A couple of weeks ago I blogged about the second episode of British Film Forever, a seven-part retrospective of British cinema that has been running on BBC2 in the UK.
The fourth episode of this series was shown on Saturday night, and once again gay-themed films were included as a prominent and integrated part of the program (although, disappointingly, lesbian themes were once again completely ignored). Subtitled ‘Corsets, Cleavage and Country Houses’, this episode took a look at British costume dramas and the various ways in which they have reflected the past.
Ismail Merchant and James Ivory’s lavish adaptations of the novels of gay author E. M. Forster, such as A Room With A View and Howards End, have proved to be some of the most popular British costume dramas. But when the Merchant-Ivory team adapted Forster’s one gay-themed novel, Maurice, for the big screen in 1987, the results weren’t quite so financially successful.
Check out a trailer for the film here:
Even if Maurice didn’t achieve the crossover success of Brokeback Mountain, its tale of handsome, floppy-haired young British men falling in love with each other in Edwardian England did appeal to some straight viewers. American journalist Karen Krizanovich recalls the film cementing her view of the British public: “They’re all beautiful, and they’re all gay! All gay!”
Another filmmaker to deal with queer themes in a period setting was Derek Jarman, an artist and gay rights campaigner who was one of the few British public figures in the 1980s to be openly gay. His approach to the past was much more playful and experimental than that of Merchant-Ivory, though. For example, in his 1986 film Caravaggio, he gives an artist living in the 1600s a typewriter.
Jarman’s films were also more consistently and explicitly focussed on gay sexuality than those of Merchant-Ivory. He gave actor Sean Bean (who would go on to become famous in the Lord of the Rings films and is pictured above) an early role as Ranuccio, the bisexual lover of Caravaggio, in that film.
Although the program did not focus on their sexuality - since there was no particular reason to - it also served as a reminder of the number of great British actors who have been gay or bisexual. Among the actors whose work was featured in the episode were the bisexual Michael Redgrave, and the posthumously outed bisexual Alan Bates, as well as the Oscar-winning gay actor Charles Laughton (who provided the British film industry with one of its earliest costume drama hits with The Private Life of Henry VIII in 1933).
Perhaps one of the most moving stories, though, is that of Ian Charleson, the Scottish actor who starred as Olympic runner Eric Liddell in the Oscar-winning costume drama Chariots of Fire (1981).
Charleson tragically died of AIDS at the age of 40, but his portrayal of the warm, likeable, devoutly Christian Liddell lives on - even if many viewers may not realise that the part was played by a gay actor.
Check out a trailer for Chariots of Fire here:
Submitted by
on Wed, 2007-08-22 09:29.
What's It All About, Alfie...
"In the Spring a young man’s fancy lightly turns to thoughts of love."
You really should note that Maurice really isn't a very good film.. amorphous, rambling, verrrry slow.
Since you mentioned Alan Bates, I really have to bring up one of my list of the hottest scenes enshrined in mainstream film: the wrestling match between Bates and Oliver Reed in Ken Russell's Women in Love. The film in general and this scene in particular make nearly all the points about repressed eroticism (homo and no'mo) that Maurice does and the participants actually sweat... as did I, come to think of it.
As usual, however, I enjoyed the posting and the level of information delivered without a lot of attitude. Thanks.
P.S. Love the nom de plume.
Hmm, I have to say I
Hmm, I have to say I actually like Maurice. Rupert Graves's yokel accent is a bit ridiculous, and overall the whole story is a bit "Lady Chatterley goes gay" (what is it about early twentieth century writers and their obsession with shagging the gardener?)... but then that's Forster's fault, not Merchant-Ivory's. I like the confusion and tenderness in the film, and how it manages to be romantic without feeling voyeuristic. James Wilby isn't my favourite actor, but I do think he is good here.
I totally and utterly agree with you about Women in Love, though - I did actually mention the wrestling scene in my last blog post on British Film Forever, since they covered it in that episode.
Glad you liked the post - but what do you mean, nom de plume?? Can you possibly be implying that Locksley Hall isn't my real name?????
I enjoyed Maurice. If I
I enjoyed Maurice. If I remember correctly it was the first 'Gay' Film I ever saw (you notice how I didn't say 'Queer Cinema', I hate anything with that Q word in to represent the gays). Anyway..... The acting was beautiful and even though I can see the flaws looking back in hindsight, it was a very good film for a young man like myself who was just coming to terms with his sexuality. Considering the whole 'sunset' ending between Maurice and Scudder (I love that name). In fact the whole Maurice and Clive relationship reminds me of John Paul and Craig to a certain extent (see I told you I was obsessed! ;)). I do hope the latter couple actually work out in the end though.
Talking of Women in Love, am I the only one who didn't seem to be aroused by the whole nude wrestling? I dunno...but the handlebar moustache look doesn't do it for me, not to mention the heat that was produced in that room during said scene would have been stiffling. So in my mind all I could think about was stinking sweat and mucous and a mixture of different bodily fluids. Not a good image... And what were those two guys nattering on about? I think I nearly fell asleep while I was watching that scene. Hmmm...I must surely be focusing on the wrong bits because I seem to be missing out on something very special here by the sounds of it.