The Sign of the Cross (1932)

Fiction / Mystery / Suspense / Thriller

TW: Abuse, Animal Cruelty, Blood, Death or Dying, Excessive or Gratuitous Violence

Worth Watching? No

Bechdel Test? Fail

Race Bechdel Test? Fail

Major LGBT Tropes: None, but there is only one scene and it is just for the boys anyway

Synopsis (from imdb): A Roman soldier becomes torn between his love for a Christian woman and his loyalty to Emperor Nero.

My Thoughts: If you are watching this film for Dance of the Naked Moon, prepare to be sorely disappointed. The "lesbian dance", as it was called at the time, is so clearly played for the male gaze that there are repeated cuts to the faces of disgustingly hungry men. The "lesbian dance" is portrayed as the opposite of virtuous, as the voices of persecuted Christians rise through the second half of the dance and ultimately drown out the dance music. It ends with Empress Poppaea, the queer woman performing the dance, hitting the smirking, virtuous Christian woman in the face with I think a whip? I recognize that this is considered an important work, historically, for integrating all aspects of cinematic techniques, but fuck this movie.

---

Queer Body Count: 0

Straight Body Count: 4

Total Queer Body Count: 1 (17%)

Total Straight Body Count: 5 (15%)

Queer Sexual Violence Victim Count: 0

Straight Sexual Violence Victim Count: 0

Total Queer Sexual Violence Victim Count: 2 (33%)

Total Straight Sexual Violence Victim Count: 0