Dinah East (1970)

In 1970, when the film was first released, I was a 36/37 year old gay man who had just left a wife of 10 1/2 years and 2 children. I had spent 35 years in a closet pretending to be someone I wasn't. During the first few years after my divorce I was desperately searching for an identity. Dinah East was, to me an amazing experience. Yes, it was 'amateurish'. But, it is now an historic film for many reasons. In one of the preceding reviews the film is treated like trash! How unfortunate the reviewer has no understanding of films attempting to show how gay men and women live. If you want exploitative, try "Advise and Consent", "Tea and Sympathy", The Killing of Sister George", or any of dozens of films where gay men and lesbians are depicted as sick, crazy, killers etc. Edward Everett Horton will always be remembered for his many roles as an obvious flaming queen. Or, re-watch Dynasty. Linda Evens and Joan Collins did their level best to portray flamboyant drag queens. But, Jeremy Stockwell did his best to portray a real woman. No outlandish costumes, no wild movements. Just a subdued portrayal of a woman, despite the fact that she wasn't. The entire film, which I just saw again, (April 2010) is an historical footnote to Hollywoods portrayal of homosexuals. And, for everyones information, there is no, repeat no, steamy sex between two men. A kiss is hardly steamy sex. There is one scene between two lesbians that starts to get graphic when Dinah interrupts them, does that count? Hardly! In any event, I would hope that someone who has the where withall, and the ability, can see to it's restoration. It does have historical significance and shouldn't be overlooked.

By R. Mark Desjardins (Vancouver, B.C. Canada) Dinah East is one of those rare cinematic romps that appeals to absolutely everybody; hot- blooded heterosexuals, lusty lesbians, horny homos, titillating transvestites, and even nefarious necrophiliacs! Written and produced by Gene Nash in 1970, starring renown transvestite, Jeremy Stockwell, and featuring Andy Warhol alumni, Ultra Violet, the film parallels several key aspects of Mae West's career. It is this connection, however tenuous, that makes this long unavailable camp classic so controversial. Advertisements for Dinah East claim the movie was pulled from distribution after Mae West filed a successful lawsuit stating the film slandered her name, and then proceeded to buy and destroy as many prints of the film she could find. However, the following facts seem to be at odds with these claims. In 1982, Gene Nash told the LA Times that he had given Mae West and Paul Novak a private screening of the film in 1970. West found the film entertaining and made a few suggestions to "beef up the dialog" which Nash was unable to do, as the filming had wrapped up. Certainly Variety would have run a story on any Mae West lawsuit. Stanley Musgrove who was her publicist at the time would have brought the topic up with friends, and Kevin Thomas who was a film critic at the LA Times would most likely have known about any such lawsuit as well. Since no word of this was ever brought forth, it is highly possible that West never brought about a lawsuit. The Mae West overtures aside, Dinah East stands on its own merits. The characters are colorful and engaging, the sets are over the top and the scene set in a gay bar complete with a nude go-go boy in a cage is delightfully wacky. Good humored fun and a sensitive examination of a subject that would have been handled in a tacky way by a less enlightened director. What is not generally known about Gene Nash is that he had a show business background and worked with Eddy Cantor in his later years, once filling in for him and nobody noticed the difference. Nash also produced, directed as well as wrote the movie screenplay and all of the songs for the film, What Am I Bid?, featuring the legendary country and western entertainer, Leroy Van Dyke. Other stars who appeared in the film include Al Hirt, Tex Ritter and Faron Young. My request for information about Gene Nash went unanswered by Paula Stewart, credited as Co-Producer of Dinah East. Stewart, currently a weekly host on KCLA FM in Los Angeles, is working on a biography of Lucille Ball. Dinah East is a blast from the past that is still fun and essential viewing for today's jaded sensibilities.

