The Mechanic : Are they homosexuals?

Are they homosexuals?

Bill Collins, Leonard Maltin's Australian equivalent, suggested that this movie has homosexual undertones ie. the relationship between Bronson's & JMV's characters. Frankly, I just though it was a good action movie but there you go. Any thoughts from others?

Re: Are they homosexuals?

Bronson's character went to a hooker and so he wasn't gay, as for Vincent's character he may well have been. He looks gay in the film, although his obsession with killing probably casts a shadow over any sexual thoughts.

Warner Classic

Re: Are they homosexuals?

Warnerclassic has backed into the truth here. Bronson is so emotionally vacant that he has to go to a nutjob hooker to find some play-acting reality. Vincent isn't gay, but he is a sociopath and that means he may do anything he feels justified in doing to get what he wants. Watch his girlfriend bleed to death-so what? Betray his teacher-why not? Sleep with a man if it gets him whatever he wants-possible, isn't it?

Oh, well. Just bloviating here.

"You eat guts."--Nick Devlin

Re: Are they homosexuals?

How do you look 'gay?'

Re: Are they homosexuals?

No I do not think they are gay. Bronson visits a prostitute and Vincent has a girlfriend, though he apparantly does not really care if she lives or dies. (the suicide scene) Also it is stated in the Vincent dossier Bronson works out, that his (Vincents) interests are fast cars, freaks and girls (and killing I might add). When Vincent sleeps over at Bronson he clearly sleeps in his own bedroom, using a single bed. At last: the very thought of Bronson being gay is impossible, the most macho actor ever!

Re: Are they homosexuals?

What is this lunacy about homosexuality because of a 'buddy' concept? You might as well ask the same question about Riggs and Murtaugh, Tango And Cash, Starsky and Hutch, then you find out that it seems to be the 'in' thing to determine the sexuality of male/female characters because of a certain light they are portrayed in. its ridiculous. Another thing, The Mechanic is an action thriller starring Charles Bronson, you hear me? CHARLES BRONSON! You gonna suggest his character's a poof?!

Re: Are they homosexuals?

It's like that Movie Q & A where the character says, "You gays always accuse everybody else of being Gay". The same crap they tried to pull with Batman. Bob Kane clearly states in his Auto the reason why he created Robin; not the reasons everybody puts on it....Bronson & Vincent weren't Gay.

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Re: Are they homosexuals?

"At last: the very thought of Bronson being gay is impossible, the most macho actor ever!"

You've got that right !
He and Rock Hudson were often seen with their girlfriends at the Polo Lounge.

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Re: Are they homosexuals?


According to Michael Winner, the original script had homosexual elements between Arthur and Steve. Winner decided to make the character straight. Winner mentioned that Charles Bronson would of refuse to be in the film if Bishop was gay.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

Although it would be a very interesting an unique script..a GAY hitman!! lol

Re: Are they homosexuals?

How about the Gig Young and Robert Webber characters in "Bring Me the Head of Alfredo Garcia"?

Re: Are they homosexuals?

And Mr. Kidd and Mr. Wint in Diamonds Are Forever in 1971, which was before The Mechanic. The Jackal has sex with a man as well as a woman in Day of the Jackal in 1973, right after The Mechanic.

Then there's Camp Freddy in 1969's The Italian Job, altho he's more of a gangster, not specifically a hit man. And much later, James Gandolfini played a gay hit man in The Mexican.

...soooo, not first and not unique. Actually, about as trite as an albino hit man (Foul Play, Stick, Lethal Weapon, Da Vinci Code, Moby Dick*).

*lol

Re: Are they homosexuals?

ninfilms can you tell where you find this? just to know your sources

thanks

Re: Are they homosexuals?

I'd heard this as well, that the story was originally about two characters who's relationship was sexually ambiguous. There is a lot of dialogue here that supports that undercurrent. Personally, I found that element added something to the film, not detracted from it.

