TCM BREAKFAST CLUB SCREENING Victim I 1961 Directed by Basil Dearden The words “daring” and “groundbreaking” are frequently over-blown epithets in the movie business, but in the case of Victim (1961) they are entirely appropriate. For this film helped not just change attitudes towards a taboo subject – homosexuality – but even prompted changes in the law. Its star, Dirk Bogarde, showed enormous courage and integrity in agreeing to play the part of Melville Farr, the barrister who decides to take on a ring of blackmailers extorting men from gay men. TCM writer David Humphrey looks at how the film came to be made in an era when homosexuality was still the love that dared not speak its mind. With typical purposefulness and strength of character, Dirk move by the matinee idol, who would have sensed that public Bogarde thrust his head far above the parapet by taking the opinion was shifting towards a liberalisation of the laws that starring role in Victim. It was after all the first mainstream film forbade same-sex relationships. In real life, Bogarde himself on either side of the Atlantic to so shamelessly feature a gay was homosexual, but never made that public and was hero. In Britain’s prevailing moral climate, appearing in such a notoriously evasive whenever the fact was even hinted at. In his production could have been the kiss of death to the career of an memoirs about the life and death of his partner Tony Forwood, actor until now celebrated chiefly for action hero roles and light for example, he displayed an endearingly old-fashioned romantic parts in forgettable productions like Doctor in the House scrupulousness by portraying their relationship as actor and and Doctor at Sea. But it turned out to be a brave and shrewd manager, not lovers. TCM : SKY 319, VIRGIN TV 419 AND TOP UP TV ANYTIME TCMONLINE.CO.UK TCM 2: SKY 320 Meanwhile the young Peter McEnery and Dennis Price, a film In scenes of great poignancy, the movie ends with Farr and his actor of some stature, also took a leap of faith with their wife coming to terms with his sexuality and the humiliation he appearance in this film, directed with compassion, sensitivity and faces in the blackmailer's trial. not a little anger by Basil Dearden. This was the first English language movie to use the word "homosexual” (it was originally Nearly half a century on, the film is a fascinating time capsule banned from American screens because of that simple fact) and of London at the start of the second half of the 20th century. several of Bogardes contemporaries were so nervous about the Filmed on location in the capital’s streets, it rekindles memories subject matter that they rejected offers to play Farr. Jack for those of us who knew the city in the days before so much of Hawkins, James Mason and Stewart Granger were plainly made its character was lost to the bulldozer. As Farr pursues his of less stern stuff than Bogarde, never one to shirk a challenge. tormentors through a network of their victims, the cameras With homosexuals routinely being jailed in Britain, blackmailers shadow him through law courts, police stations, pubs, clubs, were gleefully able to extract funds for silence. Farr, a married barber shops, used bookstores, cafes, drawing rooms and car lawyer, finds himself at the mercy of a blackmailer who has dealerships, all in the monochrome grittiness of a London before photos of Farr with a young gay man who is being blackmailed it became, er, Swinging. and subsequently kills himself. At 40, Farr is about to become a QC but he knows he will sacrifice that appointment, and possibly On its release, the film’s importance was quickly recognised and wreck his marriage, if he allows himself to be publicly identified it gave impetus to the nationwide debate about homosexuality as gay. Nonetheless, he decides someone must confront the and associated blackmail (almost unbelievably, about 90 per blackmailers and in so doing demonstrate the injustice of the cent of all blackmail cases involved homosexuals at the time). law. Farr sets about tracking down other gay men being extorted For its wider ramifications, Victim stands comparison with other for money by the same blackmailer. In the process, his path landmark films such as Crossfire (1947), which boldly takes on crosses that of Detective Inspector Harris (John Barrie), one of anti-Semitism, and In the Heat of the Night (1966), robustly the Met’s more cerebral officers, who considers the law nothing tackling black stereotypes in the Deep South. When more than an aid to blackmailers and helps Farr in calling their homosexuality was finally legalised in Britain in 1967, few could bluff. Relish this piece of dialogue: deny the debt owed to Victim in that singular achievement. Detective Inspector Harris: Someone once called this law against Further reading: Dirk Bogarde, Rank Outsider, by Sheridan Morley homosexuality the blackmailer's charter. (Bloomsbury); Dirk Bogarde: The Official Biography by John Melville Farr: Is that how you feel about it? Coldstream, (Phoenix). Detective Inspector Harris: I'm a policeman, sir. I don't have feelings. ESCAPE TO A WORLD OF FILM THIS MAY WITH TCM In May, the 60th year of the Cannes Films Festival, TCM screens the UK Premiere of Bienvenue à Cannes, a fascinating documentary tracing the history of this star-studded event. Four memorable films that either collected the festival’s top prize, the Palme d’Or, or earned nominations are also shown. Meanwhile Bank Holiday highlights include all-time family favourites Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory (1981) and Blazing Saddles (1974). May also marks the centenary of the births of three acting legends - Laurence Olivier, Katharine Hepburn and John Wayne. TCM honours “Sir Larry” by showing two of his most memorable films, Clash of the Titans (1980) and The Shoes of the Fisherman (1968), while Hepburn stars in a special screening of The Philadelphia Story (1940). On TCM 2 meanwhile, John Wayne Week features On The Wings of Eagles (1957) and How The West Was Won (1962) and Directed by John Ford (1971) profiles the director responsible for some of Wayne’s most outstanding work. www.cornerhouse.org.