Deux gentlemen

The late sixties and early seventies tend not to have worn well, but 'Two Gentlemen Sharing' proves engaging, well-acted, attractively photographed mainly on location in London by the reliable Billy Williams; and sadly still relevant today. It bites off considerably more than it can chew, but has a disarming good-naturedness, raises many interesting questions which it doesn't answer, and the characterisation is satisfyingly nuanced.

It was adapted from a 1963 novel by David Stuart Leslie (in which the supposed homosexual element may have been more clearly conveyed) by the Trinidad-born screenwriter Evan Jones, who in 1983 lamented its failure to be distributed in Britain by AIP and said that "I liked the film and wish it had been shown here."

Went to see this film today at the BFI, part of their "Black and Banned" season. The film did not get a release due to what was considered "subversive" at the time. Great Q&A afterwards with stars Judy Geeson, Esther Anderson and director Ted Kotcheff on Skype from LA. Incidentally, writer Evan Jones is still alive.