As previously mentioned, Crisp is openly homosexual and his exhibitionist impulses and self-destructive behavior motivates the struggle within his life vs. unoriginal heroic desire. Similarly to Dil who lives his life, at times showing self-destruction as she guns down Jude and ties up Fergus, by her own rules, choosing to be a woman amidst a time when being transgendered was severely frowned upon. The journey for both Crisp and Dil though hard, ultimately led to a strong sense of gender identity and an awakening of both sexuality and eroticism as they found their way through gender and sex.
The journey for Crisp began after leaving his parent's home and venturing off into various jobs like a tap dance instructor and commercial artist. Although he met some initial success in these jobs, he ends up one of the few places that allows openly gay men. And even with constant ridicule from men from all walks of life, including upper class homosexuals, his defiance and refusal to surrender his elected identity and lifestyle remain. One interesting part of the movie that refers to Crisp's sexuality is the ongoing desire to find his one "great dark man whose love I'll win." He knows he won't find him, but his pursuit of desire is an ongoing theme in the movie.
Dill from the film The Crying Game is also a defiant feminine person, this time as a transgendered woman. Ironically unlike Crisp, Dill finds her dark man in Jody. And although she loses him as he gets run over by an army vehicle, she is still able to find love in one of his mates, Fergus who at the beginning of their romantic affair becomes repulsed at the idea that Dil was once male. Dil much like Crisp were erotic in their encounters with males they desired and seemed to exhibit behavior that connoted to feminine desire. As seen with the heavy drinking by Dil when faced with the prospect of dealing with Fergus's assassination mission and dressing up as a male in order to avoid being killed. Dil can be seen as transsexual or transgender. He forgo his masculine identity in lieu of a feminine one. He remained attracted to men and dated...
Their love is very intimate with scenes of conformity as Therese has sexual intercourse with a boy as an attempt to normafy herself as Goffman states on page 12 of his book, Stigma. Scenes in the beginning of Therese's mother preparing her for marriage put pressure on the young woman to adhere to the gender identity and sexuality society predetermined for her. The scenes are sweet and innocent laced with a tinge of fear as they are become fearful of someone coming into the room to find them making love. A scene in Isabelle's room gets interrupted by a noise the couple hear from outside the hallway. Their relationship ends much like that of Maurice and Clive.
In the novel, Maurice, Maurice and Clive are two college friends who engage in a homosexual relationship. Unlike with Isabelle and Therese, they are not as intimate and the relationship lasts longer, for two years. Similarly however, Clive like Therese wishes to conform and be normal and decides to marry leaving Maurice alone. The story however continues and Maurice finds solace and connection in Alec. However Alec blackmails him and in his attempt to cure what Dr. Larken terms, "congenital homosexuality" tries hypnosis. Eventually his desire to rebel against society's norms and be with Alec lead him and Alec to relinquish leading closeted gay lives for a happy life with each other.
Overall movies and films tend to show the world a different or unique perspective. The characters of Crisp, Dil, Isabelle, Therese, Clive, and Maurice offer a rare look into the life of a homosexual and in the case of Dil, a transgender/transsexual. These people like any other people struggle to conform, to meet the expectations of society, but also lead their own lives and fulfill their gender identity and sexual orientation. After all, sexuality is a large part of a person.
