Sunday Bloody Sunday main backdrop
Sunday Bloody Sunday main poster

Sunday Bloody Sunday

Visit website

6.6/10 • 126

1971-07-011h 50m

Drama

It's about three decent people. They will break your heart.

Recently divorced career woman Alex Greville begins a romantic relationship with glamorous mod artist Bob Elkin, fully aware that he's also intimately involved with middle-aged doctor Daniel Hirsh. For both Alex and Daniel, the younger man represents a break with their repressive pasts, and though both know that Bob is seeing both of them, neither is willing to let go of the youth and vitality he brings to their otherwise stable lives.

Directors
John Schlesinger
Editors
Richard Marden

Top Billed Cast

View Credits
  1. Peter Finch

    Peter Finch

    Dr. Daniel Hirsh

  2. Glenda Jackson

    Glenda Jackson

    Alex Greville

  3. Murray Head

    Murray Head

    Bob Elkin

  4. Peggy Ashcroft

    Peggy Ashcroft

    Mrs. Greville

  5. Tony Britton

    Tony Britton

    George Harding

  6. Maurice Denham

    Maurice Denham

    Mr. Greville

  7. Bessie Love

    Bessie Love

    Answering Service Lady

  8. Vivian Pickles

    Vivian Pickles

    Alva Hodson

  9. Frank Windsor

    Frank Windsor

    Bill Hodson

Reviews1

View Reviews
CinemaSerf Avatar

CinemaSerf

Jun 8, 2025

7/10

“Bob” (Murray Head) rather has his cake and eats it here as he enjoys being the centre of a consensual love triangle between older Jewish doctor “Daniel” (Peter Finch) and the bored “Alex” (Glenda Jackson). It’s not a venal arrangement, but he does play them off one and other by giving them enough to stay interested but never enough to get tired of him, or the scenario. Their young plaything is an artist - think Meccano rather that Monet - and when an opportunity to visit New York comes he has a new choice to make and difficulty telling his partners while they have to get to grips with the prospect of having none of him at all in their respective lives. Recently divorced “Alex” is weary. Of her job; of screaming kids around her all the time, of sharing her beau. She has tried other dalliances, but somehow this youthful man has an hold over her that has a rejuvenating effect. “Daniel” is steeped in a culture that fully expects him to wed a suitable young woman - or even a divorcée - to augment his professional status. He isn’t “out” nor is that a possibility, nor is he really in love with “Bob” either. He realises the man is toxic (with a small t) for his life, but like “Alex” reckons he’s better with him in it than the unthinkable alternative. As the week before his trip unfolds, we follow this trio through the trials of that time where truth melds into fantasy and each much face their own demons. Finch probably has more meat on his part and he plays the conflicted gent with a subtle positivity - even with some of his more hypochondriac patients. Jackson, likewise, adopts a smilingly stoic characterisation with a degree of realism that makes her performance come across as entirely natural. It’s Head, though, whom I think really stands out. Ostensibly flighty and selfish, but actually the more he portrays “Bob”, the more lifelike and complex his character becomes and the more unsatisfying his almost transient existence starts to appear. It’s not the quickest of films, pace-wise, but I think that lets the performances and quite a potently observational script permeate a little deeper before a denouement that is probably the only one that would have worked. It has dated, with much of the shock factor now dissipated, but it’s still quite an interesting dissertation on early 1970s mores.

Media

  • Sunday Bloody Sunday poster
  • Sunday Bloody Sunday poster
  • Sunday Bloody Sunday poster
  • Sunday Bloody Sunday poster
  • Sunday Bloody Sunday poster
  • Sunday Bloody Sunday poster
  • Sunday Bloody Sunday poster
  • Sunday Bloody Sunday poster
  • Sunday Bloody Sunday poster

Recommendations

  • The Taking of Pelham One Two Three main backdrop

    The Taking of Pelham One Two Three

    7.5

  • It Always Rains on Sunday main backdrop

    It Always Rains on Sunday

    6.6

  • On a Clear Day You Can See Forever main backdrop

    On a Clear Day You Can See Forever

    6.8

  • The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek main backdrop

    The Miracle of Morgan’s Creek

    6.8

  • The Leather Boys main backdrop

    The Leather Boys

    6.6

  • The Outfit main backdrop

    The Outfit

    6.8

  • Gambling Ship main backdrop

    Gambling Ship

    5.2

  • Frenzy main backdrop

    Frenzy

    7.1

  • Marathon Man main backdrop

    Marathon Man

    7.2

  • Legend main backdrop

    Legend

    6.2

  • Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown main backdrop

    Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown

    7.4

  • All About My Mother main backdrop

    All About My Mother

    7.6

  • Cobweb main backdrop

    Cobweb

    6.5

  • The Godfather Part III main backdrop

    The Godfather Part III

    7.4

  • The Shawshank Redemption main backdrop

    The Shawshank Redemption

    8.7

  • The Godfather main backdrop

    The Godfather

    8.7

  • Puss in Boots: The Last Wish main backdrop

    Puss in Boots: The Last Wish

    8.2

  • Inception main backdrop

    Inception

    8.4

  • Joker main backdrop

    Joker

    8.1

  • Fight Club main backdrop

    Fight Club

    8.4

Status
Released
Original Language
English
Budget
--
Revenue
--
Keywords
london, englandlove trianglesexualitybisexualityartistromancewealthmarijuanadoctordivorcelgbtolder man younger man relationshipsociologistgay theme