A Retrospective of In & Out
On March 21st, 1994, Tom Hanks won the Academy Award for Best Actor in a Leading Role for Philadelphia, and from it I think the world was changed for the better. In what is regarded as one of the most memorable acceptance speeches, he took the time to address the hundreds of thousands of lives lost to the AIDS epidemic, highlighting two inspirational people in his life, and unknowingly inspired a movie.
When Hanks thanked Rawley Farnsworth and John Gilkerson for being “two of the finest gay Americans,” he planted the seed for what is one of my all-time favorite films, In & Out. Not to be confused with Disney's Inside Out or the fast food chain.
In & Out centers around the small midwestern town of Greenleaf, Indiana. A town that gathers for Oscars night as they root for their very own Cameron Drake, a former Greenleaf resident turned Hollywood heartthrob. And when Cameron wins for Best Actor for playing Johnny, a soldier dishonorably discharged for being gay, he thanks his former English teacher Howard Brackett in his acceptance speech for being an inspirational gay figure.
It’s just like Hanks shouting out Farnsworth, except in this fictionalized version, Farnsworth was never asked permission to be mentioned. And instead of being openly out like Farnsworth, Howard considers himself to be straight. So Cameron’s announcement comes as a shock to not only Howard but the entirety of Greenleaf, especially since he’s three days away from his wedding to his fiancée, Emily. Even though a public, un-forewarned outing is a nightmare to live through, it makes for an exceptional film.
I adore In & Out; I’ve gone so far as to use my birthday as an opportunity to screen it for a group of my friends. But I've found it's not really known. This was one of the first mainstream attempts at a gay comedy in the 90s, yet it's never really talked about. The 90s gave us gay comedies that are considered to be quintessential viewings, like To Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar (1995); The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert (1994); or The Birdcage (1996), which is why I can’t help but wonder why In & Out has been passed over. I’m biased, I understand that, I watched this at the pivotal age of 13, located in my own midwestern town in Ohio. I understand Howard, and I think there are plenty of people who can find joy from this story as well. That doesn’t mean I think everything about the film is perfect, but it does make me question why this movie doesn't even seem to be referenced in pop culture.
Like the aforementioned films, it sports a wonderful cast in Kevin Kline, Joan Cusack, Tom Selleck, Debbie Reynolds, Matt Dillon, Bob Newhart, Shalom Harlow, and Wilford Brimley, even with cameos by Glenn Close and Whoopi Goldberg. Joan Cusack was nominated for an Academy Award, yet this movie still isn’t given its flowers.
Even Soapdish (1991) seems to be referenced more as being a part of the zeitgeist. Up until its final 8 minutes, it's an incredibly fun, campy film, but its climactic trans panic storyline leaves the viewer with the taste of battery acid on the palate. In what is treated like a punchline, the movie decides the way to punish the antagonist is by outing her on a live public broadcast. In & Out ultimately makes a national outing an example of acceptance, unlike Soapdish. It’s hard for me to understand why an equally funny and more accepting film is not thought of as much. Especially in a time like now, a lot of us can identify with Howard’s journey of self-acceptance. And even if we may not be at the point of coming to terms with our identity—I sure wasn’t when I first saw it—it's reassuring to see that your hometown will support you.
Now remember this film is from the 90’s, so this gesture of support takes the shape of a gay Spartacus, a la having the members of town announce variations of “I’m gay” and “If he’s gay, then so are we” to protect him from losing his job. But the film exemplifies that even if we haven’t come to terms with ourselves, we can still be surrounded by people who support us. It is hard to know how you are being perceived when you are still trying to figure everything out, but In & Out gives the ideal version of escapism. It's one in which the community you grew up in doesn't reject you for being the same person you always were but instead embraces you.
I understand I probably relate to Howard more than most. I, too, have made my friends gather for showings of Barbra Streisand films. But we all know how great it is to have the space to be oneself, and this movie exemplifies that want for acceptance and how beautiful it is to see a version of that onscreen. I will always love The Birdcage and To Wong Foo, but I think it's time to allow In & Out a spot on that 90s LGBTQ+ mantel, or at least put it on something with a fabulous window treatment.