Old Hollywood movies had to follow strict guidelines throughout the 1930s–1960s, known as the Hays Code, which basically prevented them from featuring anything that was overtly sexual or “inappropriate.” A lot of filmmakers got creative about how they could navigate this censorship, so here are some movies that are subtly (and not so subtly) super, super, super gay. Enjoy!

1.All About Eve (1950) is a witty and toxic drama about an aging actress who befriends a fan who ultimately tries to usurp her. This movie shares the record for the most Oscar nominations ever, with 14, and it briefly features Marilyn Monroe in one of her first roles ever. There are so many queer undertones and characters throughout, and they’re all so delicious. Also, I personally think this is the best film ever made, so enjoy.

Here’s the trailer:

2.Tea and Sympathy (1956) follows a “sensitive” prep school teen who’s bullied by the other students and teachers. He finds solace in an older woman, played by Deborah Kerr, and the whole thing is just sooooo pretty to look at.

Here’s the trailer:

3.Compulsion (1959) follows two hot, wealthy, and secretly queer college boys who commit a murder and think they’re too smart to get away with it. It’s loosely based on a real-life murder trial, so just trust me on this one.

Here’s the trailer:

4.Edge of the City (1957) is a gritty drama about the friendship between Sidney Poitier and John Cassavetes’ characters. It’s rough and tough and has a lotttt of queer subtext. Ruby Dee is also in this movie, and she’s especially fantastic.

Here’s the trailer:

5.Purple Noon (1960) is actually adapted from the book The Talented Mr. Ripley. This French film is just so freaking hot, and if you’re into suspenseful thrillers or even remotely liked the 1999 version with Jude Law and Matt Damon then you absolutely need to check this out.

Here’s the trailer:

6.Strangers on a Train (1951) is a psychological thriller from Alfred Hitchcock. It’s about two strangers who both want someone murdered, so they swap victims to prevent anyone from getting suspicious of them. Farley Granger is just so fun to look at in this, and I’m begging you to watch it.

Here’s the trailer:

7.The Hitch-Hiker (1953) is about two male friends who are basically taken hostage after picking up a hitchhiker while on their way to a fishing trip. The film is based on the 1950 killing spree of Billy Cook, and it examines homosexual panic, masculinity, and traditional gender roles.

Here’s the trailer:

8.The Children’s Hour (1961) stars Audrey Hepburn and Shirley MacLaine as two women who run a boarding school for girls in 1930s New England. One of the students is a troublemaking little b*tch who starts a rumor that they’re in a lesbian relationship, and all hell breaks loose. The movie is based on Lillian Hellman’s famous play of the same name, and it’s a must-watch.

Here’s the trailer:

9.The Servant (1963) deals with unspoken desires, homoerotic tensions, and the ultimate dom-sub power dynamic. In it, a wealthy, young Londoner hires a man to be his servant. The servant slowly takes control and manipulates his “master,” and it’s a wilddddd ride.

Here’s the trailer:

10.Victim (1961) is centered around a closeted lawyer in London who’s blackmailed for being gay, which was illegal in England until 1967. This is a groundbreaking piece of movie history, as it was the first British film to explicitly mention homosexuality, and it should be required viewing for everyone.

Here’s the trailer:

11.Rebel Without a Cause (1955) has James Dean as a bisexual hottie, so you really can’t ask for much more. The original script had his character kissing Plato, who was one of the first gay teen characters on screen, but the Hays Code quickly squashed that from happening. Still, this movie is edgy and dramatic and romantic, and the whole cast is just so fun to look at.

Here’s the trailer:

12.Rope (1948) is another Hitchcock classic, this time following two queer men who think they’ve committed the perfect murder and then host a dinner party to secretly boast about it. The movie was shot to look like everything was filmed in a single take, which heightens its suspense and helps to keep the characters (and viewers) on edge.

Here’s the trailer:

13.Suddenly, Last Summer (1959) is centered around a wealthy widow who tries to get her niece lobotomized to cover up the truth about her secretly queer (and now deceased) son. This one is a little out there, but Katharine Hepburn and Elizabeth Taylor both received Best Actress Oscar nominations for their roles, so there’s that.

Here’s the trailer:

14.Advise & Consent (1962) is a political drama that was adapted from the Pulitzer Prize-winning book of the same name. It’s centered around the confirmation of a nominee for Secretary of State, who just so happens to be a married US senator who’s being blackmailed for secretly having past relations with a man.

Here’s the trailer:

15.And finally, The Haunting (1963) is a revolutionary horror movie that features one of the only lesbian characters of its time to be feminine and not predatory. The film is based on the book The Haunting of Hill House, which was ultimately turned into a hugely popular Netflix series, so if you like either of them then you should watch this too.

Here’s the trailer:

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