From ‘My Beautiful Laundrette’ to ‘Beautiful Thing,’ Six British Gay Films to Watch for Pride Month

As people look for films to watch on Pride Month, classics like Brokeback Mountain and Moonlight will rightfully make their way to people’s watchlists. But for this post, we’ll be taking a look at six gay-themed films from across the pond. Some of them depicted hopeful narratives involving men in love when it wasn’t commonplace while one film on the list dared to touch on the general topic of homosexuality when it was considered unlawful. From the defiant to the joyous, the following six films on this list given in chronological order paint various pictures of  the gay experience before the likes of Brokeback Mountain and Moonlight broke ground for gay cinema in their own respective ways. 

Victim (1961)

Starting off this list is Victim, the very film that discussed the subject of homosexuality when it was deemed unlawful and is also the first British picture in history to even mention the word ‘homosexual.’ Highly controversial during its release, Basil Dearden’s noir thriller came out six years before homosexuality became decriminalized in the United Kingdom. It was also released in the United States shortly before the Hays Code, which banned explicit mentions of queerness in motion pictures, was finally lifted. 

At the film’s center is a sublime performance by Dirk Bogarde as Melville Farr, a closeted lawyer caught up in a conspiracy involving blackmail after a former flame of his takes his own life. Even as Melville maintains his composure, Bogarde’s distressed eyes reflect Melville’s constant worry that his career and social standing could vanish in a minute if he’s outed. The high-paced filmmaking by Basil Dearden similarly makes Victim a tense experience. 

Sunday Bloody Sunday is available to stream for free on Tubi TV.

My Beautiful Laundrette (1985)

One could argue that the love scene between Gordon Warnecke and Daniel Day-Lewis alone makes My Beautiful Laundrette worth a watch and they’d be pretty right. But it does thrive on the plot as well as the ‘plot.’ Besides centering on a smoldering romance between an aspiring businessman and his old friend, Hanif Kureishi’s simplistic, Oscar-nominated screenplay uses the titular laundrette as an emblem of racial and class divide in Thatcher-era Britain. Once Omar (Gordon Warnecke) and Johnny (Daniel Day-Lewis) start managing the laundrette owned by Omar’s uncle as they try forming a better life for themselves, they must face growing tensions with Johnny’s gang of punks who continuously hang outside the building.

Similar to the following film on the list, My Beautiful Laundrette is conscious of the cruel, hateful world that people like Omar and Johnny must navigate while, without spoiling anything, opting to end on a promising note. Thanks to its intricate writing, occasionally auspicious tone, and yes, the steamy love scene between its two leads, My Beautiful Laundrette is a queer classic for the ages. 

Maurice is available to stream on Mubi and Kanopy.

Edward II (1991) 

A director/activist whose trademarks were frank depictions of gay desire and making unorthodox period pieces, the late, great Derek Jarman successfully blends the two with the historical drama Edward II. Based on the titular monarch’s life, Edward II follows his romantic bond with his favourite Piers Gaveston (Andre Tiernan) which caused a disruption in the royal kingdom. The film is expertly stylized as it blends actors in period and modern clothing while also possessing a profound sadness. Particularly, during a scene with Annie Lennox performing a heart-rending cover of Cole Porter’s “Ev’ry Time We Say Goodbye.” Lastly, it features a killer villainous turn from Tilda Swinton, who won the Volpi Cup for Best Actress at Venice, as Queen Isabella of France. 

Beautiful Thing is available to rent on Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Apple TV.