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Victim
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Victim

1961
Drama
Crime
1h 40m
A plea for reform of England's anti-sodomy statutes, this film pits Melville Farr (Dirk Bogarde), 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 (John Barrie) considers the sodomy law nothing more than an aid to blackmailers, and helps Farr in calling his blackmailer's bluff... (imdb)
Directed by:
Basil Dearden Basil Dearden
Written by:
Janet Green John McCormick
+1 more
Starring:
Sylvia Syms Sylvia Syms Dirk Bogarde Dirk Bogarde Dennis Price Dennis Price Norman Bird Norman Bird Nigel Stock Nigel Stock Peter McEnery Donald Churchill Derren Nesbitt Derren Nesbitt
More
Genres:
Drama, Crime
Country:
UK
Languages:
English, Latin
imdb More information at IMDb
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Victim

1961
Drama
Crime
1h 40m
Your probable score
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer
Avg Percentile 67.4% from 224 total ratings
Ratings & Reviews Cast Collections Similar Stats Trailer

Ratings & Reviews

(224)
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afx237viafx237vi
Rated 28 May 2012
80
84th
Surprisingly sophisticated, not only in its forward-thinking attitude towards homosexuality, but also in the subtle way it gets the message across. Bogarde gives a particularly nuanced performance; understated and quietly powerful, leaving the audience in no doubt about the inner conflicts his character is facing.
Rated 28 May 2012
isitsafeIsItSafe?
Rated 08 Apr 2021
74
68th
Powerful message, Powerful film, impactful acting. Pacing is a bit off.
Rated 08 Apr 2021
glumpy99glumpy_99
Rated 21 Feb 2013
86
76th
Excellent social drama posing as a mystery/thriller, with Bogarde's brave, fearless lead performance matched by equally subtle, affecting work by Syms as his confused wife. Film is marginally dated in terms of its explicitness, but its directness in dealing with its themes and subject matter, without resorting to euphemisms, is to be commended. Marked the beginning of a fascinating career change for Bogarde, from matinee idol to art-house darling.
Rated 21 Feb 2013
antaresAntares
Rated 19 Mar 2014
82
86th
Basil Dearden takes on a subject that in its time, must have been quite daring. But by steering a more sympathetic tack, humanizes the plight of homosexuals who were jailed under anti-sodomy statutes or blackmailed by lecherous criminals, in hopes of remaining in the closet. I applaud Dearden for not using any stereotypical characterizations of these men, which would be what Hollywood would have done, if this film would have been made 'across the pond'.
Rated 19 Mar 2014
moviecinemaMovieCinema
Rated 03 Dec 2021
72
76th
Surprising amount of gays for its time, an a somewhat sympathetic portray of them
Rated 03 Dec 2021
graveyardtangraveyardtan
Rated 04 Sep 2011
80
57th
Ahead of it's time for its portrayal of homosexuals as three dimensional characters, but the plot is far too convoluted, with certain subplots (such as the men posing as orphans) coming from left field and not to be mentioned twice.
Rated 04 Sep 2011
jjjensenJJJensen
Rated 04 Apr 2024
83
55th
peaceanarchyPeaceAnarchy
Rated 18 Aug 2015
90
94th
The social commentary is what gets this film its reputation, and it certainly is a strong condemnation of anti0homosexuality laws, but what really stands out is how compelling it is as a mystery drama. Great performance from Bogarde and great writing in every facet.
Rated 18 Aug 2015
hotsakehotsake
Rated 29 Sep 2018
62
57th
An interesting and well acted movie. It's scary that less than 50 years homosexuality was considered illegal in some places.
Rated 29 Sep 2018
timon88Timon88
Rated 06 Jul 2020
84
88th
Good flick. Pauline Kael: "There's a self-conscious attempt to distinguish between the 'love' that [Bogarde] feels for [Syms] and the physical desire--presumably a lower order of emotion--that he felt for a young man who appears to be more interesting in every way than the wife. The film marked a turning point in Bogarde's career: he was tired of playing boyish, bouncy roles ("I was the Loretta Young of England," he said), and this time acted his age in what was, in those years, a daring role."
