Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed

Greetings again from the darkness. Actors earn a living thanks to their ability to perform in front of the camera (or a live audience) as someone else ... making the audience believe they are a particular character of interest. But what happens when an actor must continue acting once the cameras stop rolling? Such was the life of Roy Fitzgerald, a man known worldwide as Rock Hudson. Documentarian Stephen Kijak chronicles the complications faced by Rock Hudson - maintaining the All-American public persona, while hiding a personal life that likely would have ended his career had his secret life as a gay man been publicized.

Perhaps the biggest surprise here is that the secret was kept for decades, even though so many in the industry were well aware. The answer to 'why' this wasn't a big deal at a time it certainly would have been a big deal is likely related to just how likeable and nice Rock Hudson was. Not only did he have incredible appeal to both men and women, he was also an extraordinarily nice man ... a matinee idol with the real life personality of Tom Hanks. Of course, here we are almost 40 years later, and Rock Hudson's legacy is often boiled down to the fact that he was the first true celebrity to go public with his AIDS diagnosis, ultimately passing away from the disease in 1985 at age 59.

As is often the case, there is much more to the man than the headlines. After serving in the Navy during WWII, it was 1946 when he headed to Hollywood. There he met Ken Lodge who helped him get his start, and it was industry big-wig Henry Wilson who thought 'Roy Fitzgerald' was a pleasant enough name, but "Rock Hudson" was much better. And it was Wilson who molded Hudson into the 'ladies man' Adonis we grew accustomed to seeing on screen. Wilson even taught him how to come across as "hetero", and stressed the importance of not being photographed with his 'friends' while in public. We even hear candid interviews from George Nader and Mark Miller who were very close friends of Hudson's, and we understand how "The Castle" became the hangout to avoid public scrutiny.

Director Kijack is very clever in his use of archival movie clips that now can be interpreted much differently than when Hudson's movies first played. When clumped together like this, we wonder how the clues were missed, and just how intentional some of the dialogue and situations were. We hear from the doctor who diagnosed Hudson with AIDS, and the importance of Reagan politics in the era is emphasized. One of the most heart-wrenching sequences revolves around the "Dynasty" episode where Hudson, knowing he was infected with AIDS, had to kiss series star Linda Evans. We also see how his long-time friends Doris Day and Elizabeth Taylor rallied around him when he went public.

Classic film lovers know Rock Hudson received his only Oscar nomination for GIANT (1957), and it should be noted that his thirty year career spanned just about every genre: the iconic Rom-Coms with Doris Day (PILLOW TALK, 1959); dramas (ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWS, 1955); war (A GATHERING OF EAGLES, 1963); westerns (BEND OF THE RIVER, 1952); science-fiction ("The Mirror Crack'd"); crime-mysteries (PRETTY MAIDS ALL IN A ROW, 1971); and thrillers (ICE STATION ZEBRA, 1968). He also starred alongside Susan Saint James and Nancy Walker in one of my favorite TV series from the 1970's, "McMillan and Wife." Yet, despite so many terrific performances, shows, and films, Rock Hudson's most challenging and impressive role was certainly that of Rock Hudson.

Premiering on MAX on June 28, 2023.

For those of us who have read about Rock Hudson's life after his passing, there's really nothing new in this documentary, other than random interviews with people who knew him and who share their memories. The film also doesn't feel complete; strangely, there's the glaring omission of the lawsuit that Hudson's partner, Marc Christian, filed after his death (in fact, there's no mention of Christian at all in the documentary, possibly for legal reasons). They were partners for the six years preceding his death and Christian passed away in 2009... so the fact that the details of their relationship as well as the famous lawsuit were omitted seems particularly striking.

I also found the constant interspersing of clips from Hudson's films to become distracting after awhile. The filmmakers seemed to think it was clever to find similarities in Hudson's life with many of the scenes from his films, but after about an hour I felt the constant interruptions in the narrative with these asides eventually became so overused that it intruded on the tone of the documentary itself. This became particularly obvious at the end when the documentary details Hudson's passing. Probably 30 minutes of the film's 104 minute running time seem to be made up of clips that are used in this manner. Some of them have been edited by the filmmakers to be humorous in order to unnecessarily drive home a point.

Overall, I've been looking forward to seeing this film since I've heard about it but ultimately found it to be pretty disappointing. If you know nothing about Rock Hudson or his life, this might be interesting... but for many of us there isn't much territory that hasn't already been explored here.

It's certainly not news that Rock Hudson led a double life as a world renowned movie star adored by legions of his female fans and a closeted gay man who became the first prominent celebrity victim of AIDS in 1985. This sympathetic 2023 documentary, however, doesn't paint a dour portrait of a tortured soul but rather a self-reliant man who separated his public and private lives through personal finesse and the support of a close circle of friends. Director Stephen Kijak does a masterful job of melding archival footage and contextually relevant clips from Hudson's films to reveal the personal challenges he faced in navigating his carefully presented public image. At the same time, interviews with surviving friends and intimates highlight not only his voracious sexual appetite but his reputation for being a true professional and trustworthy friend. The last section effectively deals with his AIDS diagnosis and his very public physical deterioration including a heartbreaking betrayal from a longtime friend, First Lady Nancy Reagan. Even if you're familiar with his biography, you'll find new surprises here nearly four decades after his death.

