When a young biker discovers that adulthood is more than what his small viewpoint knows, he reckoned his current relationship as a failure and developed a budding friendship with a fellow biker with a glaring secret.
Particularly known for its depiction of queerness during the 60's, it still kind of confounds me.
I remember trying to really watch this way back from a dingy copy off youtube, and I personally still think the plot of deconstructing his ideas of marriage is the film's biggest strength. Its probably the most alive and 'kitchen-sink' portion of the film. It was quite refreshing to see coming-of-age films covering this portion of adulthood when our beliefs and the life's truths just contrast. The young couple discovers that there is more in marriage than love. Rita Tushingham was marvelous as the abrasive yet naive girlfriend of the Colin Campbell, the film's lead.
Though, I still do not know how I feel about the film's ending *Spoiler's ahead* - after he tries to win back his wife, he ends up seeing her in bed with someone causing him to plan with his friend to go to America. His friend arranges work that can bring them there and while waiting in the pub nearby, he discovers that this friend is indeed queer - to his dismay. And decided to walk off.
I do not know.
I think that it was nice that it did not need to go to hysterics to say that he does not like him in THAT way BUT I felt that this ending made their friendship to be looked on a different perspective.
Did he also like his friend in a queer way and was upset that he can be reciprocated? Or does he feel betrayed that the friendship might be false - seemingly using his troubling marriage as an entry to him? The ending does not portray him particularly homophobic at all but homosexuality is yet to be decriminalized then. It would not be shocking for men of the era to be less in tune befriending gay men still. Or was it both? He fears his feelings for him AND felt that his friendship, now that he knows, might be self-serving.
The ending definitely made their friendship a piece to be dissected to be honest.
Overall recommended, an interesting film.
Particularly known for its depiction of queerness during the 60's, it still kind of confounds me.
I remember trying to really watch this way back from a dingy copy off youtube, and I personally still think the plot of deconstructing his ideas of marriage is the film's biggest strength. Its probably the most alive and 'kitchen-sink' portion of the film. It was quite refreshing to see coming-of-age films covering this portion of adulthood when our beliefs and the life's truths just contrast. The young couple discovers that there is more in marriage than love. Rita Tushingham was marvelous as the abrasive yet naive girlfriend of the Colin Campbell, the film's lead.
Though, I still do not know how I feel about the film's ending *Spoiler's ahead* - after he tries to win back his wife, he ends up seeing her in bed with someone causing him to plan with his friend to go to America. His friend arranges work that can bring them there and while waiting in the pub nearby, he discovers that this friend is indeed queer - to his dismay. And decided to walk off.
I do not know.
I think that it was nice that it did not need to go to hysterics to say that he does not like him in THAT way BUT I felt that this ending made their friendship to be looked on a different perspective.
Did he also like his friend in a queer way and was upset that he can be reciprocated? Or does he feel betrayed that the friendship might be false - seemingly using his troubling marriage as an entry to him? The ending does not portray him particularly homophobic at all but homosexuality is yet to be decriminalized then. It would not be shocking for men of the era to be less in tune befriending gay men still. Or was it both? He fears his feelings for him AND felt that his friendship, now that he knows, might be self-serving.
The ending definitely made their friendship a piece to be dissected to be honest.
Overall recommended, an interesting film.