Long-unseen for over 36 years, DINAH EAST is a peculiarly entertaining little movie from the early-seventies that attempted to take on some then-taboo breaking subject matter. It may be nothing more than a long-forgotten exploitation movie to the majority of the public, but it is much more than that to me personally. My uncle, the late Matt Bennett, has a supporting role in the film as Dinah's chauffeur/love interest, and it is a role that he is quite likable in. While the movie would probably win a place in my heart for Matt's appearance alone, the film as a whole is a flawed-but-fascinating time capsule of a era when the film industry was just beginning to deal with then-unorthodox themes such as homosexuality and the social construction of gender roles.DINAH EAST is first and foremost an exploitation movie; it basically exists to showcase attractive actors in some sweaty sex scenes. However, this particular exploitation movie also has another, more serious agenda: it wants to treat its transgender character with respect and explore some of the more serious repercussions that come when an individual conceals his or her true identity. Most exploitation movies (especially of this era) handled such serious themes in a very campy and awkward manner, but this is not the case with DINAH EAST. In fact, this may be the only exploitation movie I have ever seen where the serious dramatic elements are significantly more effective than the more traditional exploitive elements.Although his voice can be rather monotone and inexpressive, Jeremy Stockwell's portrayal of this unconventional role emotes with warmth, intelligence, and even dignity. In a particularly memorable scene, Dinah comforts the widow of a man who had helped her out in her early years and she states, "If it weren't for your husband helping me the very first day I walked on the lot, there'd be no 'Dinah East.'" Even with his obviously limited acting experience, Stockwell manages to deliver this somewhat overwrought line with a startling degree of strength and credibility. Simply put, Stockwell gives a fully multi-layered performance in a film genre that typically portrays a one-dimensional world. The rest of the cast is also above average for this type of film, with everyone being well suited to their respective roles. Former Warhol model Ultra Violet brings some appropriate old-school Hollywood glamor to her memorable supporting role, and she displays a terrific sisterly chemistry with Stockwell during their one big scene together. The fresh-faced Reid Smith certainly seems to have had no qualms with film nudity, as his spends a considerable amount of his screen time sans clothing. However, Smith's contributions to the film rise above that of the mere flesh, and he emotes with touching "little-boy-lost" charisma that lends a sweet pathos to some of his more dramatic scenes.Ray Foster is likable as Dinah's faux suitor (and the pair share a charming dinner scene where Stockwell actually gets to incorporate an amusing West impersonation), but it is Alan Davis who really delivers a standout performance as the lug whose masculinity is assaulted when he discovers the truth about Dinah. Playing a character that is both unlikable and sympathetic, Davis gives a performance of considerable complexity and nuance that is almost unheard of in the bulk of films from the genre. Unfortunately, musician/stage actor Joe Taylor turns in a completely stiff performance as Davis' son, and he is the only true weak link in the cast. Taylor has greatly improved as actor of the decades, but his solemn delivery of the line "Love for a son that born out of rape?" is the only moment in this film where you catch a glimpse of the likable actor that he would eventually become.While I'm probably too biased to give a truly competent critique of my uncle Matt's performance, I will offer some general impressions that I had while watching his performance. I felt his first scene (which was his reaction to Dinah's death) is a little stilted, however, this is probably the most awkward scene in the entire movie in general. After this brief opening, all of Matt's scenes are near the end of the movie and are mostly depicted in flashback, and I was genuinely impressed with his work here. Even though he was a large and imposing hulk of a man, Matt was actually a very sweet and gentle guy in real life. The downtrodden boxer he plays in this movie is probably the closest he ever came to playing a character that was similar to himself.There are several well done scenes depicting the blooming love between Matt and Stockwell, my favorite of which is a tender scene on a lonely beach where Tank and Dinah first express their love to each other. In most exploitation movies, this scene would have been mawkish and cheesy, but, in this film, it is subtle and affecting. There's a similar scene a few moments later where Dinah reaffirms her love for Tank after he loses his last big fight. This is another scene that shouldn't work, but somehow does. In fact, these two scenes not only transcend the rest of the picture, but also the entire exploitation genre in and of itself.NOTE: There is a heavily-edited 60-minute version of Dinah East that is frequently sold online which leaves much of the film incomprehensible. The full 90-minute version was released on VHS in 1984, but most copies are in pretty bad shape and are often hard to watch. I really hope that somebody somewhere will master a new home video release in the near future.

I, too, saw this film in Boston in 1970. For many years I have sought out the film or even any mention about it. About a year ago, I read a footnote in one of the movie review books, that Mae West instituted legal action against the film shortly after its release. Apparently the settlement resulting from that action included the permanent withdrawal of the film from distribution. During Ms. West's lifetime there were recurrent, albeit ridiculous, rumors that she was a male. This film, in a kind of docudrama, relates the life of an actress, Dinah East, whose male gender was only revealed after her/his death. I had hoped it might reappear now that Mae West is dead, but so far that is not the case. I would like to receive more information on all of this from anyone who knows more than I do about it. Meanwhile, I eagerly await its reappearance.