The straight-washg of “Ben-Hur”: Remake of the '59 epic drops gay subtext — and beefs up relig them |

Contents:

• THE SURPRISG REASON WHY 2016’S BEN-HUR ISN’T GAYSCREENWRER KEH CLARKE REVEALS WHY THE FAMO HOMOEROTIC SUBTEXT IS GONE.BY JOANNA ROBSONAUGT 18, 2016CRED: LEFT, OM ALAMY; RIGHT, URTY OF PARAMOUNT PICTUR.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEDPE POSIVE REVIEWS (CLUDG ONE OM THIS SE), THERE’S A SMALL STORM OF NTROVERSY BREWG AROUND 2016’S UPDATE OF THE CLASSIC STORY BEN-HUR. “WHY HAS HOLLYWOOD PUT BEN-HUR BACK THE CLOSET?” A GUARDIAN HEADLE ASKS—NOTG THAT ANY OF THE HOMOEROTIC UNRTON PRENT THE 1959 VERSN OF THE FILM ARE ABSENT THIS VERSN. TO HEAR SCREENWRER KEH CLARKE TELL , THE REASON MAY BE MORE TECHNIL THAN YOU’D EXPECT.CLARKE WAS SPIRED TO WRE HIS OWN VERSN OF BEN-HUR AFTER WATCHG THE 1959 CLASSIC WH HIS WIFE AND MATG ON THE THEME OF FIVENS. CLARKE—WHO PREVLY WROTE THE SCREENPLAY FOR 2010’S THE WAY BACK—THEN PICKED UP THE ORIGAL 1880 LEW WALLACE BOOK BEN-HUR: A TALE OF THE CHRIST. . . AND THIS IS WHERE THE QUTN OF ADAPTATN AND REBOOTG GETS PLITED. WHEN ASKED IF HIS VERSN WAS AN ADAPTATN OR RETERPRETATN OF THE BOOK, RATHER THAN THE 1959 FILM, CLARKE EXPLAED: “THAT’S VERY ACCURATE, AND THERE’S A REASON FOR THAT. WARNER BROS. OWNED THE OLD MGM LIBRARY AND SO I N’T DO A REMAKE OF THAT, BEE WARNER BROS. OWNS THAT. I HAD TO GO BACK TO THE SOURCE MATERIAL, SO ANYTHG THAT’S THE 59 VERSN THAT IS NOT THE BOOK I ULD NOT E.”THAT’S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, FOR EXAMPLE, TOBY KEBELL’S MSALA DON’T DIE THE ARMS OF JACK HTON’S BEN-HUR AT THE END OF THE FAMO CHART RACE. THAT ATH—SO FAMO OM THE 1959 FILM—WAS NOT THE BOOK, AND THEREFORE OFF LIMS TO CLARKE. SO ’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, WHEN RE-EXAMG THE GAY LEGACY OF BEN-HUR, THAT IF EVER THERE WERE HOMOEROTIC TENSNS BETWEEN MSALA AND HIS CHILDHOOD IEND, JUDAH BEN-HUR, THEY WERE THE VENTN OF GORE VIDAL, ONE OF THE MANY SCREENWRERS ON THE 1959 BEN-HUR. IN AN UNFETTABLE SECTN OF THE 1995 DOCUMENTARY THE CELLULOID CLOSET, VIDAL CLAIMS HE RE-WROTE PART OF THE 1959 FILM TO HEAVILY IMPLY THAT CHARLTON HTON’S TLE CHARACTER AND HIS CHILDHOOD IEND (AND LATER BETRAYER) MSALA (STEPHEN BOYD) WERE MORE THAN JT IENDS GROWG UP. CCIALLY, ACRDG TO VIDAL, BOYD WAS LET ON THE SUBTEXT AND HTON—A STNCH NSERVATIVE—WAS NOT.VIDAL’S STORY—WHILE ENORMOLY ENTERTAG—HAS BEEN HOTLY NTTED. DIRECTOR WILLIAM WYLER SAID HE ULDN’T RELL HAVG THIS KD OF DISCSN WH EHER VIDAL OR BOYD, WHILE HTON, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, WROTE A BLISTERG RPONSE THE LOS ANGEL TIM STNCHLY NYG VIDAL’S STORY. JT THIS WEEK, ACTRS ROMA DOWNEY—A PRODUCER OF THE 2016 BEN-HUR AND SEVERAL OTHER FAH-BASED PROJECTS—SAID OF THE ALLEGED BEN-HUR/MSALA ROMANCE: “I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF THAT WAS TE THAT FILM.”BUT CLARKE THKS THE TTH OF VIDAL’S STORY IS UNASSAILABLE. “I’M VERY FAIAR WH THAT, WHICH I THK IS GREAT,” HE TOLD VANY FAIR. “HOW N YOU NOT WATCH THE ‘59 VERSN, AND HEAR GORE VIDAL SAY WHAT HE SAID, AND THEN LOOK AT THE HUGGG, AND THE WAY MSALA THAT MOVIE JT LOOKED AT JUDAH? IT’S LIKE, Y, THERE WAS SOMETHG ELSE GOG ON OTHER THAN, ‘HEY, BUDDY. I’M BACK OM THE WAR.