ROCK HUDSON: ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWED is a documentary on the life of the all-American guy. It has been said that both women and men adored him. He was the handsome boy next door and the hunky man beloved by his gender.
Rock lived two lives and worked to keep them separate until health issues caught up to him. His real name was Roy Fitzgerald. He was an awkward, naive teenager who dreamed of being an actor and a movie star. He was lucky, and because he was fun, gorgeous, masculine, and a really nice guy, many powerful and influential people in Hollywood helped move his career to the heights he had achieved. His history was shared through movie clips and interviews with colleagues, friends, and boyfriends. He was special from the moment anyone met him, especially at his home called the “Castle.” He created a party sanctuary for his hidden, secret life.
What was fascinating about this documentary was that no one spoke a bad word or thought about him. He was a nice guy to all those he met and befriended. It was a shame he could not live the way he was born to be. It was a different time period and to be openly gay in Hollywood was just not talked about or done. When Rock got AIDS, it blew the lid wide open on what was acceptable to speak about. There was controversy everywhere around him since he usually played leading romantic roles. He hid his diagnosis for as long as he could, and it caused huge uproars when he starred in the tv show DYNASTY with Linda Evans. Oh, that famous closed-mouth kiss pictured in every newspaper. What a nightmare of fear and ignorance.
Rock Hudson’s life was cut short due to an insidious disease, but his death shed a massive light on what was happening within the gay community. His death made a difference within the fundraising and awareness world. It was a terrible loss. Rock always said, “Nobody really dies until he is forgotten.” I guess Rock Hudson still lives among us, finally free to be himself.
ROCK HUDSON: ALL THAT HEAVEN ALLOWED does not shed any new information about his life that viewers won’t already know from newspapers and books.
It is merely an homage to a life once secretly lived and is available to stream on MAX.