The vicious circle (1961)
| Movie | |
|---|---|
| German title | The vicious circle |
| Original title | Victim |
| Country of production | United Kingdom |
| original language | English |
| Publishing year | 1961 |
| length | 96 minutes |
| Age rating | FSK 16 |
| Rod | |
| Director | Basil Dearden |
| script |
Janet Green , John McCormick |
| production | Michael Relph |
| music | Philip Green |
| camera | Otto Heller |
| cut | John D. Guthridge |
| occupation | |
| |
The vicious circle (original title: Victim ) is a British crime film by Basil Dearden with Dirk Bogarde in the lead role from 1961 . Within a crime scene, the film addresses the then risky topic of homosexuality and is considered the first English-language film to use the word homosexual . When it was published, Victim was controversial, but today it is receiving a positive reception.
action
Melville Farr is widely recognized as one of the most successful junior barristers in London and his appointment as crown attorney is already in sight. He has a seemingly happy marriage with his young wife, the teacher Laura, and lives in a comfortable town house. Before the wedding, he had told his wife about his homosexual inclinations, but swore to her not to act out them. Even so, until recently he regularly drove Barrett, a homosexual young construction worker, to his place of work, which was on his way to the office. When Barrett confessed his love for him, Farr broke off contact.
Barrett is blackmailed over a photo of him lying crying in Farr's arms. So that he can pay the blackmailers, he steals 2,300 pounds from his employers on the construction site. Now Barrett is wanted by the police and goes to various friends to get help with his planned escape from England. He calls Farr several times, but the lawyer avoids him - he believes Barrett is trying to blackmail him. Finally, Barrett is picked up by the police at night and arrested. The police quickly find out that he was blackmailed for his homosexuality and interrogate him. Barrett still loves Farr and knows that sooner or later he would have to tell the police the details of his relationship with the lawyer, which would mean his social death. Barrett hangs himself desperately in his cell.
When Farr learns that Barrett has committed suicide and actually wanted to protect him, he feels guilty. He asks Eddy Stone, a friend of Barrett's, to help him find other blackmail victims. Eddy soon tells Farr about the older hairdresser Henry, who would surprisingly sell his shop, probably to be able to pay off the blackmailers. Henry refuses to identify the blackmailers in an interview with Farr, as he has been in prison several times for his homosexuality and does not want any more trouble. Shortly after Farr, one of the blackmailers enters Henry's shop and vandalizes him. The barber with a heart condition suffers a heart attack from the shock, but can call Farr's house before he dies and gives him the name Calloway .
Calloway is a prominent actor on the London stage, but he too refuses to give Farr any information about the blackmailers. In addition to Calloway, Farr encounters other high-ranking and wealthy members of society who prefer to pay off the blackmailers with large sums of money instead of letting their secrets come to light. Meanwhile, Laura Farr wants to know from her husband what his relationship is to the late Barrett. Melville protests that he loves her and that he kept his promise not to live out his homosexuality in marriage. Still, he felt drawn to Barrett. Laura is disappointed that her husband cannot get rid of his inclinations and considers leaving him. As a result of his investigations, Farr himself is increasingly becoming the target of blackmailers. One day Laura and her brother Scott discover that the Farr Is Queer phrase has been smeared on the Farr's garage door . Scott advises his sister to get a divorce.
In the end, Farr decides to work with the police to catch the blackmailers - even if this would reveal his homosexuality and end his career. Soon after, the police and Farr together catch the blackmailer: a motorcyclist with sadistic tendencies and the old-youthful, embittered bookseller Miss Benham. Farr decides to take the charge. Laura still loves her husband and decides - now that the scandal is rolling - to stick with him because he needs her love.
background
Homosexuality and its criminalization - as well as the resulting opportunities for blackmailers - were already discussed in 1919 in the German silent film Anders als die Andern . In the following decades, however, only a few other films were made that openly deal with this topic, and if so, then it was often only cheap independent films with unknown actors. Victim thus became one of the first commercial films on the subject and the first English-language film to use the word homosexual .
Director Basil Dearden and producer Michael Relph had already made the film Sapphire together two years earlier , which dealt with the difficult conditions of Indian immigrants in London within a crime scene. They won the British Academy Film Award in the Best Picture category for Sapphire . Then Dearden and Relph dared to tackle another taboo subject in British society with homosexuality, which they also addressed in a criminal act. With the film you wanted to speak out against the criminalization of homosexuality. At that time, 90% of all extortions in the UK were believed to be homosexual-related. It wasn't until 1967 that homosexuality was decriminalized in the UK with the introduction of the Sexual Offences Act .
