Dirk Bogarde

While recovering in Venice, sickly composer Gustav von Aschenbach becomes dangerously fixated with teenager Tadzio. In this adaptation of the Thomas Mann novel, avant-garde composer Gustav von Aschenbach (Sir Dirk Bogarde) travels to a Venetian seaside resort seeking repose after a period of artistic and personal stress. But he finds no peace there, for he soon develops a troubling attraction to Tadzio (Björn Andrésen), an adolescent on vacation with his family. The boy embodies an ideal of beauty that Aschenbach has long sought and he becomes infatuated. However, the onset of a deadly pestilence threatens them physically and represents the corruption that compromises and threatens all ideals. —Eric Wees <eric_wees@ccmail.chin.doc.ca> In the early 20th century, Gustav von Aschenbach (Sir Dirk Bogarde), once married with a daughter, is a Munich-based composer of experimental music. Now a frail middle-aged man in ill health, he is advised by his doctor to get complete rest. As such, he is alone at the Grand Hotel, on the Lido in Venice, to convalesce. He and his friend Alfred (Mark Burns) have had many a philosophical discussion about the concept of beauty, not only as it applies to his oft-not-appreciated music, but as it applies to the arts and life in general. Gustav believes that the nature of beauty can dominate one on a scientific level rather than an emotional level. He becomes obsessed with a Polish teenager, Tadzio (Björn Andrésen), who is staying at the hotel with his sisters and mother. Most of Gustav's interactions with Tadzio are furtive yet still intense gazes from afar. As time progresses, Gustav admits to himself that that obsession has turned into love with not a word spoken between them. On an emotional level, he is torn by his feelings, at first trying to escape physically, then doing anything to remain within Tadzio's view. What happens between Gustav and Tadzio could be dictated by issues external to them. —Huggo Reflecting on his failures, defeated by the cruel vanity of his Quixotic search for beauty, ailing German composer Gustav von Aschenbach takes a convalescent holiday at luxurious, turn-of-the-century Venice Lido, in Luchino Visconti's controversial screen adaptation of Thomas Mann's novella. Teetering on the brink of a physical and mental breakdown, suddenly, disillusioned Gustav crosses paths with beautiful 15-year-old Polish boy Tadzio: the embodiment of the artist's ideals and the unattainable object of his affection. And, as the oppressive scirocco wind brings sickness and plague to Venice, infatuation transforms into obsession, and platonic agony evolves into the haunting passion of unrequited love. —Nick Riganas

Upper-class Tony hires servant Hugo Barrett, who turns out to have a hidden agenda. The aristocratic Tony (James Fox) moves to London and hires the servant Hugo Barrett (Dirk Bogarde) for all services at home. Barrett seems to be a loyal and competent employee, but Tony's girlfriend Susan (Wendy Craig) does not like him, and asks Tony to send him away. When Barrett brings his sister Vera (Sarah Miles) to work and live in the house, Tony has a brief hidden affair with her. After travelling with Susan and spending a couple of days in a friend's house outside London, the couple unexpectedly returns and finds Barrett and Vera, who are actually lovers, in Tony's room. They are fired and Susan breaks with Tony. Later, Tony meets Barrett alone in a pub and hires him back, and Barrett imposes his real dark intentions in the house, turning the table and switching position with his master. —Claudio Carvalho, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil Professional servant Hugo Barrett (Dirk Bogarde) is hired by a wealthy young man, Tony (James Fox), as his man-servant. Initially, Barrett is the ideal man-servant, quiet, loyal, submissive, unquestioning, and very helpful. However, over time the shine wears off and he reveals more of his true self, and it's far from submissive. Also, with time the master-servant dynamic starts to shift. —grantss In desperate need of an impeccable valet, the vain and work-shy London aristocrat, Tony, employs working-class Hugo Barrett as his live-in manservant. Of course, at first glance, Barrett is a keeper; however, imperceptible nuances of misconduct and a subtly intense power-play between master and servant will soon lead to a corrosive undercurrent of pent-up emotions, rendering Hugo indispensable. Then, Vera, Barrett's seductive sister from Manchester, enters the picture, and the pernicious psychological abuse escalates. But, what does the insidious servant want? —Nick Riganas Including of their interrelationships, is largely a four person character study split along class lines of proverbial and literal masters and servants in British society. Well off Tony has just returned to London after doing development work in Africa, he planning on doing the same in South America. Setting up a just purchased house in Knightsbridge, Tony hires Barrett as his manservant, the sole servant in the household in Tony not wanting to deal with others who he considers onlookers into his life. There is an immediate and open dislike by Tony's fiancée Sandra of Barrett who she doesn't trust, which places a strain between her and Tony if only because her want for Tony to fire Barrett demonstrates to him that she doesn't trust his opinion, especially as he has become reliant on Barrett for many of his day-to-day needs. Barrett is able to convince Tony to hire his "sister" Vera to be the household maid. As time passes, the interrelationships between the four begin to morph where the class lines not only blur but are smashed. —Huggo