‘”BUT THERE’S NONE OF THAT THIS VERSN. INSTEAD, “JUDAH IS LOVE WH HIS SERVANT, ESTHER. MSALA IS LOVE WH JUDAH’S SISTER,” CLARKE SAYS FIRMLY. VIDAL SAYS HE CREATED THE HOMOEROTIC PLOT ORR TO MAKE MSALA’S HATRED FOR JUDAH SEEM MORE BELIEVABLE. BUT STEAD OF THE FIRE OF A SPURNED LOVER, KEBBEL’S MSALA IS DRIVEN BY FAIAL ANIMOSY— THIS VERSN, VIDAL’S WOULD BE EX-LOVERS ARE NOW ADOPTED BROTHERS. THAT NOT ONLY MAK THE IA OF ROMANCE A NON-STARTER, BUT ALSO TI TO CLARKE’S VISN OF A STORY OF FIVENS. “IT’S BROTHERS FIGHTG BROTHERS. I JT FIGURED THAT THE CLOSER THEY ARE, THE GREATER THE BETRAYAL. IF YOU EXTRAPOLATE THAT OUT TO THE NEXT LEVEL, YOU HAVE THE GREATER THE BETRAYAL THE GREATER THE S. THE GREATER THE S, THE GREATER THE FIVENS HAS TO BE FOR HIM TO ACTUALLY END UP FIVG HIS BROTHER.”MOST POPULARPRCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE’S HEART OF INVICT NETFLIX DOC GETS A TRAILER AND RELEASE DATEBY KASE WICKMANMILLIE BOBBY BROWN IS READY FOR THE END OF STRANGER THGSBY CHRIS MURPHYFIRST LOOK: PL ML AND SAOIRSE RONAN FACE A DANGERO FUTURE FOEBY DAVID CANFIELDACRDG TO KEBBEL, GAY RIGHTS HAS ADVANCED SO MUCH THAT THE NOTN OF HOMOEROTIC SUBTEXT ISN’T SOMETHG WE NEED FILM NOW. “IN 1959, THE GAY NTEXT WAS VERY IMPORTANT,” HE SAID AT THE BEN-HUR PREMIERE. “THEY NEED A VOICE. YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO HI THE DARK ABOUT SOMETHG YOU FEEL AND YOU’RE GROWN WH. THAT WAS THEIR OWN THG THEY WANTED TO PORTRAY AND WE DIDN’T NEED TO. IT’S A DIFFERENT TIME, THANKFULLY."BUT WHILE WE CERTALY ARE LIVG A DIFFERENT TIME THAN 1959, GAY RELATNSHIP ARE STILL LARGELY ABSENT OM BIG BLOCKBTER MOVI. IN FACT, THIS YEAR’S BIG SUMMER FILMS WERE FULL OF CHARACTERS WHO WERE ALMOST OR VAGUELY GAY—BUT WE’VE STILL YET TO SEE EXPLICLY GAY CHARACTERS AT THE CENTER OF A BIG-BUDGET SPECTACLE FILM SPE VERY VOL MANDS OM ADVOCY GROUPS LIKE GLAAD.BUT PERHAPS BEN—HUR—WHICH, REMEMBER, RRI THE SUBTLE A TALE OF THE CHRIST—WAS NEVER GOG TO BE THE FILM TO GIVE THAT. J HIMSELF PLAYS A FAIRLY SIGNIFINT ROLE BOTH THE ORIGAL BOOK AND THIS 2016 ADAPTATN. IN THE 1959 VERSN, CHRIST WAS PLAYED BY A FAIRLY UNKNOWN OPERA SGER, CL HEATER, WHO DIDN’T GET HIS NAME THE CREDS AND NEVER SHOWS HIS FACE ON-SCREEN. THE COEN BROTHERS SPOOFED THAT HANDS-OFF APPROACH TO THE MSIAH THIS YEAR’S HAIL CAAR!.BUT CLARKE’S VERSN, THE CHRIST IS PLAYED BY BRAZILIAN ACTOR RODRIGO SANTORO (300, LOVE ACTUALLY), WHOSE FACE IS ALL OVER THE MOVIE. “FOR ME, HE WAS ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT FIGURE THE BOOK,” CLARKE SAID. “I’M OKAY NOT TO SHY AWAY OM THAT. IN MY ORIGAL DRAFT, HE WAS MORE.” AND WHILE CLARKE SAID HE WAS HOPG TO WRE A STORY THAT WOULD APPEAL TO MORE THAN JT A CHRISTIAN DIENCE, HE SAYS THE FILM WAS SCREENED EARLY FOR FAH-BASED FOC GROUPS. THE VOLVEMENT OF DOWNEY AND HER HBAND/PRODUCG PARTNER MARK BURT, ALSO MEANS THAT THE STUD, AT LEAST, WANTED TO PCH THE PROJECT TO THE POTENTIALLY LUCRATIVE AND CCIALLY ANIZED BLOCK OF RELIG MOVIEGOERS.“I THK THAT THE FAH-BASED DIENCE IS GOG TO GET WHAT THEY WANT OM AND WE DON’T HI THAT,” CLARKE SAID. “BUT I WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO WALK AWAY AND SAY, ‘WOW, THIS IS A BIG SPECTACLE, A LOT OF ACTN, WONRFUL PERFORMANC. IT’S GOT A NTEMPORARY NTEXT.‘ I THK THAT’S WHAT A SECULAR DIENCE WILL WALK AWAY WH.” AND GIVEN THE POSIVE RECEPTN, MAY BE THAT THIS BEN-HUR—STRIPPED OF ANY POTENTIALLY NTROVERSIAL GAY SUBTEXT, AND GIVEN A HAPPIER ENDG THAN EHER THE BOOK OR THE 1959 VERSN—WILL PULL A LARGER DIENC. BUT SOMETHG TELLS ME GORE VIDAL MIGHT NOT APPROVE.JOANNA ROBSON
• THE HIDN HOMOSEXUAL HISTORY OF "BEN-HUR"DO THE NEW REMAKE KEEP THE GAY SUBTEXT?{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPHAUGT 17, 2016/5:34 PMBY CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPHAUGT 17, 2016 / 5:34 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"THE HIDN HOMOSEXUAL HISTORY OF \"BEN-HUR\"","DATEPUBLISHED":"2016-08-17T21:34:32.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2016-08-17T21:34:32.