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NOTE: It goes without saying that most gays aren't hairdressers and many -- maybe most -- hairdressers aren't
gay, but we include this movie on this page because Beatty's character's sexual orientation is questioned throughout the film
simply because of his profession (among other reasons) ... see below.
SHAMPOO (1975). Directed by Hal Ashby. Written by Warren Beatty and Robert Towne. This movie, if possible, seems
to have gotten worse since its release over thirty years ago. Beatty plays a studly straight hairdresser who is juggling several
women and hoping to open his own beauty salon. His ex-girlfriend (Julie Christie, who looks a lot sexier before Beatty does her hair) tries to interest her married paramour (Jack Warden) in investing in Beatty,
who is also bagging Warden's wife (Lee Grant). This whole thing should have been a wild and crazy farce, but it's leaden-paced
and never very funny. Even in 1975 the picture would have been a lot more edgy and daring if Beatty's character had at least
been bisexual or a “Don Juan homosexual,” but of course Beattty had his Hollywood image to consider. Instead,
the film offers a few dumb, homophobic comments. Although the movie tries to drag in the political elections of the period
for some social commentary, this ploy backfires as the movie ultimately says little about anything. The characters are all
underwritten, and the death of the beauty shop owner's son in an accident is an awkward attempt to add some depth far too
late in the movie. Since we've hardly gotten to know the shop owner, and never even see his son, this incident has absolutely
no impact [it would at least have had some resonance had the young man been killed in Viet Nam]. The scene where Christie
gives Beatty a blow job under the table at a political dinner is admittedly amusing, but it's the only laugh-out moment in
this alleged “comedy.” NOTE: In a misguided if admirable attempt to be sensitive to gay viewers, the pc closed
captioning on Turner Classic Movies changed the line “why would my being a faggot have anything to do with that?' to
“what difference would my being gay make?” But in doing this the captioners change the meaning of the line and
prevent viewers of any orientation from being able to judge the gay-sensitivity [or not] of the film. Hint: It has little
gay sensitivity.
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