From Victim to Weekend, we remember some of the bt Brish gay films.
Contents:
10 GREAT BRISH GAY FILMS
Decrimalisatn changed the way homosexualy and gay culture were portrayed on screen. * english gay films *
When the Brish parliament passed the Sexual Offenc Act of 1967 – which stated that: “a homosexual act private shall not be an offence provid that the parti nsent thereto and have attaed the age of 21 years” – sought to legimate gay inty Bra, at least partially. Therefore, how and where he was able to perform his homosexual inty would have been a nstant source of anxiety and danger. However, lbians do feature throughout the urse of this 50-year history and should be clud wh the bat around creased visibily – even if, when pared wh films about gay male experience, they are unrreprented.
It’s fair to say that 1967 and the years after the Act was passed did not open the floodgat for the immediate visibily of gay liv.
As Andy Medhurst explas his entertag and thoughtful search for “nebulo nanci” Brish films ma between the 1940s and 1960s, the aim of the queer spectator was to pick up on visual and verbal clu which would give away a character’s or actor’s “gayns”.
INTERNATNAL GAY CEMA: 33 LGBTQ MOVI TO SEE OM AROUND THE WORLD
You're the right place for the bt gay and LGBTQ+ movi ever ma. You n to watch them on Netflix and other streamg servic. * english gay films *
It was not until the 1950s and the high-profile trials volvg Lord Montagu, Michael Pt-Rivers, and Peter Wilblood for homosexualy that the issue received substantial social attentn. As a rult, 1957, Lord John Wolfenn and his mtee published their report which had vtigated “homosexualy and s implitns for Brish social life and the law”. On the small screen, South, based on the play by Julien Green and shown as part of ITV’s Play of the Week seri 1959, is the earlit survivg Brish gay televisn drama.
As was mon wh so many gay stori, Jan is doomed to die, unable to profs his love and killed a duel by the object of his affectns.
* english gay films *
It starred matee idol Dirk Bogar as a closeted gay lawyer who is implited a blackmail rg which threatens to expose his gay inty and stroy his reer.
As well as suatg s gay polics wh a thriller narrative signed to appeal to a wir dience, is noteworthy for beg one of the first Brish films to st a well-known actor a gay tle role. Extra-textual elements about Bogar’s own private life as a gay man lend the film and his performance addnal meang and an thenticy which flects his performanc later films such as Joseph Losey’s The Servant (1963) and Darlg (1965).
Victim would mark a reer-long fascatn wh Bogar’s queer star persona and his own, often reluctant, negotiatn of a gay inty. John Schlger, who directed Bogar Darlg, was one of a group of gay filmmakers workg durg the “Swgg 60s”, wh an atmosphere of sexual eedom.