Pretty Good

It is a performances centric movie

As Good As It Gets

At first rather annoying in its heavy emphasis on reenactments, this movie ultimately proves fascinating, simply because the complicated, highly dramatic tale it tells still almost defies belief.

It's weird looking back at the older movies and then slowly getting more modern. It's interesting to see the movies tackle on more mature subjects. This is the earliest movie I have seen that was explicitly about homosexuality. It's kind of cheating for me to give this 10 stars. It's not the best written of its kind, but I simply love it. It might only be because it's great to see an early positive and realistic portrayal of homosexual discrimination. I had no idea that the British actually banned homosexuality, but I don't know how accurate this is. This is a disgusting notion that stops people from being unique and living their lives to the fullest. I don't want to make this review a political rant.The story features a guy who is not only gay, but also happens to have a wife himself. It's revealed that while it was mostly a cover-up, he does sincerely care about his wife, just not in that way. I don't think I have even seen any modern movies that deal with this topic. It truly is interesting to see something most people would just not talk about being discussed in such an old movie. The pacing is great and it never felt too long or short. The acting is quite good and I really feel for all these characters as their lives are being destroyed simply because of whom they love. Historically, I know very little about the history of gay rights. Well, this doesn't deal with American struggles. It's still a wonderful film that everyone should see. God doesn't make junk. ****

Since this film has so many reviews, I shall simply focus entirely on the impact that this film had on my inner emotions vis a vis the main character - Dirk Brogade who plays the barrister/solicitor.Mr. Brogade is an another fine actor from the British screen. He is so compelling and unforgettable in this role and thankfully he does it justice because Mr. Brogade brings to life or parallels the perils of homosexuality in a time when gay people were persecuted criminally. The Victim is an apt title but you really ponder how many victims in this cruel and well acted drama?I urge all to watch this beautifully written and directed and extremely well acted film but most of all, follow-up the actual plot with real life struggles that gay people assumed at the time of the criminalization of homosexuality.

Half a century's age, this hidden curio from UK cinema revolves around a series of homosexual blackmailing cases (while men could be put in jail simply for being gay), an eminent married lawyer in the closet decides to expose the extortion on account of his "young admirer" commits suicide in order not to comprehend him into the dark corner, so as to prompt to unseat the discrimination inside UK's legislative system and which will inexorably end his prominent career. The film counts in a flock of various characters, among which mostly are gay men (of divergent ranks), under the milieu of repression, some are diffident and dodging, some are well-off and laissez-faire, and depicts a vivid gay scene at then with a briskly unobtrusive measure (in spite of multiply exploiting unsettling close-ups of faces to attenuate the dramatic currents), deftly projects Dirk Bogarde's heroic lawyer as the knight in shining armor to rescue the gay sub- culture being bullied and threatened. Bogarde is bold (off the screen) and instinctively mesmerizing (on the screen) in the film, even subconsciously one could dive into his dilemma and being shepherded until the exit of the maze, remarkably it is not a common whodunit trickery, no actions, no noir atmosphere, it is a moral lecture with a cogent victory of defending oneself's nature. Sylvia Syms is steadfast in her role as the wife, knowingly indulging her marriage and naively believes there is an alternative, the two-hander between her and Bogarde is the zenith of this film. The film's laconic 90 minutes length does seep some coerced discontentment, but frankly speaking the story has no loose end, one could divine its subsequent development in his own aftertaste.

This is a great British drama. Most of the other reviews focus on the homosexual context of the film, which is certainly important from a social standpoint; however I would like to focus on how great this movie is, aside from the gay angle.What impresses me most about this film is how tight and taut it is. Not a word is wasted. Every actor moves with incredible precision; not a pinky wiggles unnecessarily at any moment. The effect is mesmerizing. The script is fast-paced and constantly moves the plot forward. The camera-work is sublime, masterfully and carefully zooming in here, gracefully panning there; a true masterpiece of art from the director.Dirk Bogarde plays the upper class barrister with the true stiff-upper lip that we associate with the Britain's best class. His wife, played by Sylvia Sims, does not overdo her part as the humiliated wife; this is a role that could easily have slid into over-ripe dramatics, but she is as equally reserved and in control as her husband.All of the supporting cast are top tier as well. The blackmailer, who we meet not too far into the movie, is particularly sleazy and slimy, in a manner reminiscent of some of Dirty Harry's lead criminals. And don't assume you know everything that is going on either; the script has a number of twists and surprises at the end that will leave you very satisfied and entertained - you will be pleasantly surprised at how easily you have been misdirected! There are a couple of delicious ironies in the film. First, look for, in the apartment of the man who is blackmailing homosexuals, a sketch of Michelangelo's (nude) David. Very cute and clever. And second: hey, who is that actor in the tiny role of George, the assistant to the hairdresser? Its Frank Thornton, better known as "Captain Peacock" of the great British comedy, "Are You Being Served"; you will remember that the funniest cast member of that series was John Inman, playing the hilariously flamboyant and openly gay Mr. Humphries! A highly recommended drama.