Victim (1961)

Another film that younger audiences should research the period before watching. This icon of gay movies is about a man hiding his sexualty by being under a mask, his mask is the happy lawyer with a beautiful wife but when the mask is removed for a brief moment, he finds himself the victim of blackmailers. The film's use of depth is quite powerful with shadows on Dirk Bogarde's face, yes he's a good man and that because he's being blackmailed, he has a shadow on his face blotted with his problems on his face. No doubt there is true to this movie and it explains the real nightmare that gay men suffered even though the times were changing it was still possible for blackmail and suicide for men even though they were in their right minds. I give the film 4 stars as I have doubts that nobody will understand what the period was like and the film can be dated in style but none the less a powerful movie.