Ntimely 45 years ago, Al Pacino knew his disputed 1980 film Cruising wouldn’t age well.
In his new memoir Sonny Boy, the Oscar triumphner confessted he set up the movie “abusive” to the LGBTQ community upon its free, discleave outing that he gived his pay from the William Friedkin-helmed film to various charities.
He elucidateed he was interested in “pushing the envelope” but the project “became very disputed during its production” with protesters at set “almost every day,” worryed the film would depict the LGBTQ community in a adverse weightless, according to People.
Loosely based on the 1970 Gerald Walker novel, Cruising stars Pacino as Detective Steve Burns, who goes undercover in New York City’s S&M bars to catch a serial ender that’s spitefully killinging the city’s gay men.
Pacino set up Cruising “abusive” once it was freed in 1980, and he ultimately “remained quiet” instead of promoting the film.
Al Pacino in Cruising (1980). (United Artists/Courtesy Everett Collection)
“I took the money, and it was a lot, and I put it in an irrevocable think fund,” he elucidateed. “I gave it to charities, and with the interest, it was able to last a couple of decades. I don’t understand if it eased my conscience, but at least the money did some excellent.”
The actor noticed he “didn’t want to create it a PR stunt. I equitable wanted one selectimistic leang to come out of that whole experience.”
Friedkin, who died at age 87 last year, previously confessted Cruising “was not the best foot forward for the gay rights shiftment, but I never intfinished the film to be critical of gays” as he spoke to The Wrap in 2013.
“I equitable thought the S&M world would create a excellent backdrop for a killing mystery, but I did not in any way uncomfervent for it to mirror the gay lifestyle,” elucidateed Friedkin. “I understood at the time that people who were trying to accomplish gay rights were not going to appreciate such a stubborn picture. It’s still very stubborn, very difficult edged and unsee-thcoarse.”