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPH","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S HOLLYWOOD LEGEND THAT THE 1959 VERSN OF BEN-HUR—THAT WENT ONTO W A RERD 11 OSRS—HAD A GAY ROMANCE THAT MANY DIENCE MEMBERS NEVER PICKED UP {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE HIDN GAY RELATNSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO MA CHARACTERS WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT THE 1995 DOCUMENTARY THE CELLULOID CLOSET WHEN GORE VIDAL REVEALED THAT HE WAS BROUGHT ON THE FILM AS A SCRIPT DOCTOR AND REWROTE SCEN TO "HT HEAVILY AT A PRR SEXUAL RELATNSHIP BETWEEN CHARLTON HTON’S TLE CHARACTER AND HIS CHILDHOOD IEND (AND LATER BETRAYER) MSALA (STEPHEN BOYD)," REPORTS THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AFTER VIDAL'S MENTS THE FILM'S STAR CHARLTON HTON WROTE TO THE LOS ANGEL TIM BLASTG HIM FOR TARNISHG A HOLLYWOOD CLASSIC WH HOMOSEXUALY—BUT HTON DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN BEN-HUR AND MSALA BEE NO ONE TOLD HIM BEFORE THE SHOOT. VIDAL DID NFIRM THAT "HE HAD DISCSED THE MATTER WH BOYD, WHO DULY FOLLOWED THE SCREENWRER’S LEAD FOR THE KEY SCENE WHICH THE BOYHOOD CHUMS MEET AGA AFTER MANY YEARS APART."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}EVEN DIRECTOR WILLIAM WYLER ME AROUND TO VIDAL'S REASONG FOR THE NEED OF A PAST ROMANCE BETWEEN THE TWO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}VIDAL EXPLAED THIS HIS LETTER TO THE L.A. TIM:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE TOLD THE STORY OF HOW, FACED WH A HOPELS SCRIPT FOR BEN-HUR, I PERSUAD THE PRODUCER, SAM ZIMBALIST (THIS WAS AN MGM FILM AND THE WRER WORKED NOT WH THE DIRECTOR BUT THE PRODUCER; LATER THE DIRECTOR, THIS SE WILLIAM WYLER, WEIGHED ) THAT THE ONLY WAY ONE ULD JTIFY SEVERAL HOURS OF HATRED BETWEEN TWO LADS – AND ALL THOSE HORS – WAS TO TABLISH, WHOUT SAYG SO WORDS, AN AFFAIR BETWEEN THEM AS BOYS; THEN, WHEN RNED AT PICTURE’S START, THE ROMAN, PLAYED BY STEPHEN BOYD, WANTS TO PICK UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF AND THE JEW, HTON, SPURNS HIM." {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"THIS IS THE SCENE THAT WAS SHOT AND THIS IS THE SCENE THAT VIEWERS OF THE CELLULOID CLOSET WATCHED, WH MY MENTARY. LOS ANGEL TIM FILM CRIC KENH TURAN WROTE THAT “SEEG AN APPROPRIATE CLIP MAK A STRONG SE FOR THE TTH OF VIDAL’S ASSERTN THAT BOYD WAS ON THE SCHEME WHILE HTON WAS NOT.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SO DO THE NEW BEN-HUR REMAKE KEEP THE GAY SUBTEXT TACT?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IT WASN’T SOMETHG WE AVOID BUT WASN’T SOMETHG WE HAD,” SAID TOBY KEBBELL—WHO PLAYS MSALA THE LATT VERSN—AT THIS WEEK'S L.A. PREMIERE. “IN 1959, THE GAY NTEXT WAS VERY IMPORTANT. THEY NEED A VOICE. YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO HI THE DARK ABOUT SOMETHG YOU FEEL AND YOU’RE GROWN WH. THAT WAS THEIR OWN THG THEY WANTED TO PORTRAY AND WE DIDN’T NEED TO. IT’S A DIFFERENT TIME, THANKFULLY.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF THAT WAS TE THAT FILM,” PRODUCER ROMA DOWNEY (Y, OM TOUCHED BY AN ANGEL) TOLD THE IRISH EXAMER. “HERE WE HAVE TWO BROTHERS. THEY LOVE EACH OTHER. THEY’RE RAISED THE SAME HOEHOLD AND ’S SO TRAGIC TO SEE THEIR FAY JT RIPPED APART.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SOMEHOW WE THK VIDAL WOULD {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEN-HUR IS THEATERS AUGT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}H/T: THE IRISH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS
• THE STRAIGHT-WASHG OF “BEN-HUR”: REMAKE OF THE '59 EPIC DROPS GAY SUBTEXT — AND BEEFS UP RELIG THEM
• BEN-HUR IS COURTG CHRISTIANS, DEFELY NOT GAYS
• BEN-HUR'S GAY SUBTEXT IS NEED NOW MORE THAN EVER
• BEN-HUR 'GAY SUB-PLOT' NOT NECSARY 2016, SAYS STAR TOBY KEBBELL
• HOW CHARLTON HTON PLAYED A GAY MAN WHOUT KNOWG ‘BEN-HUR’