Bronson was probably afraid that playing an openly gay character in a major film back in 1972 would sound the death knell for his career. Hopefully he didn't have anything personally against gay people.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

Bronson was probably afraid that playing an openly gay character in a major film back in 1972 would sound the death knell for his career.""



Ha,ha...his career would be over if he portrayed a gay man...but portraying a hit man is macho...and your career zooms.

Re: Are they homosexuals?


According to Michael Winner, the original script had homosexual elements between Arthur and Steve. Winner decided to make the character straight. Winner mentioned that Charles Bronson would of refuse to be in the film if Bishop was gay.


You are correct. I read an interview with Monte Hellman recently. He was originally "attached" to this project and was working on it "in development." It was about two homosexual killers. Once Michael Winner expressed interest in the project Hellman was out and so were the homo references. You can make of it what you will...though I think the prostitute scene looks forced, like they just added it at the last minute to show that Bishop was definitely not gay.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

I read in an online review that in the book, Vincent's character plants a kiss on the lips of a dying Bronson before he leaves the hotel room in Naples. So yes, there must have been some homosexual undertones in one of the early drafts. Few, if any, show on-screen.

What bothers me about the movie is that Bronson discovers Vincent wants to kill him from the file he finds inside Vincent's desk. Who sent Vincent that file? Their Mafia organisation hated the fact Bronson brought Vincent in on the deal without notifying them. Moreover, the Mafia tried to kill them both and at the end of the movie Vincent says he wants to be a freelance hitman (unlike Bronson). If he never had a boss, where'd he get that information file on Bronson from?

It's a hole in the script necessary for the Bronson character to find out Vincent's plan, to increase tension and have the cool surprise ending.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

Well, maybe freelancing included gathering the info file on his own as well. If he did not collect that data, my only other guess would be that he lied when claiming he was picking his own targets and that in fact the organisation contracted him to remove Bishop, knowing that Bishop would find out and hopefully kill McKenna first. (They wanted McKenna dead, but Bishop wouldn't do it if they didn't 'force' him.)

As to the gay question: No, they aren't. Btw. McKenna does not even seem to sleep over at Bishop's house, the bedroom we can see him in later in the movie is in his OWN house (it's the same bedroom as earlier on, in the party scene).

Re: Are they homosexuals?

??? A kiss on the lips?? Anyone familiar with Mafia history would see that a "kiss on the lips" is a kiss of death! nothing at all to do with being gay!

Re: Are they homosexuals?

Cheech & Chong...maybe, but Charlie Bronson? No way, man.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

calm down dears! ITS ONLY A FILM!

oh yeah. OH FOCK YEAH!

Re: Are they homosexuals?

An excellent film one of my childhood favourites , i too considered a career when i was 15 but the thought lasted about a minute ! The gay bit is irrelevant cant say i noticed it, like Hardy kissing Nelson followed by years if ribbing ! Anyway a way cool movie full five stars . BRONSON=JILL IRELAND in my world (is that right ?)

Re: Are they homosexuals?

Kinda funny how MANY responses there are to this - I truly believe you could type the same question into ANY of the other message boards where there are two male leads and just watch the clucking and debating. I think ANY person can claim there are gay undertones in ANY film - you can see what you want to see. I dont feel there are in this particular film (it is a well made actioner) but heck - Butch Cassidy and Sundance? Clooney & Pitt in Ocean's 11? (I dont think so - just trying to illustrate the point)

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Re: Are they homosexuals?

Who sent Steve that file ?

The file is identical to those he receives for his own assignments.

Wasn't Bishop just criticized for the messiness of the hit on the drug dealer ? His superior are losing confidence in him. They suspect he is past his prime. Losing his touch. And he does know too much. Steve is given the assignment of hitting him to 'retire' him.

Steve was connected through his family. The same boss Bishop reported to ("Nobody lives forever") sent Steve his new assignment.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

They're actually close to being asexual. Both guys are so cold-blooded and unfeeling (the needed qualities for hitmen) that they might as well have no relationships at all.

