MovieChat Forums > Hans Christian Andersen (1953) Discussion > What the heck is up with Peter?

What the heck is up with Peter?

posted 18 years ago by AndiCheetah99
31 replies | jump to latest

Um, do I detect a little bit of homo-eroticism on Peter's part in this movie? It seems that he's fawning a little too devotedly on Hans, especially when they have that conversation when Peter is without his shirt on? Or maybe I'm just being reaaaally looking too closely at it. But for some reason I detected homo-eroticim on Peter's part. For some reason they reminded me of a sort of gay couple, I dont know why. It wasn't like pedophelia, it was...I'm not sure. Am I the only one?

[–] 18 years ago

[deleted]

[–] AndiCheetah99 18 years ago

Yeah, probably. I saw it first when I was eighteen so I picked up on stuff like this. haha but I'm probably just completely...id ont know, my mind's in the gutter.

[–] eddyskiva 18 years ago

To our understanding of what 'homo-eroticism' is now... yes, you can read it in there.... but that's all it is... you are 'reading it in'... no one, I assure you, was intentionally writing, directing, or performing it that way, or with that in mind as any kind of subtext. It's a kid's movie... made at the height of McCarthyism... Peter is a 'hard working' precocious kid... friends with the 'dreamer' Hans. Part of that relationship is that the child takes on a more sensible role, to Andersen's childish qualities. That's all. Now... take a look at Ben-Hur.... a film in which there were very intentional homosexual subtexts between the Heston character and Stephen Boyd character.... its seems most involved with it were aware of it, including the director and Boyd... but not Chuck.

[–] psdhart 9 years ago

Peter is a 'hard working' precocious kid... friends with the 'dreamer' Hans. Part of that relationship is that the child takes on a more sensible role, to Andersen's childish qualities.

^this

[–] O'Malley 18 years ago

This movie gives me the creeps. Hans seems like a pedophile. And the whole unrequited love theme is pretty jarring for a children's film. Not to mention that the married couple consists of a sadistic wife-beater and a woman who loves the abuse. Thank God for Frank Loesser's magnificent score, offsetting the unpleasantness as it does.

I think gay currents are definitely there between Peter and Hans, tho I'm sure they were subconscious. (Writer Moss Hart was a closeted gay man, married (to Kitty Carlisle) with children). WHen Hans and Peter "break up" it does play like lovers parting . . .

[–] Thalog482 17 years ago

People seem to forget how morbid and tragic most Children's stories are as soon as they grow too old to hear them. Even the ones that aren't Grimm's fairy tales are quite bad. Even folk songs. It's great, really. Ever hear the song 'Darby's Ram'? A great song that was once recorded by master guitarist Merle Travis. It's a children's song about a ram that was so large that each of his hooves covered an acre of land and the wool on his back is 10,000 pounds by the spring when they shave it off. The song ends with the Butcher that tries to slaughter him at the neck drowns from the immense flow of blood, and the little boy who's helping him is washed away in the stream.

Great song.

[–] runswithscissors86 17 years ago

It's interesting to see this movie through the eyes of morons. Hans, a pedophile. Right.

Peter is Hans's apprentice. Hans is Peter's idol, and his father figure. He has no one BUT Hans. And love blinds everyone - Hans is so starstruck by the ballerina that he truly believes she will love him back. Peter does not like the thought of someone laughing at the man he considers his father. End of story.

Pedophile. Jesus Christ, get a life.

____________________
Well, howdy-do!

[–] Sebastian_Larsen 17 years ago

Well, HCA was gay actually. Sp the homo-erotic tensions are valid.

[–] Poisoned_Dragon1964 14 years ago

...and it's said that Danny Kaye was, as well.

There's a wickedly witty line close to the beginning of the film, when a petulant child in his storytelling audience says of a rag doll, "That's not a king! It's only a queen with a mustache!" Anderson/Kaye replies, "Oh, you'd be surprised how many kings are only a queen with a mustache."

