Al Pacino has made some amazing films over the course of his career, and he’s also starred in many that have incited controversy. One such feature was 1980’s Cruising, which saw his character go undercover to solve a series of murders in New York City. Prior to its release, the movie received backlash from the LGBTQ+ community, leading the actor to do some self reflection and donate his earnings to charity.
Cruising (1980)
Based on the novel of the same name, Cruising stars Al Pacino as Steve Burns, a New York City police officer tasked with catching a serial killer targeting gay men in the West Village. Wanting a promotion and seeing the assignment as his way to secure one, he goes undercover, renting an apartment in the Meatpacking District, so he can be close to the murderer’s main stomping grounds.
As the investigation progresses, Burns becomes concerned with how men in the LGBTQ+ community are treated by his fellow officers, at one point threatening to quit the assignment when a waiter is brought in for interrogation and subsequently beaten. He eventually finds out who the killer is – a student from Columbia University who’s been diagnosed with schizophrenia – and arrests him.
Cruising received backlash from the LBGTQ+ community before it was released in theaters. Aware of the book’s contents, people called the movie homophobic, said it perpetuated stereotypes and called out its stigmatization of gay men. Concerns were raised, in particular, about its homophobic political message, which many feared could be used as way to justify hate crimes.
In the summer prior to its release, protests were held in New York City over the film’s production, catching Pacino’s attention. At the time, however, the actor claimed he didn’t feel as though the movie was anti-gay.
Al Pacino quickly released Cruising (1980) was ‘exploitative’
In his memoir, Sonny Boy, Al Pacino revealed that he quickly realized why Cruising was controversial, going so far as to call the film “exploitative” to the LGBTQ+ community. After viewing the movie following its release, he chose to stay silent, rather than promote it.
Pacino explained that, while he was interested in “pushing the envelope,” the project “became very controversial during its production.” He recalled protestors showing up at filming locations “almost every day,” which forced him to think and take everyone’s concerns into consideration.
Donating his salary to charity
The controversy surrounding Cruising led Al Pacino to make an important decision when it came to his salary.
“I took the money, and it was a lot, and I put it in a irrevocable trust fund,” he wrote in Sonny Boy. “I gave it to charities, and with the interest, it was able to last a couple of decades. I don’t know if it eased my confidence, but at least the money did some good.”
The actor added that all the donations were made anonymously, as he wasn’t looking for credit.
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“I just wanted one positive thing to come out of that whole experience,” he explained, adding that he “didn’t want to make it a PR stunt.”