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The Lavender Scare

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Videos & Photos

  • Official Trailer 2
  • Official trailer

Movie Info & Cast

Synopsis

With the United States gripped in the panic of the 1950s Cold War, President Dwight D. Eisenhower deemed homosexuals to be "security risks" and vowed to rid the federal government of all employees discovered to be gay or lesbian. Over the next four decades,the longest witch-hunt in American history, tens of thousands of government workers would lose their jobs for no reason other than their sexual orientation. But the mass firings have an unintended effect: they stirred outrage in the gay community, helped ignite the gay rights movement, and thrust an unlikely hero into the forefront of the LGBTQ fight for equality.Partly based on the award-winning book by historian David K. Johnson, THE LAVENDER SCARE illuminates a little-known chapter of American history, and serves as a timely reminder of the value of vigilance and social action when civil liberties are under attack.

Cast

  • Glenn Close
  • John D'Emilio
  • Lillian Faderman
  • David Hyde Pierce
  • David K. Johnson
  • T.R. Knight
  • Cynthia Nixon
  • Zachary Quinto

Atom User Reviews

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Metacritic

75
Jun 19, 2019

This is yet another instance where the film’s short runtime seems to have shortchanged the depth of reporting.

Hanh Nguyen
IndieWire
85
Jun 13, 2019

The Lavender Scare is essential to watch and an excellently produced documentary about a time the communist threat overshadowed the so-called “gay threat” from our history books.

Metacritic review by Alan Ng
Alan Ng
Film Threat
75
Jun 3, 2019

Straight America can finally get to know the name of Dr. Frank Kameny, a very smart man with a very big grievance against the government, one he was willing to endure mockery and the loss of his original career to settle.

Metacritic review by Roger Moore
Roger Moore
Movie Nation