In 1797, the humane Captain Crawford is in command of the frigate HMS Defiant during the French Revolutionary Wars. He soon finds himself in a battle of wills with his first officer, the sadistic and supercilious first lieutenant, Mr. Scott-Padget. The lieutenant believes that Crawford is too soft on his crew, and also disagrees with the captain's decision to follow his orders to sail to Corsica despite word that Napoleon's army has overrun much of Italy. Scott-Padget has powerful family connections, which he has used in the past to "beach" two previous commanding officers with whom he disagreed. Knowing that Crawford is helpless to intervene, Scott-Padget subjects the Captain's son, Midshipman Harvey Crawford, to excessive daily punishments so as to gain leverage over the captain. Meanwhile, some of the crew, led by seaman Vizard, are preparing a written petition for better conditions, in conjunction with similar efforts throughout the British fleet. They eventually pledge nearly the entire crew. In the Mediterranean, the Defiant encounters a French frigate escorting a merchant ship. After a sharp engagement, a boarding party from the Defiant captures the French frigate, and the merchantman surrenders. Crawford dispatches his son as part of the prize crew tasked to sail the captured merchantman to a British port, thereby placing him out of Scott-Padget's reach. Crawford tells Scott-Padget that bringing his son with him was a mistake, but now he's "put it right!" He further vows to take actions that will "astound" his second-in-command. Before long, Scott-Padget is confined to quarters as punishment for insubordination. His humiliation is compounded by the requirement that he appear on deck every two hours in full dress uniform, a punishment usually reserved for young midshipmen. Soon, Defiant fights and captures a Venetian frigate, taking on many prisoners. Crawford is severely wounded in the action and eventually loses his arm. Discovered among the prisoners is a key aide to Napoleon, from whom the British learn important information about a planned invasion of Britain. With Crawford incapacitated, Scott-Padget takes command, but his brutality goads the crew into a premature mutiny. Appealing to their patriotism, Crawford convinces Vizard and the other mutineers to sail for the main British fleet blockading Rochefort to warn them of the impending invasion. Crawford promises to intercede for the crew as best he can, on the condition that none of the officers are harmed. As the Defiant reaches the fleet at Rochefort, they receive word that the main British fleet has already mutinied, with the Admiralty agreeing to all of the sailors' demands and granting an amnesty to those who took part. The crew's jubilation at the news is cut short when a hot-headed seaman, Evans, murders Scott-Padget. Realising that they are now all doomed to punishment as mutineers, an enraged Vizard kills Evans. Their only course now is to try to escape with the ship. Just then, the French fleet sallies out from port, and a French fireship is sighted heading straight for the British flagship. As the only ship under sail, the Defiant has the unique opportunity to save the flagship. Once again, Crawford appeals to the crew's patriotism, making no promises but convincing them to intercept the fireship. Vizard is killed in the ensuing action, living just long enough to hear a message from the British admiral thanking Defiant for their honourable actions. The mutiny is over and HMS Defiant joins the fleet

The romantic story of Hungarian pianist Franz Liszt (Sir Dirk Bogarde), whose scandalous love affair forced him to abandon his adoring audiences.