FEATURES THE FIRST AFFECTIONATE ONSCREEN KISS BETWEEN TWO MEN IN A TALKING MOTION PICTURE
DIRECTOR: John Schlesinger
Director John Schlesinger’s “Sunday Bloody Sunday,” follows Bob Elkin (Murray Head), a young bisexual artist, who is simultaneously involved with two lovers:
- Alex Greville (Glenda Jackson), a divorced recruitment consultant.
- Dr. Daniel Hirsh (Peter Finch), a middle-aged gay Jewish doctor.
Both Alex and Daniel know about each other but tolerate the arrangement rather than lose Bob entirely.
The film portrays the emotional intricacies of this polyamorous relationship, focusing on loneliness, compromise, and the search for connection in 1970s London
Although, while navigating the complexities of this bisexual triangle, you always feel that Glenda’s character will “win out,” in the end, Peter Finch gives a beautiful, thoroughly convincing performance. He is also one of the first gay characters on film to be comfortable in his skin. Compared to Joe Buck and Ratso Rizzo in Schlesinger’s previous film “Midnight Cowboy,” Finch’s doctor is positively walking on sunshine. He also gets an excellent monologue at the film’s end – “I am happy, apart from missing him” – which is spoken directly to the camera. It’s an acting tour de force that has never been bettered.
Look out for Daniel Day-Lewis in a small role.
Original, Oscar-nominated screenplay by Penelope Gilliatt.
NOW STREAMING ON AMAZON PRIME, APPLE TV+, YOUTUBE (SCREENPIX).
Seventy Queer Films Made Under the Hays Code (1934-1967)
https://thebrownees.net/seventy-queer-films-of-the-new-hollywood-1967-1981
