Victim (1962)

100% of critics liked it
(8 reviews)
82% of users liked it
(1,082 ratings)

In its time, Victim was considered as a daring a film as had ever been made in England. Taken at face value, Janet Green and John McCormick's screenplay is nothing new: Dirk Bogarde plays a lawyer who agrees to defend an old friend (John McEnery) on a theft charge, only to be enmeshed in a… More In its time, Victim was considered as a daring a film as had ever been made in England. Taken at face value, Janet Green and John McCormick's screenplay is nothing new: Dirk Bogarde plays a lawyer who agrees to defend an old friend (John McEnery) on a theft charge, only to be enmeshed in a blackmailing scheme. What set this one apart is the fact that the lawyer had once been the male lover of his client. At a time when homosexuality was a criminal offense in England, any film that depicted the gay scene in a non-judgmental light was in for a rough time from the bluenose brigades. What really startled filmgoers of 1962 is that the homosexuals shown in Victim were seemingly normal, everyday blokes, a far cry from the stereotyped "nance" characters common to films. Denied the MPAA seal when it was released to the United States, Victim surprisingly ran into very little interference when it was released to television in the mid-1960s. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

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Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 30 min.
Directed By: Basil Dearden
Written By: Janet Green, John McCormick
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Classics

In Theaters: Aug 1, 1961 Limited
On DVD: Jan 21, 2003
Studio: Park Circus

Critic Reviews

Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times
Recent critics find Victim timid in its treatment of homosexuality, but viewed in the context of Great Britain in 1961, it's a film of courage.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Moralistic thriller with a sincere plea for Great Britain to end its oppressive law that makes it a criminal offense to be a homosexual.
Sean Axmaker, Parallax View
... a startlingly handsome feature with a theatrical flair and a shadow of a crime thriller running through it.
Glenn Heath Jr., Slant Magazine
British auteur Basil Dearden pulled back the veil of his society's outcasts, dismembering crippling social stigmas by highlighting their torment, humanity, and resolve for change.
Jamie Gillies, Apollo Guide
Groundbreaking, yes, but not as important as it should have been.
David Sanjek, PopMatters
The wealth of detail about gay life at the time and the often adverse public perception of homosexual behavior ensures Victim's lasting fascination as a social document.
Wade Major, Boxoffice Magazine
Victim and I See a Dark Stranger represent very different schools of filmmaking and storytelling, but offer fans of quality filmmaking equal pleasure in the consumption.

Read all 7 critic reviews

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Featured Audience Ratings

Stefanie C

Will we ever stop trying to legislate morality? A brave role for Bogarde.
jay n

Groundbreaking in it's time and still a strong film today, excellent performances particularly Bogard's.
Cindy I

A man risking his career to expose a blackmailer is the focus of this story. Interesting enough, and more so because the risk is a barrister being exposed as a homosexual when such exposure is grounds for arrest and prison. Intelligently done, with the gay men (there are several being… More
A man risking his career to expose a blackmailer is the focus of this story. Interesting enough, and more so because the risk is a barrister being exposed as a homosexual when such exposure is grounds for arrest and prison. Intelligently done, with the gay men (there are several being blackmailed) not portrayed as fey mincing freaks as they are in so many films, but as regular men. The film shows both sides of the homosexual issue -- the men who beg to be understood that they can't help what they are, and the prejudices of others who don't and won't understand. I was surprised to see Dirk Bogarde -- or any well-known actor -- in a part like this. Even now there are sometimes issues with actors playing gays in films, especially if they are secretly gay themselves. I can imagine the problems in 1962. I don't know Bogarde's orientation, nore does it matter. I'm just impressed that he would take such a risky role. I guess life imitates art in this case.
Audrey L

Released in 1961, this movie actually dealt with the taboo topic of homosexuality and is credited with influencing the 1969 repeal of the laws against "sodomy". It certainly was ahead of it's time and was a career move that took Bogarde out of the mainstream leading man… More
Released in 1961, this movie actually dealt with the taboo topic of homosexuality and is credited with influencing the 1969 repeal of the laws against "sodomy". It certainly was ahead of it's time and was a career move that took Bogarde out of the mainstream leading man category. There were many messages in the film which were somewhat sympathetic to the plight of homosexual men who were routinely blackmailed for their private activities. They were indeed victims,and were portrayed with dignity for the most part.
Emily B

An interesting film. At the time this film was seen as very risky due to the fact it deals with homosexuality. The main plot involves lawyer Melville Farr (played by Dirk Bogarde). Although married Farr is secretly a homosexual. Farr becomes involved in a blackmail investigation after… More
An interesting film. At the time this film was seen as very risky due to the fact it deals with homosexuality. The main plot involves lawyer Melville Farr (played by Dirk Bogarde). Although married Farr is secretly a homosexual. Farr becomes involved in a blackmail investigation after one of his fri...(read more)ends kills himself after being blackmailed due to them also being a homosexual. Farr then faces the decision of turning the blackmailers in (therefore ruining his career) or order them to keep quite, therefore becoming a blackmailer himself. At the time of release (1961) homosexuality was still illegal so obviously the film was considered quite ground-breaking. These days the film does seem a little dated, yet there is still a solid crime story in it.