Rated 06 Jul 2020
jeffvjeff_v
Rated 04 Mar 2010
66
45th
Should allowances be made for the time the film was made? Or is there a sliding scale, and a film's value erodes as its topicality fades? Basil Dearden isn't mentioned in the same breath as Orson Welles for reasons the film amply demonstrates. Yet the subject remains as relevant as it was 45 years ago, what with the recent wave of legislated homophobia in the United States. Pity that the subject is treated with more sympathy than depth, and that restraint is favored over cutting to the bone.
Rated 04 Mar 2010
francogonzoFrancoGonzo
Rated 01 Mar 2016
13
69th
Star Rating: ★★★1/2
Rated 01 Mar 2016
akatemossfanAKateMossFan
Rated 04 Jul 2021
1
8th
honeybHoneyB
Rated 07 Oct 2022
86
89th
/
Rated 07 Oct 2022
kfolkfol
Rated 22 Apr 2018
71
76th
Brilliant acting with an interesting script, among the films that introduced me to cinema. Hard to imagine the impact it had on release.
Rated 22 Apr 2018
chadisdangerchadisdanger
Rated 10 Aug 2013
82
69th
An undeniably powerful and important drama. It's a social message film to be sure, and the script indeed resorts to the occasional inelegant speechifying against the homosexuality law, but this message was so important and so controversial that I'm more than willing to overlook any minor script flaws in favour of Dearden's courage in making this film at all. The filmmaking, though, is incidentally quite good; fine performances all around, and Dearden's direction is rock solid.
Rated 10 Aug 2013
unclesausageunclesausage
Rated 03 Nov 2010
55
64th
I drank cola to remember her birthday, and now I'm a bubble
Rated 03 Nov 2010
martintellerMartinTeller
Rated 18 Jun 2011
80
66th
The film is quite bold in its straightforward tackling of a controversial social problem, and a few years later the abhorrent laws against homosexuality were repealed. Like Crossfire, it's an issues picture combined with a noirish thriller, but in my opinion Dearden handles the blend more gracefully. The biggest flaw is that the intricate web of character connections is a bit too confusing and too convenient. Nonetheless, it's a sensitive and engaging treatment of an important topic.
Rated 18 Jun 2011
crtsjffrsncrtsjffrsn
Rated 30 Mar 2024
90
97th
mandymandy
Rated 21 Nov 2015
7
73rd
Well acted, solid drama making a comment on homosexuality that must have been very daring for its day.
Rated 21 Nov 2015
doyler29doyler29
Rated 18 Aug 2020
70
42nd
It's a good, if generally unremarkable film, that was a landmark film in terms of arguing against the persecution of homosexuals in Britain. Homosexuality was still illegal in Britain, and the law was enforced, so it was quite significant to make a film where the lead is homosexual, let alone a sympathetic portrayal. The film was not approved by the Production Code in the US.
Rated 18 Aug 2020
pointtonullpointtonull
Rated 28 Jul 2020
70
68th
Horror movie. To think homosexuality was illegal in UK until 1982! OMG.
Rated 28 Jul 2020
dougreeseDougReese
Rated 13 Sep 2009
100
96th
While "Victim" sounds like an inspiring film, it actually isn't. The film is ruthless in its study of blackmail and every moment of the film plays like an unapologetically subtle thriller. "Victim" is thrilling: yes. It covers themes usually avoided in the time period: yes. But it never degrades its subject into conventional influence. It would rather piece together the way a human being reacts (realistically) when faced the unmerciful fact that another is willing to expose and harm them.
Rated 13 Sep 2009
macswellMacSwell
Rated 02 Aug 2020
70
61st
Though a landmark in gay cinema that highlights and challenges the stigma facing homosexuality in 1960s society, particularly with regard to the so-called “blackmailer’s charter” in British law, its impact has understandably softened over the years on account of progressing attitudes and the film’s relative conservatism by modern standards. The content is thus a little dry, but Bogarde, a closeted man himself, takes on the lead role with bravery and class.
Rated 02 Aug 2020

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