Homoeroticism in pre-Stonewall motorcycle gang films
Motorcycle gang films were some of the earliest Hollywood products to showcase sexual play between men. Here’s a rundown of some pre-Stonewall examples:
The Wild One (1953) directed by Laslo Benedek
The plot centers on an all-male gang of thirty or so who spend their weekends in leathers, cruising the countryside looking for kicks. There’s no overt homoeroticism, unless you count a couple gang members jitterbugging to a jazz tune. But Johnny (Marlon Brando) introduces the classic outfit that became a standard for gay biker attire as portrayed by Tom of Finland and many other gay artists to follow.
Scorpio Rising (1963) directed by Kenneth Anger
This isn’t a Hollywood product per se, it’s an underground short film made by Hollywood-based avant garde (and gay) filmmaker Kenneth Anger. It begins with the camera panning sensuously over the polished chrome hardware of a motorcycle engine, transitions to shots of bikers gearing up in fetishy leathers (one of them watching The Wild One on TV as he dresses), then to a party scene with strong S&M overtones that includes glimpses of rear and partial front male nudity. The film became a favorite with gay audiences at midnight movie screenings, and influenced at least one later biker film.
The Wild Angels (1966) directed by Roger Corman
The title was inspired by The Wild One, and the opening scene copies Scorpio Rising’s sensuous view of motorcycle hardware. There isn’t a whole lot of homoerotic activity; improbably, every guy in this biker gang has a girl sitting on his bike behind him. But there’s an early scene where Loser (Bruce Dern) menaces a coworker (Dick Miller) with his tongue in an overtly sexual way, as Blues (Peter Fonda) holds the guy’s arms behind him – a daring bit of theater for its day. Later on, at the wild party that serves as Loser’s funeral, there’s a blurry, extremely brief shot of two guys kissing. One of them isn’t fully in the picture, and it goes by so quick you have to freeze-frame to be sure of what you’re seeing, but it’s there. The guys who kissed were not credited characters in the film, and were probably two of the real-life Hell’s Angels who were hired as extras.
Hells Angels on Wheels (1967) directed by Richard Rush
This biker gang here is also well stocked with females, but the film includes several instances of male-on-male kissing and sexual play, all of which are intended to convey an atmosphere of sexual freedom but are nonetheless presented as guys just “clowning around.” In the opening credits, when two real-life Hell’s Angels clubs (Oakland and San Francisco? Or Daly City?) meet at a crossroads, Sonny Barger (Oakland club president) greets the lead biker of the other club with a big theatrical kiss. At the party where Poet (Jack Nicholson) is accepted as a prospect, Buddy (Adam Roarke) gives him a lingering kiss on the cheek, much to his dismay. When Gypsy (James Oliver) and Abigail (Jana Taylor) announce their engagement, Bull (Richard Anders) dry-humps Gypsy with a few solid thrusts. Finally, out on the road, after Jocko (John Garwood) gets away from the cops, a few kisses on the mouth are exchanged by the guys, including one between Jocko and Poet (who’s more receptive to it this time around). If you ever wanted to see Jack Nicholson kiss a guy, this is your chance.
The Born Losers (1967) directed by Tom Laughlin
Released just a couple weeks after Hell’s Angels on Wheels, this was the first appearance of Laughlin’s character Billy Jack. The bikers are the bad guys here. In a bar scene, the head villain Danny (Jeremy Slate) gives Gangrene (Jeff Cooper) an open-mouthed kiss with a very blatant helping of tongue. It's considered to be the first unambiguously gay kiss with unmistakably sexual intent seen in a feature-length Hollywood film in general release. Later, in a party scene, gang member Crabs (Edwin Cook) says multiple times, “Hey guys, let’s all jump in the shower together!” These were the most overt displays of homosexuality in any mainstream Hollywood film to date. And, of course, those who indulged in them were the villains of the story.