Sunday Bloody Sunday is a 1971 British drama film directed by John Schlesinger, starring Murray Head, Glenda Jackson, and Peter Finch.
The film tells the story of a middle-aged Jewish doctor, Daniel Hirsh (Finch), and a divorced woman in her mid-30s, Alex Greville (Jackson), who are both involved in an open love triangle with sculptor Bob Elkin (Head), a younger man in his mid-20s. Daniel and Alex are both aware that Bob is seeing the other, but they're willing to put up with the situation through fear of losing him. However, after an announcement makes them face an ultimatum, they both must come face to face and confront their opposed circumstances.
Schlesinger, Finch, Jackson, and screenwriter Penelope Gillaitt all received Academy Award nominations. Not to be confused with the song of the same name from U2's War, or the 1972 Bloody Sunday incident from The Troubles that inspired it.
This film features examples of:
- Age-Gap Romance: Though it's unstated, Daniel is much older than his boyfriend Bob. Peter Finch, who played him, was almost thirty years older than Murray Head as Bob.
- Anger Born of Worry: Alex yells at Lucy for running across a busy road with a potato truck bearing down on her (especially since the truck runs over Lucy's dog).
- Bisexual Love Triangle: The basis of the film's plot. Bob is involved with both Daniel and Alex (a woman) at the same time, which they tolerate.
- Breaking the Fourth Wall: Daniel at the end of the movie, when he tells the audience how much he misses Bob after he chooses to still go to the States.
- But Now I Must Go: Bob leaves both Daniel and Alex to go to America.
- Friend-or-Idol Decision: Bob must choose between keeping both of his relationships and moving to New York to start his own business. He ends up going away.
- Gayngst: Surprisingly averted. Both Bob and Alex are pretty well-adjusted when it comes to their sexuality.
- Love Triangle: Bob loves both Alex and Daniel, who know each other and both love him back as well.
- Nice Jewish Boy: Daniel's family sees him as one. Daniel himself - not so much.
- Polyamory: Daniel and Alex both agree to let Bob see the other, through fear of losing him.
- Slice of Life: The film basically follows the main trio in their day-to-day lives
- Straight Gay: Daniel is a very average, normal middle-aged man who just happens to be gay.
- You're Drinking Breast Milk: When Bob is babysitting a houseful of kids with Alex, he finds a small, odd-looking container of milk in the refrigerator and asks Lucy, the eldest daughter, if it's all right for him to drink, and she respond that it's milk her mother had expressed for her infant brother, as "he isn't weened yet".