When the film was released, Dirk Bogarde was considered one of the greatest film stars in his country, particularly known for his portrayals of romantic lovers. In this respect, the role of Melville Farr meant a great risk to Bogarde's career, much like the scandal in the film is a risk to the career of the lawyer. Bogarde was homosexual, but did not make it public throughout his life, although rumors accompanied the unmarried actor for decades. Ultimately, Victim meant no real damage to Bogarde's career, on the contrary, he was expressly praised by critics for his portrayal and established himself as a serious character actor . Decades later, Bogarde described accepting the film as the wisest decision of his career, stating, “It is extraordinary… to believe that making this silent film could ever be considered brave, bold or dangerous. In its time it was all three. "
Before Bogarde, Jack Hawkins , James Mason and Stewart Granger were discussed for the role. In general, the casting of the film turned out to be difficult, as many actors feared for their careers by participating in such a risky film. In addition to Bogarde , at least two other homosexual actors were involved in the film, Dennis Price and Hilton Edwards .
synchronization
The German dubbed version was created in 1962 at the Rank dubbing department in Berlin for the German cinema premiere. Hans-Joachim Szelinski was responsible for the dialogue book, Edgar Flatau was responsible for the dubbing .
Awards
Victim was in the competition for the Golden Lion at the Venice International Film Festival in 1961. At the British Academy Film Awards in 1962 the film received nominations for Best Actor (Dirk Bogarde) and Best Screenplay (Janet Green and John McCormick).
reception
Approval and Commercial Success
Victim celebrated its world premiere on August 31, 1961 in London. The film had previously been controversially discussed on the British Board of Film Classification . In the United States, the film opened in theaters the following February. Here the film was less successful because the so-called " Hays Code " of the Motion Picture Association of America (MPAA) was in effect here. The MPAA asked Dearden and Ralph to remove the word homosexual from the film, which they refused. The film did not receive the then important seal of approval from the MPAA, whereupon the film was shown in only a few US cinemas and was viewed negatively by the public.
In the United Kingdom, however, the film became a commercial success. It became an important contribution to the public debate over whether to legalize homosexuality. The film premiered in West German cinemas on May 30, 1962.
With critics
Despite the public controversy, most of the critics were benevolent. The Evening Standard noted that after long years of weaker roles, Bogarde was proving himself to be an excellent actor and showing courage at the same time. Time wrote that the film had "a careful portrayal of Bogarde and that it pursues with eloquence and conviction the case against an antiquated law." Bosley Crowther wrote in the New York Times on February 6, 1962: "The simple fact that homosexuality is considered a state of affairs is presented honestly and senselessly, with due comment for the dilemma and the pathos, makes it an extraordinary film. ”The topic is controversial, but is not treated in bad taste, according to Crowther.
Today The Vicious Cycle is mostly received positively and is considered an influential work. On the US critic portal Rotten Tomatoes , all 23 reviews for Victim are positive, giving the film a positive rating of 100%.
Roger Ebert gave Victim the highest rating of four stars and remarked that the film might seem a bit scared from today's point of view with regard to its topic, but was extremely brave at the time. “The film runs on two levels, as a detective and as a character study, and this two-sided nature ensures that it is both entertaining and functions as a message film.” Victim “Find truth and dignity in the scenes between Farr and his wife ; what a relief that their powerful final scene together ends on a note of somber realism rather than providing some sort of artificial relief ”. The Lexicon of International Films writes that the film serves "homosexuality as the motif of a tactful and captivating film that is ostensibly designed as a crime story".
Web links
- The vicious circle in the Internet Movie Database (English)
- The vicious circle atRotten Tomatoes(English)
Individual evidence
- ↑ The vicious circle in Cinema
- ↑ Screen: 'Victim' Arrives: Dirk Bogarde Stars in Drama of Blackmail , Bosley Crowther, New York Times, February 6, 1962
- ^ Victim at RogerEbert.com
- ↑ Dirk Bogarde: why 'the idol of the Odeons' risked everything for art , The Guardian
- ^ Victim at RogerEbert.com
- ↑ Dirk Bogarde: why 'the idol of the Odeons' risked everything for art , The Guardian: ... It is extraordinary ... to believe that this modest film could ever have been considered courageous, daring or dangerous to make. It was, in its time, all three.
- ^ Victim at Turner Classic Movies
- ↑ The vicious circle in the German dubbing index
- ^ Victim at the Criterion Collection
- ↑ IMDb release dates
- ^ Victim at Turner Classic Movies
- ↑ Critique of Victim at Time.com
- ^ Victim at Rotten Tomatoes
- ↑ Screen: 'Victim' Arrives: Dirk Bogarde Stars in Drama of Blackmail , New York Times, February 6, 1962
- ^ Victim at Rotten Tomatoes
- ↑ Victim bei RogerEbert.com: The movie proceeds on two levels, as a crime thriller and as a character study, and it's this dual nature that makes it an entertainment at the same time it works as a message picture. (...) and finds truth and dignity in the scenes between Farr and his wife; what a relief that their powerful last scene together ends on a note of bleak realism rather than providing some kind of artificial release.
- ↑ The vicious circle. In: Lexicon of International Films . Film service , accessed August 9, 2017 .