Dirk Bogarde

[Maureen Whittaker]

I am reading and enjoying the book The High Bright Sun at the moment. Which explains the character and actions of Mcguire. The film script is very close to the book, with Dirk and Susan playing Mac and Juno as described on the page. Reading this book, which I am finding hard to put down, makes me want to watch the movie all over again. I have always been a fan of it, and now I love it even more. Dirk was doing as always, getting inside the skin of the man he was playing. And Susan was Juno, a fragile, beautiful, sit on the fence kind of girl, who loved this very hard shelled British soldier, but had decided to give him up although she loved him madly. Worth searching for this book, I am so happy Maureen mentioned it to me. Thanks Mo

You are so welcome Elaine. I have loved reading the novels, often sources, of Dirk's films and seeing how he has interpreted the character from the page/script. THE HIGH BRIGHT SUN is actually essential to understanding his abrupt and often high-handed behaviour to the locals and in particular to Juno. The love between them is stated from the beginning as is his reactions to his wife's desertion of him and even the hopes that she may return, after 3 years. I am sorry I didn't find it earlier and then my view of the film may have been more reasonable. Like you, I shall now watch it all over again and appreciate his performance more fully.
I have found and ordered a copy of the novel THE SLEEPING TIGER from Australia at a cost and must now wait 3 months for it to arrive by sea.

[Maureen Whittaker]

Another film to look forward to this week on national television is DOCTOR IN DISTRESS on Film 4 on Wednesday qt 13.05 to add to THEY WHO DARE 17.10 (Film 4) and DAMN THE DEFIANT 13.10 (Channel4) on Monday.

[Pat_06]

Another film to look forward to this week on national television is DOCTOR IN DISTRESS on Film 4 on Wednesday qt 13.05 to add to THEY WHO DARE 17.10 (Film 4) and DAMN THE DEFIANT 13.10 (Channel4) on Monday.

Omg... . Thanks for this gem Maureen.

[theuofc]

Another film to look forward to this week on national television is DOCTOR IN DISTRESS on Film 4 on Wednesday qt 13.05 to add to THEY WHO DARE 17.10 (Film 4) and DAMN THE DEFIANT 13.10 (Channel4) on Monday.

Ditto, Patricia. Sizzle. Great pic, Maureen.

Barbara

[theuofc]

Dear Barbara
Thank you for the information but I have had to put this book on hold due to the enormous cost. £60 is the cheapest I can find. It is just like THE SLEEPING TIGER the one I desperately wanted but at £99 far beyond my pocket, Maybe someone will find a stray copy somewhere, although the market usually controls the price on the usual websites.

Hi, Maureen.

It's a shame some of the books are so expensive, perhaps because they were flimsy and haven't held up over time, or a limited printed, or for whatever reason, there may be few left around of the expensive titles. It took me quite a while to find a good copy of ONCE A JOLLY SWAGMAN and then I took the plunge. I wasn't sure I'd find another one in excellent shape again. But as we know, collecting some Dirk items can be very expensive.

I note you've found The Sleeping Tiger. Well done.

Barbara

[Maureen Whittaker]

Ditto, Patricia. Sizzle. Great pic, Maureen.

Barbara

With moments like this isn't he just superdelicious in this film. : I must admit to preferring the mature and confident Simon Sparrow to the more vulnerable and uncertain student doctor.

[CLARA]

With moments like this isn't he just superdelicious in this film. : I must admit to preferring the mature and confident Simon Sparrow to the more vulnerable and uncertain student doctor.

I like them both

[Pat_06]

Hi, Maureen.

It's a shame some of the books are so expensive, perhaps because they were flimsy and haven't held up over time, or a limited printed, or for whatever reason, there may be few left around of the expensive titles. It took me quite a while to find a good copy of ONCE A JOLLY SWAGMAN and then I took the plunge. I wasn't sure I'd find another one in excellent shape again. But as we know, collecting some Dirk items can be very expensive.

I note you've found The Sleeping Tiger. Well done.

Barbara

Oh yes; alas, some books can be really expensive. When I wanted to purchase Sir's Bio and EVER, DIRK, I went to this place called American Bookstore where one can find books from all over the world; I did this so I won't use a credit card because frankly, I hate the afterwards payments. But when they told me the price for both books I was like ¡¿ARE YOU KIDDING ME...?! , no thanks. So, I decided to use Amazon or Barnes & Noble; an option that allows my pocket not to bleed out so much.

Have a good week everyone .

[Pat_06]

Ditto, Patricia. Sizzle. Great pic, Maureen.

Barbara

I just can say this... ¡FRENCH HIM WOMAN! Gawd... .

[Elaine]

I have just managed to get a copy of Once a jolly Swagman for a very reasonable price. Considering the very high prices for this book and The Sleeping Tiger, I feel very lucky.

[Elaine]

Having to upload photos from my computer as Photobucket is refusing to let me have my screencaps from there. Sorry if the shots are small vlcsnap-2012-06-19-16h40m30s205.pngvlcsnap-2012-06-19-16h43m23s141.pngvlcsnap-2012-06-19-16h44m44s175.pngvlcsnap-2012-06-19-16h49m42s92.png

[Elaine]

Some more shots from Our Mothers House. Dirk isn't his most attractive in this movie, but he shows his versatility as an actor, also the fact that he has no real ego about his looks.
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[CLARA]

Some more shots from Our Mothers House. Dirk isn't his most attractive in this movie, but he shows his versatility as an actor, also the fact that he has no real ego about his looks.
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So sorry, but this is a movie I realy don't like. I simply hate Dirk's haircut in this movie and though as always he his very good in his role I don't think he was suited for it. I remember being disappointed when I saw it the first time and also there is not much Dirk's screen presence as most of the movie is seen through the children eyes. So, as I said a small disappointment.

