Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed – REVIEW

Rock Hudson: All That Heaven Allowed is an insightful documentary which all cinephiles and enthusiasts of the movies from the Golden Years of Hollywood should enjoy.

Rock Hudson was an iconic ‘lady’s leading man’ in the 1950s and’ 60s, regarded as the biggest star and the number one box office draw in Hollywood. He was the Tom Cruise of his day. Women fantasised about being with Rock Hudson while men fantasied about being Rock Hudson.

He lived a double life. He was gay and cleverly closeted by the studio system, as being gay in Hollywood in that era was taboo – if the truth came out it would have instantly killed his career.

The tabloids were looking for trash on homosexuals in the movie business with headlines warning, ‘Homos are taking over Hollywood!’

The tabloids announced that Hudson, at the age of 30, was ‘suspiciously unmarried’, so the studios devised a sham marriage for him with Phyllis Gates (who was rumoured to be bisexual) to keep the tabloids at bay. He was even taught how to act heterosexual.

But how long could Hollywood keep this secret from surfacing, since nearly everyone who worked in the film industry knew or heard rumours about Rock Hudson’s sexual persuasion?

Strangely, Hudson wasn’t concerned about the truth coming out – he was more concerned about receiving bad reviews for his performances.

In the early 1980s when the ‘mystery illness’ AIDS came to worldwide attention and Hudson’s health started to decrease the rumours about Hudson resurfaced. The truth was finally revealed and he succumbed to the deadly virus in 1985 at the age of 59.

This is an interesting and very in depth documentary. Old Hollywood photographs and footage from most of Hudson’s movies are utilised to display his macho onscreen persona. In contrast,  interviews with close friends and ex-lovers reveal what Rock Hudson was really like away from the cameras.

A wealth of information is brought to the table from interviews that have been recorded over the years with Doris Day, Linda Evans, Piper Laurie and Ross Hunter amongst others.

A never before revealed phone recording with Hudson where a studio employee sets him up on a sexual rendezvous with one of his friends should raise eyebrows, as should footage from his beefcake parties at his place of residence known as ‘The Castle.’

Former lovers detailing their sexual experiences with Hudson may be confronting for many viewers.

Memorable is a fascinating interview with Linda Evans of that infamous kiss scene with Hudson in the ’80s hit series Dynasty. She reveals that her friends refused to visit her after she filmed the scene because they were afraid of being infected with AIDS.

Ultimately this documentary reveals an actor who had chiselled good looks and a 6’5’’ frame, who never physically hurt anybody and was content with what he considered his ideal lifestyle. Should he have been ostracised for his sexual persuasion had the truth been uncovered?

★★★★

Available to watch on digital platforms from October 25