#downhill

"May I interest you in some odd Chinese dogs from Rednote "

Some watch the road, others fly over the edge. Courage isn’t wings, it’s a decision. 🚴🔥

17 hand and raced 19 times....

-Anonymous Submission

Downhill (1927) directed by Alfred Hitchcock and staring Ivor Novello Ivor Novello (born David Ivor Davies; 15 January 1893 – 6 March 1951) was a Welsh actor, dramatist, singer and composer who became one of the most popular British entertainers of the first half of the 20th century. Downhill was one of Hitchcocks earliest movies to use what is commonly known as "gay coding" to circumnavigate the censors.

Novello was a known homosexual celebrity and sex symbol in British theater, a fact many audience members were aware of. This real-life context informed how his on-screen relationships, particularly with his male friend, were interpreted as having a deeper, unspoken intimacy

The script, co-written by Novello (under a pseudonym) and Constance Collier, contained lines that could be interpreted platonically by censors but suggested a romantic affair between Novello's character, Roddy, and his best friend, Tim.

The original stage play on which the film was based was more explicit about the nature of the relationship, featuring a scene where the male friendship was directly linked to the consequences of a "pregnancy" scandal (which was code for an affair). The plot revolves around Roddy taking the fall for his friend Tim's actions and subsequently experiencing a "downhill" spiral of misfortune, loss of reputation, and moral decline, which aligns with a common (and often homophobic) trope of the era where queer-coded characters faced negative outcomes. (Source:Google AI)