'Backlot Mountain'

This was a pretty interesting piece reporting on Ian McKellen's response to Brokeback Mountain. In a nutshell, Brokeback might might lead to more honesty about homosexuality on the screen, but probably not behind the scenes in Hollywood. The piece points out the following, a real world analogy remarkable for its crispness and clarity:

in 2006, Jake and Ennis would find it easier to live as openly gay sheep farmers in Wyoming (where Casper has an openly gay mayor) than as openly gay stars in Hollywood.

Now, here's an idea for a challenging indie film: tell the story, behind the scenes, unvarnished, warts and all of a gay star who pretends to be straight. Show the technologies of commerce and power that force this dichotomy, show the stresses - mental and otherwise - on our character and show what it means to live a life of high-intensity exposure whilst nursing a half-hidden secret (because what these days cannot be sucked down the rumour funnel?)

It would be an extraordinary film, not very expensive to make (behind the scenes means behind the scenes) and full of the kind of character conflicts that make great visceral drama and of course intensely controversial. But whoever made it... would have their career closely and concertedly hunted down and taken apart. They would be signing a career death warrant only to be exhumed years later in the new dawn of an openly gay Hollywood to be feted as a brave pioneer on their death bed.