Let's get real and switch the sexes

That is an interesting theory.

"Mr Corleone is a man who insists on hearing bad news at once."

Switch the sexes? I was hoping for an all-male remake!

It's not that common for older women to buy "youth and beauty", they're more likely to look for a man who considers them to be still young and beautiful. A fading beauty like Karen Stone is more likely to look for an older spouse who wants a glamorous wife, than to pick a young man who makes her feel old.

Men, gay and straight, are much more into young hotties. Tennesse Williams seems to have based this story on his own experiences with an Italian youth.



"Stale pastry is hollow succor, to a man who is bereft of ostrich"

I think it's equally likely for both genders. Look at today's crop of "cougars". But I agree that something about the film felt a bit off and the gender switch seems like a good theory. Though, the film also made a show of representing gay relationships with a few brief scenes with men looking for younger lovers.

If you read some of the info here at the IMDB under Frequently asked questions you'll see you may be right on the mark. It says this "It is rumored that Williams based the story on his own relationship with a young man named Paul (to whom the novel is dedicated) during his years in Rome...".

Oh GOD YES!

Just saw your message - just today I posted my own thoughts on the subject in another thread.

The part of Lotte Lenya is particularly askew until you turn her into a john.

I can believe that women go seeking younger men and that there are male hustlers who work these women. However, I've lost count of the number of gay men who sought hustlers and then tried to "make it work" by manipulating the young guy with $$$.

Men can do this because they can de-personalize sex in a way that most women can't. Besides which - do these women really want guys who have obviously been with other women??? That's the kind of thing that bothers women: no exclusivity. But gay guys could care less. They just want the hottest guy in the room or else the most available guy for their $$$. Seen it waaaay too many times and I can only imagine that Tennessee got hustled quite a bit - and paid for it quite a lot. He had the $$$ and I'm sure he let those Italian boys know that he had influence when it came to the theater and movie industries.

"Don't call me 'honey', mac."
"Don't call me 'mac'... HONEY!"

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