Straight-Jacket (2004)

Director:

Richard Day

Writers (WGA):

Richard Day (play)
Richard Day (screenplay)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

Fame... Money... Girls... What's his secret?

Plot:

In 1950's Hollywood, movie star Guy Stone must marry a studio secretary in order to conceal his homosexuality. Sally has no idea her marriage is a sham, though, and turns Guy's life upside-down. Then he falls in love. |

Plot Keywords:

Secretary | Marriage | Hollywood | Homosexuality | Agent

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Matt Letscher	...	Guy Stone
Carrie Preston	...	Sally Stone
Adam Greer	...	Rick Foster
Veronica Cartwright	...	Jerry Albrecht
Victor Raider-Wexler	...	Saul Ornstein
Jack Plotnick	...	Freddie Stevens
Michael Emerson	...	Victor
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
George Alan	...	Waiter
David Burke	...	Ray Verrine
Matt Bushell	...	Moron #2
Jennifer Elise Cox	...	Betty Bright
Shea Curry	...	Starlet
Tammy Dahlstrom	...	Tourist
Scott Fishkind	...	Reporter
John Ganun	...	Crewman
David Alan Graf	...	Bailiff
David Jahn	...	Priest
Chris J. Johnson	...	Jeff
Butch Klein	...	Waiter
Tom Lenk	...	Teddy
Clinton Leupp	...	Bernice Ornstein
Chad Lindsey	...	Mike
Ricky Dean Logan	...	Moron #1
Ron Mathews	...	Salvation Army Man
Adrian Neil	...	Jeroen
Sam Pancake	...	Tour Guide
Adrian R'Mante	...	Hector
Lorna Scott	...	Louella
Benjamin Sprunger	...	Trick in Alley
Eric Stonestreet	...	Labor Organizer
Darlena Tejeiro	...	Viola
Hamilton von Watts	...	Clyde, the Bartender
Paul Willson	...	Coal Executive
Ryun Yu	...	Bess, the Make-Up Man

Runtime:

USA:96 min

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

UK:15 | New Zealand:M | Australia:M

Filming Locations:

Burbank, California, USA

Company:

SRO Pictures

Trivia:

Jackie Hoffman, who originated the role of Jerry in the stage play, was asked to reprise her role, but couldn't due to her appearance in "Hairspray: The Musical."

Goofs:

Continuity: One of the production drawings for "Ben-Hur" in Saul's office is missing after the first scene.

Quotes:

Guy Stone: [at breakfast, looking at his toast:] There isn't any butter on this, is there?
Victor: There hasn't been a stick of butter in this house since you dragged that trainee milkman upstairs.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in 2005 Glitter Awards (2005) (V)

Good gay comedy/drama

In 1950s Hollywood actor Guy Stone (Matt Letscher) is very popular--and secretly gay. He's in a gay bar which is raided. To save his image his publicist (Veronica Cartwright) arranges a quick marriage to sweet, adorable Sally (Carrie Preston) without telling her that Stone is gay. Then Stone meets hunky, drop dead handsome Rick Foster (Adam Greer) and falls in love...but what about his marriage and career?

Good gay comedy but far from perfect. Halfway through I thought the movie was going to end...but it kept on going. Basically this was a good hour long movie stretched out to 96 minutes. Also Letscher and Greer are obviously straight--I've never seen such uncomfortable kissing! But those are my only real complaints.

That aside this movie looked great and had a funny script. Most of the actors were recruited from the stage play for the movie so they had their roles down pat. Letscher is good as Stone--arrogant and obnoxious. He obviously buffed up for the role but he just wasn't handsome enough (to me) to be a big Hollywood star. Preston is very good as his wife Sally--sweet and lovable but doesn't overdo it. Greer is impossibly handsome as Rick. He's also buffed up and Stone's attraction to him makes perfect sense. That aside Greer is a very good actor too. And Cartwright is hysterical as Stone's agent --she barrels through this film tossing off one liners left and right.

So--I DID like it but this is no milestone in gay cinema. It's an entertaining well-done fluffy movie--but that's about it. Worth catching if you want an undemanding movie. I give it an 8.