Mmmmh, yup...although Dirk was quite a dag underneath, LOL! Would have been 92 last month. HOW I miss him, although I didn´t even know who he was by the time he died... Re clothes: He knew how to dress - kept a lot of his stuff for years and years. I suppose you can do that if your waist-size doesn´t change for 40 years! But I´ve seen pictures of Dirk in funky shirts which would pop your eyes out, honestly. One which reminded me strongly of IKEA-curtains, and another which had Eqyptian figurines on it, LOL! What he also loved were boots and breeches, even though he couldn´t ride a horse, but it suited him just fine. And as for home (France): jeans and sneakers or shorts and flip-flops, depending on the weather. Gotta love him. And miss him!
There are a few images of D.B. posing on a horse and he did actually do some riding of a sort in a few films like "The Sleeping Tiger": if John Fraser's account of the static motorbike is true,then Dirk was into leather-hence the boots, etc..
Thanks John. I'd heard about the motorbike. I seem to recall him mentioning leather in his novels a couple of time. I'm not sure it was his strongest look, I have to say.
In "The Singer Not The Song" Bogarde's leather oufit is laughably camp.He always seemed too limp-wristed to convince anyone that he was heterosexual and just maybe he was laying it on a bit in this film and others (e.g."Victim"), being desperate to show his true,gay,nature on-screen while living a lie in his private life.
Yup, it is camp, and he DID lay it on. "Singer" was the last movie Dirk did for Rank after 14 years of being under contract. He didn't like the idea of John Mills playing the priest and went on the offensive by announcing he wanted to wear black leather. Dirk Bogarde unconvincing as a heterosexual on screen... hmm, well I think his female fans felt differently about that. As for "Victim", I didn't find Dirk particularly camp in it. And as for living a lie... At the time Dirk made "Victim", one could land behind prison bars for being homosexual, it took balls to do such a movie, which could have damaged his career as well, and which was so damn close to home. Living a lie would have been to marry a Hollywood starlet or something, whilst what Dirk did was not admitting his true sexual orientation. And nobody ever dared to ask him this question either, he saw to that. @The Tweed Pig: I'm glad you've read some of Dirk's books. And yes, watching and reviewing a few of Dirk's better films would be great. How about "The Servant"?
Thanks Anon. I've enjoyed his books, films, newspaper articles and reviews, and let's not forget the talk-song album he made. There's a review of it somewhere on the pages of The Tweed pig.
Dirk Bogarde, YAY! Good looks, style, elegance, intelligence, talent(s) and personality - guess that never goes out of fashion...
ReplyDeleteThanks. And a dignity that sadly does seem to have gone out of fashion.
DeleteMmmmh, yup...although Dirk was quite a dag underneath, LOL! Would have been 92 last month. HOW I miss him, although I didn´t even know who he was by the time he died... Re clothes: He knew how to dress - kept a lot of his stuff for years and years. I suppose you can do that if your waist-size doesn´t change for 40 years! But I´ve seen pictures of Dirk in funky shirts which would pop your eyes out, honestly. One which reminded me strongly of IKEA-curtains, and another which had Eqyptian figurines on it, LOL! What he also loved were boots and breeches, even though he couldn´t ride a horse, but it suited him just fine. And as for home (France): jeans and sneakers or shorts and flip-flops, depending on the weather. Gotta love him. And miss him!
ReplyDeleteThere are a few images of D.B. posing on a horse and he did actually do some riding of a sort in a few films like "The Sleeping Tiger": if John Fraser's account of the static motorbike is true,then Dirk was into leather-hence the boots, etc..
ReplyDeleteThanks John. I'd heard about the motorbike. I seem to recall him mentioning leather in his novels a couple of time. I'm not sure it was his strongest look, I have to say.
DeleteIn "The Singer Not The Song" Bogarde's leather oufit is laughably camp.He always seemed too limp-wristed to convince anyone that he was heterosexual and just maybe he was laying it on a bit in this film and others (e.g."Victim"), being desperate to show his true,gay,nature on-screen while living a lie in his private life.
ReplyDeleteThanks again John. it's about time we recommended/reviewed one or two of his better films.
DeleteYup, it is camp, and he DID lay it on. "Singer" was the last movie Dirk did for Rank after 14 years of being under contract. He didn't like the idea of John Mills playing the priest and went on the offensive by announcing he wanted to wear black leather. Dirk Bogarde unconvincing as a heterosexual on screen... hmm, well I think his female fans felt differently about that. As for "Victim", I didn't find Dirk particularly camp in it. And as for living a lie... At the time Dirk made "Victim", one could land behind prison bars for being homosexual, it took balls to do such a movie, which could have damaged his career as well, and which was so damn close to home. Living a lie would have been to marry a Hollywood starlet or something, whilst what Dirk did was not admitting his true sexual orientation. And nobody ever dared to ask him this question either, he saw to that.
Delete@The Tweed Pig: I'm glad you've read some of Dirk's books. And yes, watching and reviewing a few of Dirk's better films would be great. How about "The Servant"?
Thanks Anon. I've enjoyed his books, films, newspaper articles and reviews, and let's not forget the talk-song album he made. There's a review of it somewhere on the pages of The Tweed pig.
DeleteDon't forget that wonderful coat he wore in Campbells Kingdom, might have been a
ReplyDeleteGrenfell
Thanks. I might watch that today, just to study the coats. Best wishes, Tweedy
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