The paper will deal with the "gay image" in the movie The Talented Mr. Ripley. The main aim of the paper is to show that the "gays" in the characterization of Tom Ripley is portrayed as pathetic and tragic in The Talented Mr. Ripley and this portrayal of gays is not limited to Tom Ripley in the movie. I have chosen to explain my point in several different sections which tie with each other. But before writing about the movie, I feel the need of writing about the queer theory, and the problems of representation of homosexuals on screen.
             The queer theory, is not only used by homosexuals, or gays, or queers but the name invention belongs to this group. Queer is an adjective in English and its meaning is "1. Being out of the usual course of events in minor respects; singular; odd. 2. Of questionable character; open to suspicion; mysterious. 3. Slang Counterfeit. –n. Slang. 1 Counterfeit money..." according to the Webster's "Comprehensive" Dictionary. The use of queer attracts attention and the not so flattering meaning of the word is actually shown to public and by this the meaning is trying to be reversed.
             The queer culture is not limited to homosexual men and women. The word queer is now used to express wide range of images, books, films. Alexander Doty writes that: "Certain feminist critics and theorists have also begun using the term 'queer' to describe any non-normative expressions of gender by or about straight women (and, sometimes straight men) in film and popular culture production and representation."
             The queer theory is a live ground and it produces exiting results. Among the writers in this movement, the most appropriate one to our subject matter is Richard Dyer. Dyer has written many books and articles on gay representation. Some of his articles on gay representation is collected in The Matter of Images: Essays on Representations. From the twelv...