He's All Man: Learning Masculinity, Gayness, and Love from American Movies [Hardcover]

Prof. John M. Clum (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 20, 2002

"He's All Man" is John M. Clum's insightful, biting and characteristically humorous analysis of the central myths of American manhood that have been propagated by Hollywood films and dramatized by our major playwrights. In the politically incorrect way he dared to ask "What happened to gay irony?" in Something for the Boys, Clum now dares to ask the explosive question "What is the vision of the American Male that Hollywood has sold us?" “He's All Man” examines the ways in which homoeroticism has been part of the myth of American manhood, wrapping itself around cowboy, soldier, and gangster legends as they fuse to create a picture of the quintessential American male. From Audie Murphy to The Sands of Iwo Jima and The Maltese Falcon, Clum takes us on a tour of the roughs, the toughs, and the fluffs that swagger, strut, and pirouette their way through the Hollywood Masculinity Machine and the ways in which gay filmmakers have bought into the Hollywood vision of manhood and romance. Just as Something for the Boys raised hackles and caused controversy over Lorenz Hart's lyrics and Ethel Merman's lungs, “He's All Man” will surely do the same for Edward G. Robinson's cigar and Marlon Brando's t-shirt.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

Clum's (drama & English, Duke) latest does for movies what his earlier Something for the Boys did for theater: it gives readers a definitive treatment of how a popular form represents gay men and, more generally, manhood. Although Clum continues to include some references to plays in this work, his main focus remains American film. And unlike other academics, he does not attempt to "queer" the subject, that is, to interpret it from a gay/queer perspective, but rather wants to examine broader social issues that it implicates and to answer the highly provocative question, "What is the vision of the American male that Hollywood has sold us?" In other words, Clum does not just seek to identify gay references in film but also attempts to explore and come to terms with topics such as violence and masculinity, gender equity in portrayals, fathers on-screen, and images of gay men both before and after the advent of liberation movements of the 1960s. Fortunately for general readers, his style is accessible, so most people will be able to enjoy reading this book even if only as a survey. Libraries collecting popular culture or film studies will want to own this title. Some comparable works include Richard Dyer's Now You See It: Studies on Gay and Lesbian Film (1994) and his Culture of Queers (2002). David Azzolina, Univ. of Pennsylvania Libs., Philadelphia
Copyright 2002 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Review

“. . . the show queen's encyclopedia and handbook.” --Washington Post Book World

“One relishes [Clum’s] personal voice; it’s like an enthusiastic letter from an old friend that starts, ‘Oh, my God, I saw the best show last night!'” --Out Magazine

“This knockout. . . tale of musical theater and its intersection with gay culture is as good a definition of cabaret as it gets. . . a delicious dish-filled analysis. . .” --Time Out New York

“Whether he’s dissecting gay innuendoes and subtext or lauding queenly idols like Angela Lansbury and Bea Arthur, Clum is in his element: knowledgeable, critical and a true lover of the genre.” --Publishers Weekly

“...Laudably refreshing...” --The New York Times Book Review

"...Clum's volume has its own share of worthwhile insights, particularly regarding classic Hollywood films and their stars..."--Choice

"...an insightful and humorous look at the central themes of American manhood..."--Philadelphia Gay News

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 288 pages
• Publisher: Palgrave Macmillan; 1 edition (April 20, 2002)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031224035X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312240356
• Product Dimensions: 9.6 x 6.4 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 1.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (1 customer review)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,612,168 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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5 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Someone's gotta say it, November 10, 2003

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ReadListenWatch "readersince58" (New York, NY USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: He's All Man: Learning Masculinity, Gayness, and Love from American Movies (Hardcover)

Is it possible that this book's been on sale for a year and a half and no one's read it? Or is everyone just too polite to call a trowel a trowel?

No matter.

Clum's manner of writing is excruciating, what he has to say isn't worth saying, and the rollercoaster swooping from on-high academia to leering and drooling over actors is nauseating.

Perhaps the typo in Ted Chapin's book about Follies is not so off the mark: Thank you, John Crum(b).