|
1961
was a turning point in Bogarde’s career. He knew
it was time to cut loose from Rank’s contractual
confines to play complex, mature roles on adult subjects
he had long wanted. It was a move long in coming. Six
years earlier, a year after Doctor in the House, he had
urged John Davis of Rank to give him ‘some really
solid dramatic work’, (Coldstream, 211) but that
plea fell on deaf ears.
Although the series of Doctor films and
his romantic and war hero roles had brought him fame and
money, they did not serve as stepping-stones to more challenging
work. The studio, once fixed on keeping him in working-class
parts, soon realized they had a cash machine if they continually
slotted him into facile matinée-idol and family-values
roles to keep ticket-buying female fans coming back for
more. |