[Elaine]

I do agree with you Claire, as I love to see Dirk in the good guy roles. But I can take him in the more bad guy ones as well. How evil could the the part of Max in The Night Porter have been for him? To transform himself into a creepy kind of parasite as he is in Our Mother's House by just combing his hair forward, wearing a braclet on his wrist, and to top it with a porkpie hat, so simple. He was everything I hate in a man in that film, but still our lovely Dirk beneath that weird facade. This is only the second time I have watched this movie, but it still has the same effect on me. Shivers down my spine, the mark of a really brilliant actor.

[Rick C]

Justine

Not frequently mentioned on this thread as part of Dirk's repertoire is this title from the late 1960's directed by George Cukor.

I'm including it owing to my eclectic collection of rarities and especially following a request from a Britmovie member on another thread looking for old logos from the major circuits. Justine is a case in point regarding the Rank Circuit history; it was one of the last films advertised at the Rank flagship cinema (Odeon Leicester Square, London) with the former treasured design as by the following year (1970)that design link with Rank heritage had been swept away.

Regarding Justine itself, how do thread members here regard Dirk's appearance? From the reviews included in my posting here:-

"The film could have done with much more of Dirk Bogarde's admirably edgy and waspish performance" (Daily Mail)
"...only Bogarde and Phillipe Noiret manage to survive the confusion with any dignity at all" (TIME Magazine)
"monumentally dull film.....only exception is Dirk Bogarde who gives a fine performance" (Daily Express)

The advertisement design seems to be the only one internationally, and only MovieGoods on modest research finds a Bogarde still of any substance.

Justine, directed by George Cukor
Odeon, Leicester Square September 4-24, 1969 (standard minimum booking)
General Release Rank Circuit, September 28, 1969

000_0833.jpg

[Elaine]

Hi Rick,

Although Justine isn't a favourite with me, I do value Dirk's performance. I feel that the film was the poorer for not covering Pursewarden's story more fully, also, Noiret and Dirk, in my opinion, held what was left of the story in place. I think it is impossible to compact a series of books of this magnitude into a film of 1hour 45 approx? without losing the real point of the story. Dirk was certainly a shining light in a very poor movie.

[CLARA]

I have never read the Durrell's books so I cannot judge the exactness of the story, but I remember having seen the movie twice when it was issued in a cinema in Brussels in the late sixties. I remember it was vey dull (especially Anouk Aimee) but I nevertheless went to see it twice just for Dirk's performance. I never had the possibility to see it again since then

[Rick C]

Clara is not alone in the judgement of Justine being a very dull picture. Other reviews, which I do not have the clippings for also agree. I think the film was very much a vehicle for Anouk Aimee along with The Appointment to help transfer her skills from the French screen (Un Homme et une femme bring the catalyst due to the chart-topping Francis Lai score).

Dirk does not mention the film in the one memoir I have, "For the Time Being". Are any memoirs available which do so?

[Maureen Whittaker]

Clara is not alone in the judgement of Justine being a very dull picture. Other reviews, which I do not have the clippings for also agree. I think the film was very much a vehicle for Anouk Aimee along with The Appointment to help transfer her skills from the French screen (Un Homme et une femme bring the catalyst due to the chart-topping Francis Lai score).

Dirk does not mention the film in the one memoir I have, "For the Time Being". Are any memoirs available which do so?

Hi Rick
In answer to your query the story is told in SNAKES AND LADDERS and charts the attempt to get a workable script from the four books which make up THE ALEXANDRIA QUARTET; the movement from Tunisia under Mr. Strick, and then on to Hollywood under George Cukor whom Dirk had worked with on SONG WITHOUT END. By this stage some of Durrell's original dialogue had been reinstated: 'so at least one was speaking the writer's written word; it gave a little courage in a sagging epic. Cukor, as ever filled with boundless enthusiasm, struggled and fought and began wrestling shape into the soggy mass...But the Studio, now alerted to the early disaster in Tunis too late, sliced the budget and applied the breaks....' SNAKES AND LADDERS (pp 269-272) Penguin

Personally I am rather fond of JUSTINE but feel so sorry that Pursewarden's part was left unexplained until so late in the film. If we had known of his relationship with his sister earlier we would have understood so many of his actions and responses. Justine's pursuit of him and their subsequent affair is also left out which gives insight into the emotional scene below. For me Dirk once more brings this rather seedy character to life and creates such sympathy for his situation but I am not sure it is clear on just one viewing of the film..

[Maureen Whittaker]

I have been looking through the rest of the autobiographies and there are a couple of mentions.
In EVER DIRK he writes to Joseph Losey in 1969: 'JUSTINE has opened in N.Y. with odd notices...the Studio has obviously panicked and cut hours of it, and it is the one thing the critics complain about! More time, rather than less....Anouk is alright I gather, I'm 'overwhelming' (When have I not been) Michael York survives....(well: time will tell)....Anna Karina is 'Charming'....the film is very distinguished, and the notices for Cukor are super, thank God...but the picture has been destroyed....' EVER DIRK page 31