Sir Anthony Blunt was a Soviet agent in Britain for 25 years, the fourth man (after Maclean, Burgess and Philby) in the infamous Cambridge spy ring. Caught out in 1964, Blunt is granted immunity from prosecution and his treason is kept secret in exchange for a full confession. Meanwhile, he continues to work as an art historian, Director of the Courtauld Institute and Surveyor of the Queen’s Pictures. Continually hounded by MI5, he presents his interrogator with a puzzle in the shape of a doubtful Titian painting. He also does art restoration work in Buckingham Palace, where he gets into an ambiguous conversation with the Queen. Meanwhile the investigators demand that he disclose the name of the elusive Fifth Man in the ring as part of his immunity deal, otherwise threatening to expose him to the nation.Read More »
John Schlesinger
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John Schlesinger – A Question of Attribution (1991)
John Schlesinger1991-2000DramaQueer Cinema(s)TVUnited Kingdom -
John Schlesinger – Terminus (1961)
John Schlesinger1961-1970DocumentaryShort FilmUnited KingdomQuote:
Made by major Hollywood director John Schlesinger for British Transport in 1961, Terminus is widely regarded as one of the very best railway films of all time.
A celebration of London’s Waterloo station in all its glory on a busy day, the film boasts a truly exceptional jazz soundtrack from Ron Grainer music, and songs from Julian Cooper. It uniquely captures the essence of a British station at the beginning of the 1960s, with the camera taking you behind the scenes as well as on the platforms and concourse.Read More » -
John Schlesinger – Yanks (1979)
1971-1980DramaJohn SchlesingerUnited KingdomWarSynopsis:
John Schlesinger directs the war romance Yanks, based on the story by Colin Welland. Set in England at the end of WWII, the story concerns three American GIs and their affairs with British women of varying social status. The central romance concerns Sgt. Matt Dyson (Richard Gere) and Jean Moreton (Lisa Eichhorn making her film debut), who is the daughter of shopkeepers (Rachel Roberts and Tony Melody). He falls in love with her but she is still infatuated with her boyfriend Ken (Derek Thompson). Higher up on the class scale, the officer John (William Devane) has a brief extramarital affair with socialite Helen (Vanessa Redgrave). The third pairing involves Sgt. Danny Ruffelo (Chick Vennera) in a fling with Mollie (Wendy Morgan).Read More » -
John Schlesinger – Midnight Cowboy (1969)
Drama1961-1970John SchlesingerQueer Cinema(s)USAQuote:
In 1969, following an anti-establishment path blazed famously by Bonnie and Clyde, then-X-rated Midnight Cowboy lumbered into the cinema consciousness and swiped the Best Picture Oscar. While Hollywood was producing Hello, Dolly! (also nominated that year), Dustin Hoffman, Jon Voight and director John Schlesinger were chronicling the bizarre tale of a wannabe male prostitute and a sickly cripple trying to survive together on the New York City streets.Read More »