Description
Book Synopsis English actor Dirk Bogarde dominated the films in which he starred. Exploring the tension between his matinee idol appeal and his own closeted sexuality, this book focuses on the wide variety of genres in which he worked, and the highly charged interaction between his life and his roles.
Beginning with an expose of gay life in post-war Britain and his relationship with partner/manager, Anthony Forwood, each chapter explores Bogarde''s performances by genre--his juvenile delinquent movies, his military roles, his contribution to Basil Dearden''s overtly gay thriller Victim (1961), and his outsider roles in such films as The Servant (1963), The Fixer (1968) and Despair (1978). Bogarde''s camp cinema, espionage thrillers and various roles as artists are also examined, along with the misogyny of the Doctor films and his later television work.
Table of Contents
- Introduction 1
- One. "It's too horrible to watch!" 11
- Two. "I'm better on my own." 23
- Three. "You'll wake up in Broadmoor." 32
- Four. "All the nice boys like a soldier." 57
- Five. "Nature's played a dirty trick on me." 77
- Six. "Champagne! Champagne!" 109
- Seven. "I don't think you know what the truth is any more." 121
- Eight. "I don't believe in morality." 136
- Nine. "You cannot reach the spirit through the senses!" 143
- Ten. "No women!" 153
- Conclusion 168
- Filmography 173
- Chapter Notes 175
- Bibliography 181
- Index 185
