Rock Hudson: Dark and Handsome Stranger (2010)

Unraveling the intriguing narrative of Rock Hudson, a man whose charm and charisma shone on-screen, this documentary delves deep into the life of the Hollywood icon, a quarter-century after his demise. Born as Roy Fitzgerald, Hudson cultivated a larger-than-life persona in the form of "Rock Hudson", a studio-crafted image which he kept distinct from his personal identity. Nonetheless, 'Rock Hudson: movie star' was an unavoidable facet of his life, known to his friends and acquaintances. Depicting the quintessential handsome, rugged, and affable leading man, Hudson held up a meticulously crafted public façade that included a brief, two-year marital alliance with Phyllis Gates. His film career, by and large, upheld this image, often juxtaposing him with more effeminate or nebbish male characters to accentuate his masculinity. However, Hudson's life took a dramatic turn with his AIDS diagnosis - a disease shrouded in mystery at the time, with an ominous reputation for being primarily a death sentence for homosexual men. The disease devastated him, both physically and emotionally, while inadvertently revealing his homosexuality to the world. Yet, his tragedy served a larger purpose - it thrust the conversation about AIDS into the public sphere, with Hudson becoming the first widely recognized face of the disease. In this compelling journey, friends, colleagues, biographers, and cinema historians shed light on Hudson's career, personal life, and his struggle with his closeted homosexuality, offering a gripping portrait of a man who lived under the spotlight and in the shadows.

Rock Hudson: Dark and Handsome Stranger is a documentary movie featuring Rock Hudson and directed by Andrew Davies.

Rock Hudson: Dark and Handsome Stranger is currently streaming for free (ad-supported) on Tubi TV.