The plot is obviously a version of Robinson Crusoe: after crash landing on the frigid Red Planet, astronaut Kit Draper (Paul Mantee) builds a cave habitat so warm he can walk around shirtless or in a tight-black t-shirt, displaying an amazingly buff, hairy chest.
He has food, water, and a pet monkey, but he is intensely lonely. Then an alien mining company establishes a beachhead nearby, and he helps himself to one of their slaves. “I prayed for a companion,” Kit exclaims, “And I finally got one!”
Somewhat Aztec in appearance, “Friday” (Victor Lundin) is so accustomed to the Martian cold that he can comfortably walk around in nothing but a kilt, displaying a massive, sculpted body, with golden skin, thick arms and shoulders, and a smooth, hard chest.
The two men are extremely physical in their interaction. Shortly after they meet, Kit takes Friday’s hand and places it on his own knee, an image that is intensely intimate and sensual. Kit is buried in a shower of space debris and nearly suffocates, and Friday rescues him. As they walk away, Kit wraps his arm around Friday’s waist. At the end of the movie, they are rescued, and go back to Earth together, permanent partners.
Who would produce such a film, about two men who love each other and build a home together, in the dark homophobic days of 1964?
This was Paul Mantee’s first credited acting role; he went on to make dozens of two-fisted movies, sometimes with “man” in the title to emphasize the intended audience, such as A Man Called Dagger (1967) and That Man Bolt (1973), and he then settled down to write novels about heterosexual Italian-American adolescents. And he obviously stayed in shape.
The two men are extremely physical in their interaction. Shortly after they meet, Kit takes Friday’s hand and places it on his own knee, an image that is intensely intimate and sensual. Kit is buried in a shower of space debris and nearly suffocates, and Friday rescues him. As they walk away, Kit wraps his arm around Friday’s waist. At the end of the movie, they are rescued, and go back to Earth together, permanent partners.
Who would produce such a film, about two men who love each other and build a home together, in the dark homophobic days of 1964?This was Paul Mantee’s first credited acting role; he went on to make dozens of two-fisted movies, sometimes with “man” in the title to emphasize the intended audience, such as A Man Called Dagger (1967) and That Man Bolt (1973), and he then settled down to write novels about heterosexual Italian-American adolescents. And he obviously stayed in shape.
Victor Lundin played a series of Klingons, Indians, savages, and bad guys, and cut some country-western records. Today, on his website, he sells a cd with a song about how much he likes girl-watching.
Neither of the writers seem obvious gay allies, but when we look at the director, Byron Haskin, we find movie after movie set in steaming jungles, where men wear next to nothing and fall into each other’s arms a lot: Man Eater of Kumaon (1948), Tarzan’s Peril (1951), His Majesty O’Keefe (1953), Little Savage (1959). That explains the beefcake; what explains the bonding?
I remember this movie from when I was a kid, but I didn't realize it really exised. I thought I dreamed it all up.
ReplyDeleteThe bath scene is on PornHub.
ReplyDeleteI have to see this, just to sin it.
Why would people in the future have slaves? *bing* Further, wouldn't a robot be more efficient? It uses zero energy on the trip to Mars, and no water or oxygen in general. And it's stronger than any human; you could argue about fine motor skills, but anything requiring that fine skill should be done by paid labor, so they don't revolt and secede from Earth. *bing* Wearing just a kilt on Mars. Look, there are reasons Venus is hotter than Mercury, but that doesn't mean Mars is hotter than Earth. *bing* You guys know the reason Friday was so useful is because he's lived in the island his whole life and not, say, on another planet, right? *bing*
Friday and his captors are actually aliens. There are also societies with slaves on "Star Trek." Maybe having a slave is a status symbol.
DeleteI just saw this in the excellent Criterion collection DVD and yes the film is really homoerotic. I was surprised by Mantee's nude swim - he seems to be naked in the long shot. The two men do have chemistry and their love story would probably would continue after the fade.
ReplyDeleteEvery time this movie appeared on tv in the 1960s I made certain to watch it and found it riveting and exciting. I never missed it and dreamed of Paul Mantee long after the movie ended.
ReplyDeleteSame reaction as a kid. Was even before I knew about physical sex, just the two manly men against the universe fighting to make a home together. Also the feeling of existential loneliness before Friday.
ReplyDeleteSaw it at age 13 at a Saturday matinee and many times on TV/cable since. I love the nude swim scene. I didn't see it as particularly sexual, just very manly (or is that really the same thing). I had a lot of teenage fantasies about how great it would be to lay in the sun nude on large rocky outcroppings with other nude guys my age. I think this movie inspired those. I didn't think about any sexual activity, just that the mutual nudity in the sun as so manly.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this post, never heard of this film so will definitely be watching it now.
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