James Dean's Secret Gay Past Revealed
1.13.2012
By Joshua Gardner
There's a new James Dean biopic on the radar, chronicling the all-too-brief life of the 1950s film star. And if you're thinking it will just be another showcase of how manly smoking cigarettes and riding motorcycles can be, you might want to think again.
The film is called Joshua Tree, 1951: A Portrait of James Dean, the debut feature from burgeoning filmmaker Matthew Mishory and, unlike previous Dean biopics, such as the made-for-TV James Franco vehicle James Dean, this version doesn't skirt Dean's long-rumored bisexuality. In fact, at least judging from the trailer, the film embraces it.
James Preston, last seen in ABC's short-lived The Gates, stars in the role of Dean as he's followed in the period leading up to his breakout success, mostly set in California's Mojave desert. Alongside Preston in this sexy, mysterious setting is openly gay Queer as Folk hottie Robert Gant as well as The L Word's lovely Erin Daniels.
Even if the film comes to no solid conclusions about which team Dean played for, this is still a win for making any mention of the issue at all. The film has yet to find a distributor, though, so keep your fingers and toes crossed in hopes we'll be seeing it in theaters soon.
JOSHUA TREE, 1951 Full-Length Trailer from Iconoclastic Features on Vimeo.
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if i hadnt known this film was about james dean, watching the trailer wouldnt have told me. does it look good? yeah, the cinematography is incredibly beautiful. does the actor look anything like dean? ehhh...no. i wish there actor that was cast looked a little more like james franco who in my oppinion is this generation's physical clone of dean. also, for those who want to say that in more recent years there hadnt been a dean-like figure i definitely disagree. james franco, heath ledger, joseph gordon levitt, river phoenix (even his brother joaquin) all carry/carried themselves much like dean and it never felt like an imitation.
Great art direction. Dean is cute, but found Franco more believable. Wonder who gets the Dean treatment today from older men?
Certainly nice to imagine Dean as gay. There certainly isn't anyone to replace him in this 2012 wasteland. I'd have to say the current crop of gays are severely lacking. Let them couple up and we'll really have the 1950's all over again. But the newlyweds will never be able to rest in "The Clockwork Orange" future. What a perfect target. Everything censored in true.
How about the 70's TV biopic "James Dean: Portrait of a Friend" with Stephen McHattie? That film didn't exactly back away from controversy, either.
I don't care what he was. Look at his films. That's what counts. No need to pick sides. I'm sorry he died so young.
That is no secret. What is more significant here is that somebody has made such a beautiful black-and-white film about a fascinating era in gay (and movie) history. The trailer looks like a prettier (and sexier) version of The Artist of A Single Man. They better book this in Desert Hot Springs!
Yes it looks good but they fucked the hair up, floppy 90's cut with thick back doesn't look like the 1950's or anything like any quiff Dean ever had on or off screen.
James did not ever grease his hair down except as the oilman character in "Giant." I should know. I fell in love as a teenager in 1950s Oklahoma the minute I saw "East of Eden." I worked so hard to emulate that sensitive actor. It was love at first sight on my part.
Floppy 90's hair is wrong, doesn't look like the 1950's.
I think this film would also help shed light on the issue with people taking sexuality as black or white; gay or straight. It will serve to show that everyone goes a little bit one way and much further the other way, but not 100% any one way. That sexuality is black, white, and every shade of grey. Love it!
You're wrong in your statement "that everyone goes a little bit one way and much further the other way, but not 100% any one way." You can't be any further off the mark if you tried. I'm gay, always have been attracted to boys growing up and then later men as I grew older...that is to say I'm ONE HUNDRED PERCENT GAY....never even thought of the other side of the fence. You shouldn't make such broad speculation cause you don't know what you're talking about....
James Dean was no more a homosexual than his lover Rock Hudson. Off screen ,Hollywood actors were sort of allowed to be the opposite they portrayed,same for the Ladies.As long as the sham continued and sold more cinema tickets,no one cared .
Hollywood sells dreams,not reality. Ava Garner was a size Queen yet had to act like a Lady,of course the rules were somewhat different for the few straight studs,who sometimes also played for the other team,as long, as they could convince the audiences of their machismo,no one truly cared,the same goes on today.Just ask John Travolta or Tom Cruise...Lol
So what? Back in the 1950s, "homosexuality" was strictly taboo(!). Dean would have never made it publicly known nor would he have exploited his orientation. He wasn't stupid; he knew it would have killed his career had it become openly known.
exactly
What's wrong with bisexual? Do you want him to "pick a side"?
Amazing trailer -- sensational imagery and lead! Cannot fucking wait.
Big whoop! So he liked the cock. So what?
So engaging our history is a big fucking deal. Kudos to the filmmakers and the brave young star for taking this on.
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