§« The Sleep of Reason Produces Monsters. »§

[–] Kabumpo 7 years ago

Not according to Diana Crone-Frank and Jeffrey Frank.

[–] gaelic-freak 15 years ago

Seriously.
People see father-son relationships as something to closely inspect and pick apart.
Jesus, when did it become impossible for an older man to love a younger boy? *NOT* in a sexual way?
CHRIST!

[–] ginkyharrison 15 years ago

I didn't really pick up on the Peter - Hans aspect, although thought it odd they seemed to be sleeping in the same bed... The one line that did make me take notice was "you'd be surprised how many kings are queens with a moustache".

[–] brandg56 17 years ago

The plot line for "Hans Christian Andersen" could "swing both ways" depending on the eye of the beholder.

If you're a single parent with kids that age, you know how very protective they can be when the parent wishes to take an interest in a new person that might harm the existing familial relationship. Peter obviously feels that his stable life with guardian Hans is in trouble now that Hans' sudden infatuation with Doro, the beautiful, sophisticated ballerina has taken center stage. Peter becomes especially protective of his impulsive "dad" when he learns the truth of Doro's intentions.

Hollywood loves the plot of the plucky kid coming to the rescue of their hapless parent. Who can forget Ricky Schroder's unfailing dedication to his boxer dad, Jon Voight in the four handkerchief tearjerker, "The Champ"? [A 1979 remake of the 1931 film starring Jackie Cooper and Wallace Beery]

Of course if you wish to view the film as a gay intergenerational relationship there's plenty of fuel for that fire: Hans Christian Andersen was reportedly gay. Actor Farley Granger is openly gay and it's been written that Danny Kaye was bisexual.

Peeling back the layers of innuendo and overtones, you'll find the movie to be an interesting take on the complexities human relationships. That is the important message in this film.

It is interesting to note that a year later, actor Joey Walsh ("Peter") plays an similar role to troubled refugee Kirk Douglas in the 1953 drama, "The Juggler."

[–] mckenna_noeleen13 16 years ago

no dont think so, more of a love between a father and a son.

[–] cpmorr 16 years ago

HA...remove the Doro storyline from the movie and the whole thing would feel like a biopic of Socrates.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] lastmidnite2 14 years ago

Peter's a big time gay boy crushing on Hans, I always thought so.

[–] Liz10 14 years ago

You are really making too much of this. Shame really. Obviously Peter is looking out for his mentor. Perhaps a father figure in his mind...but making this relationship into a gay thing is just silly and over-thinking the whole situation. Also in point, I guess men are not allowed to tell fun stories to children akin to a male kindergarten teacher? Sad state of affairs this world is coming too when man is nice to children some are automatically going to assume sinister connotations. Enjoy the movie.....for what it is. Yes the ballet sequences are way too long---but Danny Kaye is wonderful and the songs are great fun.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] roboh-1 13 years ago

And you wonder why there are so few male teachers for younger children. Sad, isn't it?

What next? Is Santa Claus to be looked at suspiciously? Just because he likes to have young children sit on his lap?

[–] 13 years ago

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[–] edwardholub 14 years ago

Perhaps Hans was a Danish version of Lewis Carroll.

There is no "off" position on the genius switch.

[–] Neverland110-1 13 years ago

Ugh, this is so silly. It's a nice/depressing/then nice story, that's it. Peter is his apprentice. And from what I've read, Danny was straight. The only person that has said he wasn't was that author in the early 90's. He writes a book with no quotes from anyone, just an idea, and since Danny nor his wife were no longer around to defend him, it's seen as truth. Danny was married to her from 1940 until he died in 1987. They only separated for about a year after having working problems in 1948. She felt like she wasn't being recognized as his wife, and he felt like she was controlling him. He went back to her within a year and they stayed together. I have heard of a few affairs with women he had, but I don't know if they are true, except that Shirley MacLaine wrote about her time with him in her memoirs. Glynis Johns from Court Jester laughed out loud at someone asking her if he was gay/bi. She said he flirted with all the ladies on set, and she thought that was impossible that he was.