Roy "Rock Hudson" Fitzgerald is brought to life in the most nuanced, 'flesh-out' form possible after all these years.

Aimed to be non-exploitative, the docu lets us understand the paradox of life living behind the created facade of all-American straight stud that 'all women wanted' and all men 'wanted to be'.

He learned how to be a star. It took many more years to be comfortable winking at and living in both worlds. Not a fusion of both. Not a modern out life.

In an instant he could go from his gay circle and all those who 'knew', plus the times he was out around around in public with boyfriends etc. - and did not give a damn who saw what and knew (as long as no pics to publish, please) and kept the 'secret' to his public star personna.

Armistead Maupin was a confident and bud in later years and tried to persuade have RH toward a path toward coming out, years before RH and aids. That was one thing RH would not do.

There are significant new interviews presented with so many important persons in RH personal and professional life, whom were available when the film was made.

We have affection look at Elizabeth Taylor's close friendship from the time of "GIANT". And then what about James Dean ... frenemies with RH and that's all that can be gotten of Dean and Rock in those brief days before Dean died just before that film was finished.

Of course I was still quite interested about RH early days in Hollywood. That is brought to life well, as it follows toward RH breakout and as a big star, being pushed into having 'beard' stories let into the celeb gossip mags, and then into a marriage. Lots of a few intimate friends a few lovers or close buds who could be interviewed and were very candid. Much appreciated more of their stories could be told.

Questions about why, what of Phyllis Gates still float around. Robert Hofler, author of "The Man Who Invented Rock Hudson: The Pretty Boys and Dirty Deals of Henry Willson" made it clear that Phyllis Gates, to him, Gates was a 'blackmailer' and gay (he did not say bi). So the marriage arrangement crashed and burned. Never again for Rock. He forged his own life, a way to be comfortable in his own body, in his own circles and still deliver the goods to 'Hollywood. The dirt and inuendo stopped flowing on RH. The celeb. Gossip press (infamously to those who understood) before, were offered up dirt on more reclusive and not as big a star, Tab Hunter, for backing off on stories about Rock.

Archival materials are included which have never been seen by the public. Beyond expected articles and film, we see many personal pics of RH and friends and lovers at most relaxed, unguarded moments.

The most distinctive aspect of this documentary is the use of clips from so many of RH movies as prescient, revealing, biting commentary on RH's life. Funny, amazing lines, some dramatic commentary on his own life and fate (perhaps) and some so much like a little coming out. Stunning clips - they did their homework going thu RH films closely!

It just worked out that way somehow. Taken out of context of his films plots, they are amazingly autobiographic.

• at World Premiere, Tribeca Film Festival June 11.

Clean-cut All-American Boy Roy Scherer Jr. Probably never envisioned the life he would eventually lead when he was growing up in Winnetka, IL. But, once he transformed into rugged, handsome matinee idol Rock Hudson, it all came together, even if it was not how and what he imagined. As one of Hollywood's most sought-after actors in the 1950s, '60s and '70s, Hudson emerged as one of Tinsel Town's biggest stars in the movies and on television. He was also someone who throngs of women lusted after as a romantic interest, an image that his handlers carefully crafted. There was just one snag in this plan: Hudson was a closeted gay man whose private life had to be discreetly managed to preserve his reputation and the future viability of his career. It was as if he were leading two lives - a public life as an allegedly straight regular guy and a private, judiciously guarded one in which he could be himself as a gay man. And, even though almost everyone in Hollywood's inner circle knew the truth about him, Hudson's public persona was successfully preserved, despite occasional (and widely discredited) tabloid rumors. However, when the idol was diagnosed with AIDS in 1984, the secret could no longer be contained, despite official denials to the contrary. Yet, with this revelation, Hudson became the face of this frightening new illness, a condition no one wanted to talk about. It was thus ironic how this once-heavily sequestered gay man would become an unwitting activist for patients suffering with this debilitating disease, helping to generate attention and funding at a time when the homophobic Reagan Administration refused to do anything meaningful about it. Director Stephen Kijak's new HBO documentary presents a comprehensive look at Hudson's professional and personal life, with ample contemporary and archive clips and interviews with those who worked with him, such as actresses Elizabeth Taylor, Linda Evans, Piper Laurie and Carole Cook, and with those who knew him privately, such as author Armistead Maupin, actor Peter Kevoian and biographer Mark Griffin. While much is known about Hudson's entertainment career, little has been publicly circulated about his personal life, a development that marks a significant change with the release of this new film. Interestingly, there's a fair degree of irony in the choice of movie and TV clips included here in that many of them are quietly telling about the actor's personal life when viewed in this new light, almost as if they represented muted, inside revelations at the time these works were made. Some of the content (particularly in the interviews about Hudson's private life) could be seen as sexually explicit, so sensitive viewers should take heed. In all though, this insightful, respectful look at the actor's life as both a gifted entertainer and an unlikely hero delivers a well-rounded biography of a man who toiled to strike a balance in his two worlds, both for his fans and for those who shared his secret, an effort that yielded a lot of good in both areas.