Tired Old Queen at the Movies: All That Heaven Allows' (1955)

Steve Hayes reviews Doug Sirk's "All That Heaven Allows" and Todd Haynes' "Far From Heaven," which was inspired by Sirk's 1955 film about a May-December romance between Jane Wyman and Rock Hudson.

Footnote: You probably heard recently that a Broadway musical adaptation of "Far From Heaven" was in the works. (God, why?) It's been a long time since I saw the film, but I really remember being underwhelmed by it at the time, despite the fact that on paper it's exactly the kind of thing I would love. Perhaps it's time to revisit it.

Boxing Day

Mother Nature missed by a day.

Fairytale of New York

Was sitting next to two exuberant tourists tonight in a coffee shop when I remembered it's the 25th anniversary of my first trip to New York City, a whirlwind Christmas adventure with my friends Greg and Nina -- with a cameo by my brother Terence -- over the holiday break in 1985. While I had already figured out New York was the place I wanted to live when I was a young child -- the idea of not having to "go play in the backyard" seemed really appealing to me as long as I can remember -- it was the utter feeling of awe I experienced the first time I got out of a taxi in Midtown Manhattan -- "Gorham, please!" -- that sealed the deal. That Christmas in New York is the fondest memory of my adolescence, and each year around this time I have wonderful flashbacks of seeing Greg experience snow for the first time, Nina cracking up explaining how she convinced her parents that staying in a hotel room with three guys was perfectly OK, and Terence -- who had to fly later because he couldn't reschedule one of his finals -- announcing his arrival to the front desk after we specifically told him to come straight up to the room so we could avoid paying a surcharge for having an extra person. (We still love ya, T!) It felt like the city was all ours as we slid up and down the icy sidewalks. A quarter century later and Christmas in New York is still my favorite place in the world -- and I'm still in awe. Hope you have a great Christmas wherever you are!

Rockefeller Center by day

Terence and me freezing in the Village

Thoroughly Modern Kenny: At the Museum of Modern Art

Hamming it up at the Gorham Hotel

Stairwell to Heaven

Greg speaks softly and carries a medium-size stick

Terence in Central Park

Greg and I perform "Stop! In the Name of Love" in the Central Park bandshell

Lady Liberty laughs at the frozen boys from Arizona

Proof that we were where Susan was desperately sought

Late-night snack at Lindy's

Rockefeller Center by night

Central Park

World Trade Center

Lady Liberty in bondage


Empire State Building

Mr. Nice Guys

After mysteriously splitting charity exhibition matches in their home countries -- Roger Federer won in Switzerland, Rafael Nadal won in Spain -- the world's best tennis players celebrated in style at a fundraiser for the Rafa Nadal Foundation at Cibeles Palace in Madrid. The sport couldn't ask for two better ambassadors. Ph0to highlights from the event follow:

Just-retired Carlos Moya was looking good, with Carolina Cerezuela

Spanish footballer Fernando Llorente cleans up nicely

Spanish bullfighter Enrique Ponce and wife/model Paloma Cuevas

Dapper Roger

Rafa, looking a bit sheepish

Frankly Speaking

As you might have expected, Barney Frank sure knows how to handle a dick. (Illustration via Pretty on the Inside)

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