Films starring Dirk Bogarde

Dirk Bogarde had one of the most intriguing career paths in film; an easygoing romantic lead who reinvented himself as an icon of European art films.

Born Derek van den Bogaerde, he carved an early niche for himself playing delinquents; in The Blue Lamp, he even killed Dixon of Dock Green.

It was Doctor in the House that change... show more >

Dirk Bogarde had one of the most intriguing career paths in film; an easygoing romantic lead who reinvented himself as an icon of European art films.

Born Derek van den Bogaerde, he carved an early niche for himself playing delinquents; in The Blue Lamp, he even killed Dixon of Dock Green.

It was Doctor in the House that changed his ways. As Simon Sparrow, he established a breezy charm that audiences loved. Keen to satisfy the crowds, his bosses at Rank set Bogarde on a treadmill, making romances (The Wind Cannot Read), costume dramas (A Tale of Two Cities) and war films (Ill Met By Moonlight).

But Bogarde was often unhappy with the films. He pushed for more unusual roles – such as his bandito in black leather in the wonderfully melodramatic The Singer Not The Song.

The big breakthrough, however, was Victim. Although the film inevitably seems dated now Homosexuality is no longer a criminal offence, it took considerable courage for a matinee idol like Bogarde to play the gay barrister blackmailed for his sexuality.

After seeing Victim, Joseph Losey cast Bogarde as the title role in The Servant. It's one of Bogarde's greatest performances, the very antithesis of Simon Sparrow. The relationship with Losey prospered with other films, most notably King & Country and Accident.

Moreover, these films brought him a new, international reputation. He worked twice with Luchino Visconti (The Damned and Death in Venice) and pushed himself far outside his comfort zone with The Night Porter.

In later life, Bogarde under went one final reinvention: as a best selling author of memoir and novels. But it's as a performer he is best remembered. Whether for his early romantic leads or the layered later work, he was one of the greatest screen actors this country ever produced. < show less