In & Out

Howard Brackett (Kevin Kline) is a high school teacher with everything; a job he loves, a fiancé who is crazy about him, and a town who universally respects him. Now, one of his

Students, Cameron Drake (Matt Dillion) is up for an Oscar. Like any good teacher, this is a big moment for Howard Brackett; one of his students is making his mark on the world.

And Cameron makes a mark; the film is about a gay soldier, a decorated war hero, discharged for his sexuality. Cameron does something very special, dedicating his Oscar to the teacher who inspired him, Howard Brackett. "And he's gay."

Those three words, tacked on to the end of the speech like the fuse is tacked onto the dynamite, floored everyone in Greenleaf Indiana.

Howard turns to Emily, his fiancée (Joan Cusack). Emily turns to Howard, a question in her eyes. "Of course I'm not gay!" he proclaims.

There is a knock on the door. It's Howard's parents, Berniece (Debbie Reynolds) and Frank (Wilford Brumley). That same look is on their face. The denials bring them together for a very funny discussion of possible courses of action. The parents make their position very clear.

Bernice: Howard, we want you to know, you're our son, and we'll always love you, gay, straight, red, green, if you rob a bank, if you kill someone.

Frank: If you get drunk, climb a clock tower, and take out the town.

Bernice: As long as you get married. I need some music, and beauty and place cards before I die. It's like Heroin.

Not much pressure.

And the next day the rest of the town is in on the act. And the Media.

Leading the vultures of the fourth estate is Peter Malloy (Tom Selleck) Peter senses an even bigger story, and he remains in town, relentlessly interviewing everybody.

And let's face it; there are something's you have to wonder about. He's neat, clean, poetic, educated, kind, a totally decent human being. Of course he looks gay. And there is that whole Barbara Streisand thing:

Peter Malloy: If you're not gay, what was Barbara Streisand's eighth album?

Howard: Color me Barbara.

Peter: Stud!

Howard: Everybody knows that!

Peter: Everybody where? Little gay bar on the prairie?

Howard comes unglued at Peter for trying to out him. Peter admits he himself is gay. Later, he helps Howard, with a long hot kiss that totally discombobulates the poor man.

Emily is also suffering. Overweight and with low self-esteem, she has slaved to loose weight to fit in her wedding gown. As Howard is falling apart, she is winding tighter. But finally after self analysis, a brawl at the stag party, and every other conceivable disaster, the big day arrives.

The wedding is beautiful. Everyone in town is there. The church drips with white flowers. It's every bride's dream.

And when the minister asks Howard if he takes Emily to be his lawful wedded wife, his answer is "I'm gay."

Talk about coming out!

If Howard's life was chaotic before, it is being systematically dismantled now.

Well, you fairly well know there is going to be a happy ending, and there is. I was amazed at how very happy it was, because honey, most coming out stories are one of two models: No big deal, and Drama. And the more drama, the more damage it tends to do to everyone around.

But you can forgive Hollywood this little foible. It's a great story.

I have heard so many comments about this movie. It suffered at the box office because of the gay kiss. And many gay critics have bashed the movie as an overly sanitized piece of tripe that promotes inappropriate gay stereotypes.

Well, I think there were a lot of stereotypes in this movie; in fact, you can make a case that everyone was a little stereotypical, especially some of the minor characters, like Sonya the supermodel.

So what if it was sanitized? I think that was a very good idea. I like to think of this movie as the training wheels in the celluloid path to greater gay acceptance. This is a movie that you can watch with straight friends, or family members. It opens the door to questions that can bring greater understanding. It gives people some of the first glance into what the closet is like, but without depressing them.

There were several brilliant performances. Of course, Kline is a genius and carries the show. Debbie Reynolds is amazing as the sweet yet diabolical Berniece, and Wilford Brumley as the long suffering Frank. Another memorable performance was Bob Newhart as Principal Tom Halliwell, the closest thing this piece has to a villain. But the top honors, and an Oscar Nomination went to Joan Cusack as long suffering Emily Montgomery. Her meltdown in a wedding dress is about the funniest thing ever.

This entire movie deserved better than it got. If it had been made today, she might have gotten the award, and the film would have been recognized by more than its 7 wins and 10 nominations.

But part of the reason that we have movies like Brokeback Mountain is because this movie opened the path. And that is the value of overly sanitized comedies about stereotypical characters.