Reviews

I have lost count of the number of times I have seen this wonderful documentary. The archival material alone -- film clips and still photographs of gay life in America between 1900 and the '60s -- is enough to make this film a treasure; but it is the interviews with survivors of the pre-Stonewall era that make Before Stonewall a priceless heirloom of gay studies and a must in the personal education of any socially conscious person interested in gay culture.

The impact of this film recently became clear to me when I realized that having seen it only once, nearly 25 years ago, I was still thinking of it. It has become part of my internal landscape, and I tend to compare every comedic treatment of gays on film to my memory of The Gay Deceivers. It is rather sad to think that the best and probably most honest comedy about gay life in America was made so long ago, and in a time when homosexuality was still rarely hinted at in main-stream cinema. See this rare and wonderful film if you can -- urge your local film festival, art house or PBS station to acquire the rights to screen it. It deserves to be rediscovered by a new generation.

This film is a great example of a good, solid B comedy of the early '50s, and has always been a favorite of mine. A superb cast of veteran studio players make the most of a light, ironic script. Eve Arden is particularly good as the arch, wise-cracking neighbor. The tone of the film is "suburbs-sophisticated" -- it will remind present-day audiences of the best old TV sit-coms of the '50s and early '60s. Suburban man versus nature in the form of a cage full of live minks. Lots of fun.