THE SURPRISG REASON WHY 2016’S BEN-HUR ISN’T GAYSCREENWRER KEH CLARKE REVEALS WHY THE FAMO HOMOEROTIC SUBTEXT IS GONE.BY JOANNA ROBSONAUGT 18, 2016CRED: LEFT, OM ALAMY; RIGHT, URTY OF PARAMOUNT PICTUR.SAVE THIS STORYSAVESAVE THIS STORYSAVEDPE POSIVE REVIEWS (CLUDG ONE OM THIS SE), THERE’S A SMALL STORM OF NTROVERSY BREWG AROUND 2016’S UPDATE OF THE CLASSIC STORY BEN-HUR. “WHY HAS HOLLYWOOD PUT BEN-HUR BACK THE CLOSET?” A GUARDIAN HEADLE ASKS—NOTG THAT ANY OF THE HOMOEROTIC UNRTON PRENT THE 1959 VERSN OF THE FILM ARE ABSENT THIS VERSN. TO HEAR SCREENWRER KEH CLARKE TELL , THE REASON MAY BE MORE TECHNIL THAN YOU’D EXPECT.CLARKE WAS SPIRED TO WRE HIS OWN VERSN OF BEN-HUR AFTER WATCHG THE 1959 CLASSIC WH HIS WIFE AND MATG ON THE THEME OF FIVENS. CLARKE—WHO PREVLY WROTE THE SCREENPLAY FOR 2010’S THE WAY BACK—THEN PICKED UP THE ORIGAL 1880 LEW WALLACE BOOK BEN-HUR: A TALE OF THE CHRIST. . . AND THIS IS WHERE THE QUTN OF ADAPTATN AND REBOOTG GETS PLITED. WHEN ASKED IF HIS VERSN WAS AN ADAPTATN OR RETERPRETATN OF THE BOOK, RATHER THAN THE 1959 FILM, CLARKE EXPLAED: “THAT’S VERY ACCURATE, AND THERE’S A REASON FOR THAT. WARNER BROS. OWNED THE OLD MGM LIBRARY AND SO I N’T DO A REMAKE OF THAT, BEE WARNER BROS. OWNS THAT. I HAD TO GO BACK TO THE SOURCE MATERIAL, SO ANYTHG THAT’S THE 59 VERSN THAT IS NOT THE BOOK I ULD NOT E.”THAT’S ONE OF THE REASONS WHY, FOR EXAMPLE, TOBY KEBELL’S MSALA DON’T DIE THE ARMS OF JACK HTON’S BEN-HUR AT THE END OF THE FAMO CHART RACE. THAT ATH—SO FAMO OM THE 1959 FILM—WAS NOT THE BOOK, AND THEREFORE OFF LIMS TO CLARKE. SO ’S IMPORTANT TO REMEMBER, WHEN RE-EXAMG THE GAY LEGACY OF BEN-HUR, THAT IF EVER THERE WERE HOMOEROTIC TENSNS BETWEEN MSALA AND HIS CHILDHOOD IEND, JUDAH BEN-HUR, THEY WERE THE VENTN OF GORE VIDAL, ONE OF THE MANY SCREENWRERS ON THE 1959 BEN-HUR. IN AN UNFETTABLE SECTN OF THE 1995 DOCUMENTARY THE CELLULOID CLOSET, VIDAL CLAIMS HE RE-WROTE PART OF THE 1959 FILM TO HEAVILY IMPLY THAT CHARLTON HTON’S TLE CHARACTER AND HIS CHILDHOOD IEND (AND LATER BETRAYER) MSALA (STEPHEN BOYD) WERE MORE THAN JT IENDS GROWG UP. CCIALLY, ACRDG TO VIDAL, BOYD WAS LET ON THE SUBTEXT AND HTON—A STNCH NSERVATIVE—WAS NOT.VIDAL’S STORY—WHILE ENORMOLY ENTERTAG—HAS BEEN HOTLY NTTED. DIRECTOR WILLIAM WYLER SAID HE ULDN’T RELL HAVG THIS KD OF DISCSN WH EHER VIDAL OR BOYD, WHILE HTON, AS YOU MIGHT EXPECT, WROTE A BLISTERG RPONSE THE LOS ANGEL TIM STNCHLY NYG VIDAL’S STORY. JT THIS WEEK, ACTRS ROMA DOWNEY—A PRODUCER OF THE 2016 BEN-HUR AND SEVERAL OTHER FAH-BASED PROJECTS—SAID OF THE ALLEGED BEN-HUR/MSALA ROMANCE: “I DON’T EVEN KNOW IF THAT WAS TE THAT FILM.”BUT CLARKE THKS THE TTH OF VIDAL’S STORY IS UNASSAILABLE. “I’M VERY FAIAR WH THAT, WHICH I THK IS GREAT,” HE TOLD VANY FAIR. “HOW N YOU NOT WATCH THE ‘59 VERSN, AND HEAR GORE VIDAL SAY WHAT HE SAID, AND THEN LOOK AT THE HUGGG, AND THE WAY MSALA THAT MOVIE JT LOOKED AT JUDAH? IT’S LIKE, Y, THERE WAS SOMETHG ELSE GOG ON OTHER THAN, ‘HEY, BUDDY. I’M BACK OM THE WAR.