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Re: Are they homosexuals?

How in the living hell did they come up with homo-tones?

The Divinci Load

Re: Are they homosexuals?

The characters "The Mechanic" are as gay as the main characters in "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" that is to say, very gay indeed and if I may say so, rather obviously so. The whole film in fact, plays a gay porno without any actual sex. Until you have seen "The Mechanic" (or "Thunderbolt and Lightfoot" for that matter) play in a bar full of out and happy gays you simply haven't seen the film. And as far as that goes, from my experience Charles Bronson was always a bit of a gay icon, and I thought Jan Michaels Vincents fan base wasz entirely gay.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

Bishop and McKenna are never shown sleeping in the same house in the CA scenes.
In the Naples sequence we assume they are sharing a room, as only one is shown, but this could be Bishop's room and McKenna had his own room.

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Re: Are they homosexuals?

At the time Charles Bronson were being carefully built up in Hollywood as the new super action hero. He was already very popular overseas after his European movies, and now Hollywood wanted in !

Gay ?

That would have ruined his image completely ! No way Hollywood producers would ever allow the upcoming biggest action hero in the world to even hint at being gay ! And I can't picture Bronson wishing to appear in any gay part in any movie.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

Charles Bronson was a very different cowboy. The man had a father figure to me (he still has). What do you think that Bronson would say if he was asked to do Brokeback Mountain?

Re: Are they homosexuals?

I was suprised to see this thread on a 1972 film. Which I thought was excellent by the way.

I recently attended a Michael Winner film retrospective and talk, from what I remember, he said when the script first came to him it had Burt Lancaster and Richard Dreyfuss pencilled in and a heavy homo subtext, obviously it underwent changes prior to being greenlighted.
and
he also said when Death Wish came to him it had Walter Mattheau pencilled in and he stood up to the studio's and suggested Bronson.

Just thought I say.
If anyone is still reading.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

off-topic a bit---but oddly, Jan-Michael Vincent was the first choice for the Hooper character in Jaws (1) -- and Richard Dreyfuss ended up with the part, which I thought he was perfect in. Although maybe Vincent would've added a little sex-appeal in a movie sorely lacking it. So it seems the Hollywood dance works out in the end. I could never see Dreyfuss as McKenna in The Mechanic. Bronson was brilliant in the role but the arrogant upstart--the spoiled rich kid with everything he could ever want--cold and icey--with a taste for killing, really fit and made this film a classic..

Reading this thread has me in stitches. But seriously, I would have to agree with the "asexual" theory. Both men had very artificial relationships with women--Bronson with a hooker who fabricated a real relationship which did not exist. For Vincent, he appears to care about his girlfriend when on the phone -- he declares her accusations of "not caring" as being silly--and yet later he coldly watches her attempt suicide. Was it a psycopathic personaluty or an effort to prove to Bronson that he could "pick up the tab" --have the aptitute to be a "mechanic"? Later, Vincent claims that he has spent time with this same girlfriend having sex.

So it would seem that both men are straight--and this whole thread is what's so silly.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

what's silly is that it's obvious that hardly anyone ever takes the time to actually read through the posts before responding.

upon first reading the parent post, i thought to myself that i never picked up on any homosexual undertones when watching this movie in the past. however, i admit i never read the novel. from some of the previous posts i understand that the original story did portray the characters as being gay. this theme carried over into the original treatments of the script, but was eventually edited out.

assuming that the critic had either read or was familiar of the original story...but that doesn't make his critique right, if you're a movie reviewer then you have to critique the movie and disregard the book version.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

Obviously--whatever "The Mechanic" was in it's original form, in the film version, it was clearly depicting 2 heterosexuals. And if anything, Bronson portrayed an almost fatherly mentor to the Vincent character. The devil finding a little demon to pass the torch to...albeit a very cute demon.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

ive never read the book but i have to say that anyone who denies that this movie has a palpable homoerotic vibe must be blind or kidding themselves. if someone missed the first 10 minutes of the film then the next half hour or so until bishop opens up about his work plays out like a gay melodrama. im sure certain people involved in the production did their best to edit this subtext out but nevertheless it krept back in and for the majority of the film its right there on the screen.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

It's father and son. Leonard Maltin's an idiot.

