*Note: This list originally ran on March 5th, 2007

Since we're on the subject of mincing villains this week, we thought we'd put together a list of filmdom's worst examples of gay or gay-seeming baddies (Xerxes, you're already an dishonorary member). I'm sure folks will have some more to add -- share your suggestions in the comments!

Jame Gumb (Ted Levine) — Silence of the Lambs.

We talked about this one a few weeks back, and after reviewing the film again it's pretty shocking how ugly this character is -- and how much of that ugliness is tied to his sexuality and gender identity. Pretty much the most graphic example of the strange perception that gay men (or is it transsexuals? The film is too busy grossing us out to worry about the details) are hysterical, murderous creatures who hate their bodies and women alike. A giant step backward, either way you slice it -- and it swept the Academy Awards.

Phillip (Farley Granger) and Brandon (John Dall) — Rope

Based on real-life killers Leopold and Loeb, Brandon and Phillip are two superficial, society-climbing apparent lovers who have nothing better to do than to kill a schoolmate, stuff him in a trunk, and then serve his family dinner over his cooling body (didn't the Queer Eye guys do an episode on that?). Allows for some incredibly loaded dialogue that managed to sneak the sexual nature of the relationship past the censors, but otherwise a curious portrait of gay men that links their sexuality to wanton murderousness.

Prince Edward (Peter Hanly) — Braveheart

Historically incorrect and downright rude, noted bigot Mel Gibson's version of Prince Edward was as mincing and offensive as they come — one scene even depicts Edward and his lover (dressed in drag) prancing about the palace with a servant holding a full-length mirror so that they can admire themselves. Is this really what straight men think that gay men do to entertain themselves? Please — drinking alone and complaining to your cats is far less exhausting, and doesn't require any hired help. Much like 300's Xerxes, this Edward ignores historical fact (that Edward was actually quite rugged) in favor of creating a hateful character that small-minded bigots like the director can easily compartmentalize and openly detest.

Joel Cairo (Peter Lorre) — The Maltese Falcon

Sam Spade (Humphrey Bogart) came up against some mystery and some sistery in this noir classic — Peter Lorre's mincing treasure hunter Joel Cairo, to be precise. While the character was straightened up quite a bit for the screen, this hissing queen is still undeniably meant to be a queer counterpart for the macho hero, whose disgust at Cairo's obvious sexuality is quite apparent and quite intense. Much has been noted about the fact that Spade slaps Cairo instead of punching him, which codes the character as feminine, gay, and weak.

Waldo (Clifton Webb) — Laura

Manipulative and incredibly bitchy Waldo (who preys upon heroine Gene Tierney) was originally scripted explicitly scripted as a homosexual, although ultimately his sexuality was buried and his actions blurred (to the point that many viewers interpret his actions as those of a spurned lover, not a controlling queen). Still, this arch villain represented a culmination of the noir era's sissy baddies, which stood for everything perverted that decent society needed to destroy.

Doctor Praetorius (Ernest Thesiger) — The Bride of Frankenstein

The seething, slimy villain of gay director James Whale's classic horror film was played by a closeted and married actor, and the titular Bride was herself married to a closeted gay man (Charles Laughton). What a set that must have been! Praetorius is basically the end-all of gay-seeming supervillains, and the film's attack on the institution of marriage is pretty hard to ignore. Whale set out to make a camp comedy follow-up to his classic horror film Frankenstein, and with the help of Praetorius, he succeeded in spades — were it not for the undercurrent of dark humor in the film, this character would have been much more difficult to tolerate.

Bruno (Robert Walker) — Strangers on a Train

Openly bisexual Farley Granger (pictured above left) once again found himself submitting to the wiles of a predatory Hitchcockian gay man — this time in the form of obsessive Bruno. As far as sissy villains go, this one at least is lacking the stereotypical affectations that generally make up these characters. Still, a complete nutjob.

Any more suggestions? We'd love to hear them!