‘”BUT THERE’S NONE OF THAT THIS VERSN. INSTEAD, “JUDAH IS LOVE WH HIS SERVANT, ESTHER. MSALA IS LOVE WH JUDAH’S SISTER,” CLARKE SAYS FIRMLY. VIDAL SAYS HE CREATED THE HOMOEROTIC PLOT ORR TO MAKE MSALA’S HATRED FOR JUDAH SEEM MORE BELIEVABLE. BUT STEAD OF THE FIRE OF A SPURNED LOVER, KEBBEL’S MSALA IS DRIVEN BY FAIAL ANIMOSY— THIS VERSN, VIDAL’S WOULD BE EX-LOVERS ARE NOW ADOPTED BROTHERS. THAT NOT ONLY MAK THE IA OF ROMANCE A NON-STARTER, BUT ALSO TI TO CLARKE’S VISN OF A STORY OF FIVENS. “IT’S BROTHERS FIGHTG BROTHERS. I JT FIGURED THAT THE CLOSER THEY ARE, THE GREATER THE BETRAYAL. IF YOU EXTRAPOLATE THAT OUT TO THE NEXT LEVEL, YOU HAVE THE GREATER THE BETRAYAL THE GREATER THE S. THE GREATER THE S, THE GREATER THE FIVENS HAS TO BE FOR HIM TO ACTUALLY END UP FIVG HIS BROTHER.”MOST POPULARPRCE HARRY AND MEGHAN MARKLE’S HEART OF INVICT NETFLIX DOC GETS A TRAILER AND RELEASE DATEBY KASE WICKMANMILLIE BOBBY BROWN IS READY FOR THE END OF STRANGER THGSBY CHRIS MURPHYFIRST LOOK: PL ML AND SAOIRSE RONAN FACE A DANGERO FUTURE FOEBY DAVID CANFIELDACRDG TO KEBBEL, GAY RIGHTS HAS ADVANCED SO MUCH THAT THE NOTN OF HOMOEROTIC SUBTEXT ISN’T SOMETHG WE NEED FILM NOW. “IN 1959, THE GAY NTEXT WAS VERY IMPORTANT,” HE SAID AT THE BEN-HUR PREMIERE. “THEY NEED A VOICE. YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO HI THE DARK ABOUT SOMETHG YOU FEEL AND YOU’RE GROWN WH. THAT WAS THEIR OWN THG THEY WANTED TO PORTRAY AND WE DIDN’T NEED TO. IT’S A DIFFERENT TIME, THANKFULLY."BUT WHILE WE CERTALY ARE LIVG A DIFFERENT TIME THAN 1959, GAY RELATNSHIP ARE STILL LARGELY ABSENT OM BIG BLOCKBTER MOVI. IN FACT, THIS YEAR’S BIG SUMMER FILMS WERE FULL OF CHARACTERS WHO WERE ALMOST OR VAGUELY GAY—BUT WE’VE STILL YET TO SEE EXPLICLY GAY CHARACTERS AT THE CENTER OF A BIG-BUDGET SPECTACLE FILM SPE VERY VOL MANDS OM ADVOCY GROUPS LIKE GLAAD.BUT PERHAPS BEN—HUR—WHICH, REMEMBER, RRI THE SUBTLE A TALE OF THE CHRIST—WAS NEVER GOG TO BE THE FILM TO GIVE THAT. J HIMSELF PLAYS A FAIRLY SIGNIFINT ROLE BOTH THE ORIGAL BOOK AND THIS 2016 ADAPTATN. IN THE 1959 VERSN, CHRIST WAS PLAYED BY A FAIRLY UNKNOWN OPERA SGER, CL HEATER, WHO DIDN’T GET HIS NAME THE CREDS AND NEVER SHOWS HIS FACE ON-SCREEN. THE COEN BROTHERS SPOOFED THAT HANDS-OFF APPROACH TO THE MSIAH THIS YEAR’S HAIL CAAR!.BUT CLARKE’S VERSN, THE CHRIST IS PLAYED BY BRAZILIAN ACTOR RODRIGO SANTORO (300, LOVE ACTUALLY), WHOSE FACE IS ALL OVER THE MOVIE. “FOR ME, HE WAS ALWAYS AN IMPORTANT FIGURE THE BOOK,” CLARKE SAID. “I’M OKAY NOT TO SHY AWAY OM THAT. IN MY ORIGAL DRAFT, HE WAS MORE.” AND WHILE CLARKE SAID HE WAS HOPG TO WRE A STORY THAT WOULD APPEAL TO MORE THAN JT A CHRISTIAN DIENCE, HE SAYS THE FILM WAS SCREENED EARLY FOR FAH-BASED FOC GROUPS. THE VOLVEMENT OF DOWNEY AND HER HBAND/PRODUCG PARTNER MARK BURT, ALSO MEANS THAT THE STUD, AT LEAST, WANTED TO PCH THE PROJECT TO THE POTENTIALLY LUCRATIVE AND CCIALLY ANIZED BLOCK OF RELIG MOVIEGOERS.“I THK THAT THE FAH-BASED DIENCE IS GOG TO GET WHAT THEY WANT OM AND WE DON’T HI THAT,” CLARKE SAID. “BUT I WOULD LIKE PEOPLE TO WALK AWAY AND SAY, ‘WOW, THIS IS A BIG SPECTACLE, A LOT OF ACTN, WONRFUL PERFORMANC. IT’S GOT A NTEMPORARY NTEXT.‘ I THK THAT’S WHAT A SECULAR DIENCE WILL WALK AWAY WH.” AND GIVEN THE POSIVE RECEPTN, MAY BE THAT THIS BEN-HUR—STRIPPED OF ANY POTENTIALLY NTROVERSIAL GAY SUBTEXT, AND GIVEN A HAPPIER ENDG THAN EHER THE BOOK OR THE 1959 VERSN—WILL PULL A LARGER DIENC. BUT SOMETHG TELLS ME GORE VIDAL MIGHT NOT APPROVE.JOANNA ROBSON