The parts are all there for it. Talk about his father, killing Steve's father, regret of not getting married, Steve looking for a father figure.

It's got family undertones and that's what's cool about it.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

My understanding is that in the novel the two men were homosexuals.
Some people have argued that Bishop and McKenna were living in two different houses. However, in the scene where McKenna is in bed he is going over Bishop's dossier. Earlier, Bishop discovers the dossier in a drawer in his house and also when Bishop arrives home he calls out for McKenna expecting him to be there. Its obvious that Bishop and McKenna are living together in Bishop's home.

As for Bronson being too macho to be gay well of course in the early seventies Rock Hudson also had a macho image complete with a handlebar moustache.

Incidentally, it is rumoured that Jan Michael Vincent had an affair with Rock Hudson on the set of "The Undefeated".

Re: Are they homosexuals?

I have read the novelization (and 2 pre-shooting drafts of the script) and neither Arthur Bishop or Steve McKenna are homosexual or is it ever implied that they are.

Bishop and Steve McKenna live in their own homes in both the film and novelization of "The Mechanic". When Steve McKenna is going over Bishop's dossier, it is in the same bedroom seen earlier in the film when Steve takes his girlfriend Louise's telephone call threatening suicide. Both these scenes take place at the McKenna home.

Bishop discovers his dossier at the McKenna home. He is there looking for Steve McKenna because Steve has missed an appointment with Bishop at Bishop's home. Bishop's anxiety over not being able to find Steve is because they've just been assigned a rush contract in Naples Italy by "The Man" and need to prepare for this involvement and leave the U.S. quickly and pursue the mark.

As for the Bronson / Hudson comparisons, I believe that the similarities begin and end with their moustaches.

As for the rumour of the Hudson / Vincent affair on the set of "The Undefeated" , I don't know enough about that to make a comment.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

For goodness sake just cause a film centers on 2 male characters and their friendship/relationship/bonding does NOT MEAN THEY ARE GAY.

I get pissed off when I read the same thing about midnight cowboy, that film has no homo erotic undertones, ITS ABOUT FRIENDSHIP.

Ya know,loyalty, trust, respect, care, that kind of thing.

Men can be close friends without having to be gay ya know. Just cause a mate of mine decides to take a break from his girlfriend and come round and have a man to man chat, a few beers, and watch a movie or something does not mean either of us are gay.

And the mechanic, well, is probably the most un gay film I've ever seen. I think people looking out for these things are gay themselves and read man to man friendship differently from heterosexuals.

If you wanna see a REAL homo erotic movie watch 'cruising' (that starred al pacino, directed by william friedkin), velvet goldmine and of course brokeback mountain.

Hollywood can kiss my assssss!!!!

Re: Are they homosexuals?

This guys is a troll! He never responded to his thread.

Re: Are they homosexuals?

Who started this thread anyways??

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Re: Are they homosexuals?

I hadn't seen this movie for years until today, I forgot just how gay this movie really was - Bronson's character has personal tastes that run to . . . shall we say . . . the esthete. Art, classical music, fine furniture, decorating - not exactly the manliest of men. He seems more interested in the hooker's artwork than actually having sex with her. And with the thrusting down of her payment on the nightstand, he even shows a disdain, perhaps for all women, or maybe even his having to go through the motions? Vincent's character minimizes his relationship with his girlfriend as serving a purpose -"she does something that relieves tension." And what exactly drew Bronson's character to Vincent's in the first place? His stunning good looks perhaps?

I could go on, but I wasn't watching too closely.
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