Bonus Video! Did actor Dirk Bogarde owe the world a coming-out?

The age Bogarde lived in had everything to do with how public he was (or wasn't) about his sexuality. The fact that he made 3 films playing queer characters says everything about his courage. His character in Victim was very sympathetic and many have credited that film with the repeal of the UK's anti-gay legislation just 6 years later. That he was in a long-term, loving, same-sex relationship says a lot about his character. On a slightly different, but related, topic, are you familiar with Polari, a secret gay code language used by queer people in the UK that began to die out after being gay was decriminalized? Here's a video Rowan Ellis did on it a few years ago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvdxfLTk80Y

Here's the Russell Harty interview that Mike mentions above. The section where Harty tries to force Bogarde out begins at 12:26 and lasts about five minutes. It ends with, "But I'm certainly in the shell and you haven't cracked it yet, honey." The whole fifty minute interview is definitely worth watching. Bogarde's memories of liberating a concentration camp during the War are harrowing. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QfeDhkJ-w_8

I would argue that Dirk Bogarde DID come out--in his own discrete way. "Victim" in 1961, "The Servant" in 1963 and, of course, "Death in Venice'" ten years later. Acting in one of those films was "brave". Acting in all three is saying, "Think what you like about me playing all these homosexual characters. It doesn't bother me." Given the fact that officially announcing to the world that he was gay could have subjected him to a major prison term up until 1967, I think we have to respect him for doing his bit in his own quiet way.

Last post, I promise, here’s a clip from the 1919 silent German film, Different from Others, showing the gay dance club at 2:15 in the clip. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-U_SJf1gf34

As far as Bogarde not coming out, he was out in his personal life, like many professionals, but not open in public. I wish he had come out because I think it’s important for kids to have role models. But, as you say, he wasn’t a malevolent person. I’ve seen many actors/celebrities here in L.A. at restaurants and clubs over the years who weren’t publicly out. I remember one who was a famous local kid’s show host, and his coming out certainly would have ended his career.

There might be some early, even silent, German films which depicted gay bars, or meeting places. Here’s a clip from Advise and Consent of a bar from a year later, 1962. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vK4mYE4aRE0

I agree with Claire. Before labelling Bogarde as a hypocrite it's worth remembering that he was born in 1921 and lived most of his life in a cultural setting where coming out as gay would have been career suicide. I was born in the UK more than 50 years later and although I was able to come out to a few friends and family members in my 20's it wasn't until much later that I felt safe to be out at work. I remember seeing Bogarde interviewed by the British talk show host Russell Harty - also gay but not publicly out. At one point Harty referred to the rumours about Bogarde's sexuality and asks him to comment. I can't remember the exact wording but the gist of his reply was 'Join the dots for yourself honey.' I was frustrated at the time that he wouldn't just say it out loud but now my feeling is that for him the most eloquent and effective way he could speak was through his work.

Great video as always Matt!! I'm quite shocked I've never heard of 'Victim'! Luckily for me I've got it on a spanish streaming platform and will check it out soon. Also, have you ever heard of spanish director Eloy de la Iglesia? He was a queer filmmaker quite notorious in the period between 1975-1985, just after Franco's death. His depiction of businessmen or politicians leading a double life seems quite interesting to me in films like 'El diputado' or 'Los placeres ocultos'. In the eighties he delved more into the crude lives of young hustlers and drug addicts, and ended up becoming addicted himself. Surprisingly, there is no mention of HIV that I can recall. Spain lived in denial about that until the second half of the 80s, apparently.

Hi! You may already be aware of this, but just in case you aren't: https://www.britishnewspaperarchive.co.uk/ might be a good place to start if you want to find an old Evening Standard film review. Also, you asked about Dirk Bogarde not coming out: my feeling is that, with queer people who grew up in significantly earlier eras, we don't know just how scarred they were, we don't know what they went through. They gave us what they could. If Dirk Bogarde could take the risk of making a film about how coming out was important, but never quite managed to come out himself - that was how much he could give. That was the place he got to. I don't know who I'd be if I'd had to live in the world he had to live in; and one of the reasons I don't have to is that he, and other queer people like him, took whatever risks they could bear to take in order to move the world just that tiny little bit further forwards. I have nothing but respect for that.