” a Guardian headle asks—notg that any of the homoerotic unrton prent the 1959 versn of the film are absent this versn.

So ’s important to remember, when re-examg the gay legacy of Ben-Hur, that if ever there were homoerotic tensns between Msala and his childhood iend, Judah Ben-Hur, they were the ventn of Gore Vidal, one of the many screenwrers on the 1959 Ben-Hur.

THE HIDN HOMOSEXUAL HISTORY OF "BEN-HUR"DO THE NEW REMAKE KEEP THE GAY SUBTEXT?{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}{FONT:NORMAL 800 1.2REM/1.2 "D BOLD",SANS-SERIF;TEXT-TRANSFORM:NORMAL;LOR:HER;DISPLAY:LE-BLOCK;PADDG-BOTTOM:6PX;POSN:RELATIVE;TEXT-TRANSFORM:UPPERSE;}{BACKGROUND:#89308A;BOTTOM:0;NTENT:'';DISPLAY:BLOCK;HEIGHT:2PX;LEFT:0;POSN:ABSOLUTE;RIGHT:0;-WEBK-TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;TRANSN:ALL 0.2S EASE;WIDTH:100%;}{LEFT:51%;RIGHT:51%;WIDTH:0;}MOVIBY CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPHAUGT 17, 2016/5:34 PMBY CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPHAUGT 17, 2016 / 5:34 PM{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"NEWSARTICLE","HEADLE":"THE HIDN HOMOSEXUAL HISTORY OF \"BEN-HUR\"","DATEPUBLISHED":"2016-08-17T21:34:32.000+0000","DATEMODIFIED":"2016-08-17T21:34:32.000+0000","IMAGE":{"@NTEXT":","@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT","WIDTH":1920,"HEIGHT":1080},"URL":","THOR":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","NAME":"LOGO TV"},"MAENTYOFPAGE":{"@TYPE":"WEBPAGE","@ID":"},"PUBLISHER":{"@TYPE":"ORGANIZATN","@ID":","NAME":"LOGO TV","URL":","LOGO":{"@TYPE":"IMAGEOBJECT"}},"CREATOR":"CHRISTOPHER RUDOLPH","ARTICLESECTN":"MOVI"}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}IT'S HOLLYWOOD LEGEND THAT THE 1959 VERSN OF BEN-HUR—THAT WENT ONTO W A RERD 11 OSRS—HAD A GAY ROMANCE THAT MANY DIENCE MEMBERS NEVER PICKED UP {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}THE HIDN GAY RELATNSHIP BETWEEN THE TWO MA CHARACTERS WAS BROUGHT TO LIGHT THE 1995 DOCUMENTARY THE CELLULOID CLOSET WHEN GORE VIDAL REVEALED THAT HE WAS BROUGHT ON THE FILM AS A SCRIPT DOCTOR AND REWROTE SCEN TO "HT HEAVILY AT A PRR SEXUAL RELATNSHIP BETWEEN CHARLTON HTON’S TLE CHARACTER AND HIS CHILDHOOD IEND (AND LATER BETRAYER) MSALA (STEPHEN BOYD)," REPORTS THE {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}AFTER VIDAL'S MENTS THE FILM'S STAR CHARLTON HTON WROTE TO THE LOS ANGEL TIM BLASTG HIM FOR TARNISHG A HOLLYWOOD CLASSIC WH HOMOSEXUALY—BUT HTON DIDN'T KNOW ABOUT THE RELATNSHIP BETWEEN BEN-HUR AND MSALA BEE NO ONE TOLD HIM BEFORE THE SHOOT. VIDAL DID NFIRM THAT "HE HAD DISCSED THE MATTER WH BOYD, WHO DULY FOLLOWED THE SCREENWRER’S LEAD FOR THE KEY SCENE WHICH THE BOYHOOD CHUMS MEET AGA AFTER MANY YEARS APART."