History Film / Victim1961

%%* TheBeard: Laura Farr.

Notable as the first film to use the term "homosexual", thanks to Dirk Bogarde, who refused Basil Dearden's suggestion of "inverts" as a euphemism and rewrote several scenes himself. It's worth noting that [[QueerCharacterQueerActor Bogarde himself was gay]], and considered ''Victim'' an extremely personal project.

* AmbiguousEnding: Farr helps the police catch the Blackmailers, also he will testify at their trial knowing very well this is the end of his career and reputation but he allows Laura to leave before, he offers her to return when it is over. Laura promises that she will, but the movie ends as Farr [[spoiler:burns the photograph of him and Boy]] which leaves the future up to the viewer's mindset.

* DecoyProtagonist: Boy Barrett seems to be the hero of the story but [[spoiler:after his suicide]] the focus shifts to barrister Farr.
* TheDogWasTheMastermind: The man behind the blackmail ring is... [[spoiler:Miss Benham, Doe's secretary who was innocuously introduced early on. Sandy Youth acts as her dragon]].

** [[spoiler:Miss Benham]] is motivated not just by profit while blackmailing gay men, but intense homophobia, saying they deserve it for their behavior.

* MotiveRant: [[spoiler:Miss Benham]] gives one at the end before being arrested by the police.

''Victim'' has been widely credited with impacting British support of gay rights. None other than Lord Arran, who introduced the legislation repealing the Criminal Offences Act, wrote Bogarde praising the film as helping to create a climate where such reform was possible. ''Film/TheCelluloidCloset'' author Vito Russo singled ''Victim'' out as the first film he watched that didn't make him feel ashamed to be gay.

Notable as the first film to use the term "homosexual", thanks to Dirk Bogarde, who refused Basil Dearden's suggestion of "inverts" as a euphemism and rewrote several scenes himself. It's worth noting that [[AuthorAppeal Bogarde himself was gay]], and considered ''Victim'' an extremely personal project.

* {{Gayngst}}: The film is positively overflowing with gayngst. This is justified in that it was made when male homosexuality was still a criminal offense in Britain, while the whole plot involves gay men being blackmailed for the fact as a result. The film was a plea to end crimiminalization so they wouldn't undergo this.

* RedHerring: There's a lengthy subplot involving an older blind man and his partner which implies they're involved in the blackmail ring. [[spoiler: Turns out they're just minor swindlers operating their own, separate racket.]]

A groundbreaking British neo-[[FilmNoir noir]] suspense thriller, directed by Basil Dearden (''Film/TheLeagueOfGentlemen'') and starring Creator/DirkBogarde, Sylvia Syms, and Dennis Price, ''Victim'' centres around a closeted gay barrister named Melville Farr (Bogarde), who puts his thriving career, his marriage, and his freedom at risk by taking on a ring of blackmailers targeting gay men.

* ShoutOut: At one point, the Police Inspector says that, as police, they cannot be dealing with the [[Literature/OliverTwist Bill Sikes]] of the world all the time.
* ThereShouldBeALaw: {{Inverted}}-the film's clear message is there should ''not'' be one criminalizing homosexual relations, as it only leads to gay men getting blackmailed as they're forcibly stuck in the closet.

Originally released in 1961 (six years before homosexuality was decriminalised in the United Kingdom), the film was highly controversial, earning an "X" rating from British censors (modern releases have been labelled "[=PG=]") and getting banned for a time in the United States.

''Victim'' has been widely credited with impacting British support of gay rights. None other than Lord Arran, who introduced the legislation repealing the Criminal Offences Act, wrote Bogarde praising the film as helping to create a climate where such reform was possible. Vito Russo, author of ''Film/TheCelluloidCloset'', singled ''Victim'' out as the first film he watched which didn't make him ashamed to be gay.

A groundbreaking British suspense film, directed by Basil Dearden (''Film/TheLeagueOfGentlemen'') and starring Creator/DirkBogarde, Sylvia Syms, and Dennis Price, ''Victim'' centres around a closeted gay barrister named Melville Farr (Bogarde), who puts his thriving career, his marriage, and his freedom at risk by taking on a ring of blackmailers targeting gay men.

A groundbreaking British suspense film, directed by Basil Dearden (''Film/TheLeagueOfGentlemen'') and starring Creator/DirkBogarde, Sylvia Syms, and Dennis Price, ''Victim'' centres around a closeted gay barrister named Melville Farr (Bogarde), who puts his marriage, his thriving career, and his freedom at risk by taking on a ring of blackmailers targeting gay men.

A groundbreaking British suspense film, directed by Basil Dearden (''Film/TheLeagueOfGentlemen'') and starring Creator/DirkBogarde, Sylvia Syms, and Dennis Price, about a closeted gay barrister named Melville Farr (Bogarde) who puts his marriage, his thriving career, and his freedom at risk when he takes on a ring of blackmailers targeting gay men.