Something for Everyone (1970)
Michael York and Anthony Higgins in Harold Prince’s 1970 independent dark comedy SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE, which was loosely based on Harry Kressing’s 1965 novel “The Cook” and adapted by gay writer Hugh Wheeler.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE
1970. USA.
Director: Harold Prince
Screenplay: Hugh Wheeler
Based on: “The Cook” (1965) by Harry Kressing
Starring: Michael York, Angela Lansbury, Anthony Higgins, Jane Carr and Heidelinde Weis
In the film, Konrad (Michael York) has an obsession with a fairy tale picture book he read as a child. The castle featured in its illustrations was based on Ornstein castle in Germany, located in a small Bavarian village, and Konrad will do anything to make it his. He manipulates his way into the home of the once wealthy Ornstein family and sleeps with the countess (Angela Lansbury), her son (Anthony Higgins), and a wealthy heiress (Heidelinde Weiss) to achieve his goals.
He is able to charm himself into getting whatever he wants – and when he can’t, he’ll kill for it. He’s opportunistic, manipulative – and unfortunately falls into that pesky duplicitous bisexual trope. Luckily, Konrad isn’t the only queer character in the film so the representation gets a bit of balance here; the countess’s son Helmuth is depicted as an innocent young gay man.
SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE was released shortly after the fall of the Hays Production Code. Its depiction of queerness (which was now allowed to fully exist on screen in America), and male-to-male kiss scene, is undoubtedly the reason this film received an X-rating upon its release – which ultimately hindered its box office numbers. It featured a noticeable step toward positive queer representation, though it didn’t quite land there. That doesn’t mean the film isn’t enjoyable though, despite some problematic depictions you still root for Konrad’s victory while praying for more scenes with Angela Lansbury’s campy countess.
It’s pretty safe to assume this was one of the many films that inspired SALTBURN (2023), and if you enjoyed that film then you definitely need to check this one out.
You can find SOMETHING FOR EVERYONE streaming on YouTube – it’s also available on DVD/Blu-ray.
