones. However, even without queer interpretations, their story (as in the novels) exemplifies male intimacy, a rare occurrence in film as it is practically nonexistent. The trilogy is full of remarkably supportive and healthy male relationships—Sam and Frodo hold hands, hug, and literally carry each other at various points. The wise old transvestite mentor is a perennial trope in films that overtly depict homosexuality, and while his wardrobe is limited, Ian McKellen’s Gandalf, with his luxurious hair and mid-trilogy transformation, is perfect for the role. Watch The Return of the King on HBO Max or rent it on Prime Video .
300 (2006)
The movie “300 ” practically screams “no homosexuality!” whenever Leonidas or some other nearly naked character comments on the Spartans’ general brutality, but Zack Snyder’s comic-book-based breakthrough is literally every fetish party I’ve ever been to. Queer-coding the Persians with their copious makeup and jewelry is nothing new (Eastern stereotypes of Easterners and their decadent, effeminate mores wouldn’t have surprised the ancient Greeks), but it feels like a miss-the-point of the film, as well as an overemphasis on the heterosexuality of the ancient Spartans. Rent “300” on Prime Video.
RRR (2022)
You’ll never convince me that a story about two men who meet during an impromptu, coordinated bridge rescue and then spend every free moment together, except those spent agonizing over the secrets that could tear them apart, is n’t an action-packed romantic comedy. These guys love three things: taking off their shirts, fighting colonialism with tigers, and each other.Watch RRR on Netflix .