Victim ( 1961 ) - DaaVeeDee

Victim ( 1961 ) (Blu-Ray) (*)

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Screened, competed or awarded at:
BAFTA Awards
Venice Film Festival

Language Selections:
English ( Dolby Digital 2.0 )
English ( Mono )
English ( Subtitles )

Product Origin/Format:
United Kingdom ( Blu-Ray/Region B )

Running Time:
100 min

Aspect Ratio:
Widescreen (1.66:1)

Special Features:
Behind the scenes
Cast/Crew Interview(s)
Interactive Menu
Photo Gallery
Scene Access
Trailer(s)
Black & White

Movie filmed in 1961 and produced in:
United Kingdom ( Great Britain, Ireland )

Directed By:
Basil Dearden

Written By:
Janet Green
John McCormick

Actors:
Dirk Bogarde ..... Melville Farr
Sylvia Syms ..... Laura
Dennis Price ..... Calloway
Anthony Nicholls ..... Lord Fullbrook
Peter Copley ..... Paul Mandrake
Norman Bird ..... Harold Doe
Peter McEnery ..... Barrett
Donald Churchill ..... Eddy
Derren Nesbitt ..... Sandy Youth
John Barrie ..... Det.Inspector Harris
John Cairney ..... Bridie
Alan MacNaughton ..... Scott Hankin (in opening credits)
Nigel Stock ..... Phip
Frank Pettitt ..... Barman
Mavis Villiers ..... Madge

Synopsis:

This BAFTA-nominated story of deception, blackmail and revenge stars Dirk Bogarde in a brave, career-best performance as a prosperous young barrister with a dark secret. With powerful direction from Basil Dearden and strong supporting performances from both Sylvia Syms and Dennis Price, Victim is featured here in a High Definition transfer made from original film elements in its as-exhibited theatrical aspect ratio. The police are after Jack Barrett, who has stolen several thousand pounds and is now on the run. He tries desperately to get in touch with Melville Farr, a prosperous young barrister with a beautiful wife but, cornered and arrested by the police he commits suicide in his prison cell rather than answer their questions.

In its time, Victim was considered as a daring a film as had ever been made in England. Taken at face value, Janet Green and JOHN MCCORMICK's screenplay is nothing new: DIRK BOGARDE plays a lawyer who agrees to defend an old friend (JOHN MCENERY) on a theft charge, only to be enmeshed in a blackmailing scheme. What set this one apart is the fact that the lawyer had once been the male lover of his client. At a time when homosexuality was a criminal offense in England, any film that depicted the gay scene in a non-judgmental light was in for a rough time from the bluenose brigades. What really startled filmgoers of 1962 is that the homosexuals shown in Victim were seemingly normal, everyday blokes, a far cry from the stereotyped 'nance' characters common to films. Denied the MPAA seal when it was released to the United States, Victim surprisingly ran into very little interference when it was released to television in the mid-1960s.

A plea for reform of England's anti-sodomy statutes, this film pits Melville Farr, a married lawyer, against a blackmailer who has photos of Farr and a young gay man (who is being blackmailed and later commits suicide) in Farr's car. After the suicide, Farr tracks down other gay men being extorted for money by the same blackmailer. The well-educated police Detective Inspector Harris considers the sodomy law nothing more than an aid to blackmailers, and helps Farr in calling his blackmailer's bluff. The movie, far ahead of its time, ends with Farr and his wife coming to terms with his homosexuality after the public exposure he faces in the blackmailer's trial.

This product was added to our catalog on Sunday 15 March, 2015.

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