Category: Podcast Episode

Episode 30: The War Widow (1976)

A repressed housewife falls for a worldly photographer during the Great War. The War Widow is one of the first lesbian films to feature a happy ending. It premiered on PBS on October 28, 1976 as part of the Visions series of original teleplays. In 2021 it was restored for the UCLA Film & Television Archive. My guest and I discuss the tropes that would appear in later “Lesbian Period Dramas.”

This episode includes spoilers.

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You can follow Rainbow Colored Glasses on Apple Podcast and Letterboxd.

Episode 28: Olivia (1951)

A teenager falls for a predatory teacher at her French finishing school. Olivia is based on the novel by Dorothy Strachey. It presents same sex attraction without judgement. But the illicit teacher/student relationship made it an uncomfortable watch for my guests.

This episode includes spoilers.

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You can follow Rainbow Colored Glasses on Apple Podcast and Letterboxd.

Episode 27: Coming Out (1979)

Should the LGBT+ community assimilate or rebel? Lewis, a closeted writer, argues for assimilation in an anonymous editorial. His friends push against his conservative views. Coming Out aired in 1979 as part of the BBC’s Play for Today series. The argument still resonates today.


This episode includes spoilers. Coming Out can be watched on Britbox.

I couldn’t find a trailer. But here’s a relevant gay protest song from that same year.

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You can follow Rainbow Colored Glasses on Apple Podcast and Letterboxd.

Episode 26: Like It Is (1998)

Rainbow Colored Glasses starts season four with a look at Paul Oremland’s 1998 film Like It Is. A boxer from Blackpool falls for a music promoter from London. The promoter’s snobby friends try to break them up. I enjoyed this film. My guest did not.


This episode includes spoilers and explicit language.

Musical theme from PodSummit and Creative Commons Zero.
You can follow Rainbow Colored Glasses on Apple Podcast and Letterboxd.

Episode 25: Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971)

Harry Styles recently starred in My Policeman. A film about a man juggling relationships with a woman and another man. This inspired me to revisit John Schlesinger’s classic Sunday Bloody Sunday. One of my guests was seeing it for the first time. The other saw it when it premiered in 1971.

This is our season three finale. Rainbow Colored Glasses will be taking a hiatus while we work on some other projects. Thank you for listening.

This episode includes spoilers.

Musical theme from PodSummit and Creative Commons Zero.
You can follow Rainbow Colored Glasses on Apple Podcast and Letterboxd.

Episode 24: It Is Not the Homosexual… (1971)

We discuss a short film with a long title: It Is Not the Homosexual Who Is Perverse, But the Society in Which He Lives. Activist Rosa von Praunheim read Berlin’s gay community for filth. His political manifesto remains timely.  

This episode includes spoilers and explicit language.

Musical theme from PodSummit and Creative Commons Zero.
You can follow Rainbow Colored Glasses on Apple Podcast and Letterboxd.

Episode 21: Gods and Monsters (1998)

Gods and Monsters examines the unlikely friendship between Hollywood director James Whale (Ian McKellen) and his naïve yard man (Brendan Fraser). My guest and I revisit Bill Condon’s ambitious tragicomedy.

This episode includes spoilers.

Musical theme from PodSummit and Creative Commons Zero.
You can follow Rainbow Colored Glasses on Apple Podcasts, Letterboxd and Twitter.