Victim (1961)

User Rating:

7.9/10   

Director:

Basil Dearden

Writers:

Janet Green (screenplay) and
John McCormick (screenplay)

Release Date:

11 October 1961 (Denmark)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

A prominent lawyer goes after a blackmailer who threatens gay men with exposure (homosexual acts still being illegal). But he's gay himself...

Plot Keywords:

Gay | Homosexual | Blackmail | Suicide | Law

Awards:

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 1 nomination

Cast

Dirk Bogarde	...	Melville Farr
Sylvia Syms	...	Laura
Dennis Price	...	Calloway
Nigel Stock	...	Phip
Peter McEnery	...	Barrett
Donald Churchill	...	Eddy
Anthony Nicholls	...	Lord Fullbrook
Hilton Edwards	...	P.H.
Norman Bird	...	Harold Doe
Derren Nesbitt	...	Sandy Youth
Alan MacNaughton	...	Scott Hankin (as Alan MacNaughtan)
Noel Howlett	...	Patterson
Charles Lloyd Pack	...	Henry
John Barrie	...	Det. Inspector Harris
John Cairney	...	Bridie

Runtime:

90 min | 100 min (pre-censored version) | 96 min (video version)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

UK:12 (video rating) (2004) | UK:15 (video rating) (1986) | Finland:K-16 | West Germany:18 (bw) | UK:X (original rating) (cut) | UK:PG (re-rating) (2005) (uncut)

Filming Locations:

Cambridge Circus, Covent Garden, London, England, UK

Company:

Allied Film Makers (AFM)

Trivia:

Jack Hawkins, James Mason and Stewart Granger turned down the role of Melville Farr. Then it was decided to make the character younger and Dirk Bogarde accepted the part.

Goofs:

Boom mic visible: When Melville is stood outside the Counsel & Clerks office, the shadow of the boom microphone is visible beside the sign, on the wall behind him.

Quotes:

Detective Inspector Harris: I can see you're a true puritan, Bridie. Eh?
Bridie: There's nothing wrong with that, Sir.
Detective Inspector Harris: Of course not. There was a time when that was against the law you know.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in A Kind of Loving (1962)

Drama Holds Up Well

When first released in 1961 "Victim" was considered a bold comment on a then hushed-up subject. Looking at the film today, the work is still a forceful, frank account of British societal mores, firmly backed up by laws. While attitudes and behaviors have changed regarding alternative lifestyles, this drama powerfully documents conditions as they existed for many years in England. Sir Dirk Bogarde, one of Britain's most distinguished actors, adorns this presentation with his unique charismatic presence and skill. Ably supported by a strong cast, Bogarde subtly delineates a respected lawyer risking both his professional standing and his marriage by confronting hard-line blackmailers. A taut screenplay and tight direction enhance this thriller.