My boyfriend dislikes this thread 
How about the two homo hitmen in Bring Me The Head of Alfredo Garcia, played by Gig Young and Robert Webber. When the Mexican prostitute in the bar puts the move on one of the henchmen, he violently knocks her out and leaves her lying on the bar room floor, and continues his conversation as if nothing ever happened. Very twisted freaks.
LOL
Well, I think there is a modern tendency to leap at āhomoeroticismā ; the comment about the Italian culture being reflected in the āmale bondingā in these films is closer to the truth. That said, the way these relationships are STRUCTURED frequently resembles the plotting of ROMANCES- with macho versions of āmeeting cuteā and ābreaking up and getting back togetherā type cliches. Except in THESE āromancesā, thereās a good chance theyāll āconsumateā by shooting each other!
I agree with your point about the way these relationships are structured.
Itās interesting to look at from that angle. From what Iāve seen in these movies, male partnerships do involve break-ups, and obsession, and jealousy, and possessiveness, and indulgently savouring each otherās victory over the other.
It doesnāt mean theyāre gay, it just means they either really, really like each other or they have a whole lot of grudging respect for each other.
As for Chuncho and Tate, I think that one is pretty ambivalent, though I raised eyebrows when Chuncho wasted time treating Tateās malaria.
Maybe I have too much of a gaydar, but the relationship between Orlowsky and Lozoya in Viva la muerteā¦ tua! is very much a bromance. Lozoya has kind of a behaviour towards Orlowsky that- excuse my Japanese- is kind of tsundere. He starts out disrespecting , threatening and betraying the Russian conman constantly, but grows to legitimately respect him over time. They even leave the main female character behind and ride off into the mountains to continue their friendship.