To celebrate Belfast Pride taking place this weekend here in the city we asked some of BanterFlix’s contributors to pick out a few LGBT characters and movies they felt deserved some recognition for showcasing the LGBT community on the big screen.
Leon in Dog Day Afternoon (Joe Mc Elroy)
In 1975 Sidney Lumet’s drama, Dog Day Afternoon was released to critical acclaim lauded for its anti-establishment tone. Despite this being the main focus for many critics the overlooked love story at its core is a highly relevant aspect given today’s social climate.
In a supporting role Chris Sarandon (in an Oscar-nominated role) plays a pre-op transgender woman, Leon whose husband, Sonny (in a classic performance by Al Pacino) tries to rob a bank to pay for her transition surgery. In what was described as a potentially “career killing” role Sarandon immersed himself into the role with a great deal of vulnerability and exasperation. In preparation for the role, Sarandon would have dinner with transgender women and dress in drag in public to observe the perceptions of others.
Given how transgender issues were almost a taboo topic in the 1970’s it can be said that the film was well ahead of its time. This aspect of the film is often overlooked as the political subtext is often what it is remembered for (such as the scene where Pacino raves outside the bank “Attica, Attica”) but upon reexamination, the relationship between Leon and her secretive husband Sonny is just as important.
Though presented as toxic throughout the heartbreaking phone call between Leon and Sonny towards the end that gives the film is what gives the film a real sense of humanity cementing its legacy as a classic.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CSc2-J9M8EA
Jules in The Kids Are All Right (Colette Fahy)
In The Kids Are All Right Julianne Moore plays one half of married couple Jules and Nic (Annette Benning) whose lives are disrupted when their teenage children identify the sperm donor who fathered them (Mark Ruffalo) and he starts to make his way into family life.
Feeling under-appreciated by Nic, Jules begins an affair with Ruffalo and all of the adults’ many character flaws are thrust into the spotlight.
Moore’s emotional intensity and vulnerability give humanity to a character who at times could come across as selfish and self-destructive. Along with her darker moments, she nails more humorous scenes with impeccable comedic timing.
The Kids Are All Right is a surprisingly warm and funny portrait of family life and does a lot to normalise same-sex relationships as complex partnerships that go through the familiar highs and lows of married life.
Wallace in Scott Pilgrim Vs. the World (Jim McClean)
When I sat down to pick out a notable LGBT character, I knew there was a wealth of characters I could’ve chosen from, characters like Marina in A Fantastic Woman, Megan in But I’m a cheerleader or either Therese or Carol from Todd Hayne’s Carol. All those characters and many more bring with them them lots of cinematic significance in the history of onscreen LGBT portrayal, but since this is my pick I wanted to pick a character that meant something to me.
In the end I struggled to decide between two characters; Tomas Dekker’s Smith in Gregg Araki’s hugely underrated Kaboom and Kieran Culkin’s Wallace from Scott Pilgrim vs. the World. In the end I plucked for Culkin’s character, but if you’ve never seen Araki’s Kaboom I’d recommend seeking it out because it’s a wonderfully bonkers Sci-Fi romp that plays out like Donnie Darko on an acid trip.
But back to Scott Pilgrim, maybe I’m a little biased because I’m such a big fan of the film and a huge Edgar Wright fanboy, but I just think Culkin’s Wallace is such an underrated LGBT character. Why? Because he’s an openly gay character and there’s absolutely no fuss or drama about it throughout the movie.
He’s Scott’s ‘cool gay roommate’ who refuses to play by the rules of the stereotypical gay best friend motif. Culkin steals every scene he’s in with fantastic deadpan delivery and let’s be honest he’s way cooler than the film’s leading man.
So that’s why I’ve picked Wallace as my LGBT Character, maybe one day we can adopt some babies together.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nJSI6pjgzIM
So that’s our picks! Hope everyone has a great Pride and let us know some of cinema’s LGBT characters you feel deserve some recognition.