{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}EVEN DIRECTOR WILLIAM WYLER ME AROUND TO VIDAL'S REASONG FOR THE NEED OF A PAST ROMANCE BETWEEN THE TWO {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}VIDAL EXPLAED THIS HIS LETTER TO THE L.A. TIM:{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"OVER THE YEARS, I HAVE TOLD THE STORY OF HOW, FACED WH A HOPELS SCRIPT FOR BEN-HUR, I PERSUAD THE PRODUCER, SAM ZIMBALIST (THIS WAS AN MGM FILM AND THE WRER WORKED NOT WH THE DIRECTOR BUT THE PRODUCER; LATER THE DIRECTOR, THIS SE WILLIAM WYLER, WEIGHED ) THAT THE ONLY WAY ONE ULD JTIFY SEVERAL HOURS OF HATRED BETWEEN TWO LADS – AND ALL THOSE HORS – WAS TO TABLISH, WHOUT SAYG SO WORDS, AN AFFAIR BETWEEN THEM AS BOYS; THEN, WHEN RNED AT PICTURE’S START, THE ROMAN, PLAYED BY STEPHEN BOYD, WANTS TO PICK UP WHERE THEY LEFT OFF AND THE JEW, HTON, SPURNS HIM." {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-BOX;DISPLAY:-WEBK-FLEX;DISPLAY:-MS-FLEXBOX;DISPLAY:FLEX;-WEBK-BOX-PACK:CENTER;-WEBK-JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;-MS-FLEX-PACK:CENTER;JTIFY-NTENT:CENTER;} .TWTER-TWEET-RENRED, {M-WIDTH:65%;WIDTH:TO !IMPORTANT;} {WIDTH:100%;} {MARG-LEFT:TO !IMPORTANT;MARG-RIGHT:TO !IMPORTANT;} IMG{MAX-WIDTH:100%;WIDTH:100%;} > IAME{BORR:NONE;MAX-WIDTH:100%;} > *{MAX-WIDTH:NONE !IMPORTANT;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}"THIS IS THE SCENE THAT WAS SHOT AND THIS IS THE SCENE THAT VIEWERS OF THE CELLULOID CLOSET WATCHED, WH MY MENTARY. LOS ANGEL TIM FILM CRIC KENH TURAN WROTE THAT “SEEG AN APPROPRIATE CLIP MAK A STRONG SE FOR THE TTH OF VIDAL’S ASSERTN THAT BOYD WAS ON THE SCHEME WHILE HTON WAS NOT.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SO DO THE NEW BEN-HUR REMAKE KEEP THE GAY SUBTEXT TACT?{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}“IT WASN’T SOMETHG WE AVOID BUT WASN’T SOMETHG WE HAD,” SAID TOBY KEBBELL—WHO PLAYS MSALA THE LATT VERSN—AT THIS WEEK'S L.A. PREMIERE. “IN 1959, THE GAY NTEXT WAS VERY IMPORTANT. THEY NEED A VOICE. YOU SHOULDN’T HAVE TO HI THE DARK ABOUT SOMETHG YOU FEEL AND YOU’RE GROWN WH. THAT WAS THEIR OWN THG THEY WANTED TO PORTRAY AND WE DIDN’T NEED TO. 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THEY’RE RAISED THE SAME HOEHOLD AND ’S SO TRAGIC TO SEE THEIR FAY JT RIPPED APART.”{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}SOMEHOW WE THK VIDAL WOULD {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}BEN-HUR IS THEATERS AUGT {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;PADDG:24PX 0;} A{LOR:#354A4E;-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;TEXT-RATN:UNRLE;} A:HOVER, A:FOC{-WEBK-TEXT-RATN:NONE;TEXT-RATN:NONE;} B, STRONG{FONT-WEIGHT:700;}H/T: THE IRISH {BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;CLEAR:BOTH;}{BOX-SIZG:BORR-BOX;MARG:0 TO;WIDTH:90%;M-WIDTH:288PX;MAX-WIDTH:1440PX;M-HEIGHT:194PX;}LATT NEWS

Vidal says he created the homoerotic plot orr to make Msala’s hatred for Judah seem more believable. ”Acrdg to Kebbel, gay rights has advanced so much that the notn of homoerotic subtext isn’t somethg we need film now.

THE STRAIGHT-WASHG OF “BEN-HUR”: REMAKE OF THE '59 EPIC DROPS GAY SUBTEXT — AND BEEFS UP RELIG THEM

“In 1959, the gay ntext was very important, ” he said at the Ben-Hur premiere. "But while we certaly are livg a different time than 1959, gay relatnship are still largely absent om big blockbter movi.

In fact, this year’s big summer films were full of characters who were almost or vaguely gay—but we’ve still yet to see explicly gay characters at the center of a big-budget spectacle film spe very vol mands om advocy groups like perhaps Ben—Hur—which, remember, rri the subtle A Tale of the Christ—was never gog to be the film to give that.

BEN-HUR IS COURTG CHRISTIANS, DEFELY NOT GAYS

” And given the posive receptn, may be that this Ben-Hur—stripped of any potentially ntroversial gay subtext, and given a happier endg than eher the book or the 1959 versn—will pull a larger dienc. The acerbic wrer Gore Vidal once said that there was, his opn, “no such thg as a homosexual or a heterosexual person”. “There are only homo or heterosexual acts.

BEN-HUR'S GAY SUBTEXT IS NEED NOW MORE THAN EVER

For the release of the 1995 documentary The Celluloid Closet, which revealed the gay subtexts a number of famo Hollywood movi, the celebrated playwright, sayist and thor of ntroversial 1948 novel The Cy and the Pillar revealed he rewrote scen the early part of the 1959 biblil epic Ben-Hur to ht heavily at a prr sexual relatnship between Charlton Hton’s tle character and his childhood iend (and later betrayer) Msala (Stephen Boyd) revelatn ed a storm the letters pag of the Los Angel Tim 1996, wh Hton accg Vidal of exaggeratg his part wrg the screenplay and nigratg the good name of the film’s director, William Wyler. In his reply to the Tim, Vidal revealed there was good reason for the film’s star to have been unaware of the Ben-Hur/Msala relatnship’s gay subtext, as no one had dared tell him about before the shoot.

BEN-HUR 'GAY SUB-PLOT' NOT NECSARY 2016, SAYS STAR TOBY KEBBELL

Asked if the new versn would addrs Vidal’s readg of the relatnship between Ben-Hur and Msala, Kebbell told the UK Prs Associatn: “It wasn’t somethg we avoid but wasn’t somethg we had, ” then add: “In 1959, the gay ntext was very important. ”So here we have one key st member suggtg there is no need for a gay readg bee the battle for equaly has been won 2016.

At a time when Glaad has repeatedly lled on Hollywood to improve the visibily of posive gay characters major movi – pecially given the promence of LGBT leads on the small screen h TV shows such as Orange is the New Black – would surely have ma more sense to explore Vidal’s readg.

In the 1995 documentary film The Celluloid Closet (based on Vo Rso’s book and lecture seri), Hollywood’s sketchy history wh pictg homosexualy on screen was vtigated wh great, specific tail. From the Hays Co to the League of Decency, om queer villas to predatory lbians, om fey sikicks to tragic AIDS victims, The Celluloid Closet put Hollywood’s history of d moralizg, erasure, and monizatn of gay characters on full blast. It also poted out the many ways which, while rtricted by the productn s the ’40s, ’50s, and ’60s, filmmakers managed to sneak gay ntent anyway.

HOW CHARLTON HTON PLAYED A GAY MAN WHOUT KNOWG ‘BEN-HUR’

Further, Vidal claims that, after nsultatn wh Wyler and Boyd (but not Hton, who would have objected), he wrote one particular scene, where the tranged Ben-Hur and Msala meet aga, wh heavy gay subtext.

Vidal, a wrer and tellectual, famoly rejected scriptors like “homosexual” and “heterosexual” as fns, but would be false to tiptoe around Vidal’s gayns as central to his role as a social provotr, a pose he took often, ually opposn to nservativ like Hton and William F. For s, the Hollywood system systematilly erased the acplishments of gay men and women. After wrg the movi, starrg them, directg them, and beg volved the film dtry on all levels, gay men and women were closeted and gay characters were obscured and erased.

This quasi-Biblil tale starrg Charlton damn Hton is as gay as blaz, and acrdg to one of s wrers, was om the moment was filmed.