The Leather Boys is a 1964 British drama film directed by Sidney J. Furie and starring Rita Tushingham, Colin Campbell and Dudley Sutton. The story is set in the rocker subculture in London and features a gay motorcyclist.
The film is notable as an early example of a film that violated the Hollywood production code, yet was still shown in the United States, as well as being an important film in the genre of queer cinema. An example of British kitchen sink realism, its treatment of homosexuality was considered daring at the time of its release.
Plot
Working class cockney teenagers Dot and biker Reggie get married. Their marriage soon turns sour. During an unsuccessful honeymoon at a holiday camp, Reggie becomes alienated from the brassy, self-absorbed Dot. Afterward, they begin to live increasingly separate lives as Reggie becomes more involved with his biker friends, especially the eccentric Pete. Reggie also loses interest in having sex with Dot.
When Reggie's grandfather dies, Dot merely complains that his support for his bereaved grandmother has stopped them visiting the cinema. Her boorish behaviour at the funeral and her refusal to move in with Reggie's grandmother leads to a major argument. She leaves, and Reggie stays with his grandmother, who will not leave her own house. He brings in Pete, who has been forced to leave his lodgings, to stay as a lodger with her. The two share a bed at her house. Meanwhile, Dot shows an interest in Brian, another biker. The following day, Pete and Reggie drive to the seaside. Reggie wants them to chat up a couple of girls, but Pete shows no interest.
Reggie intends to return to Dot, who has hatched a plan to get him back by pretending to be pregnant. Dot is sitting with Brian when she tells Reggie of her "pregnancy". Believing he can't be the father, Reggie accuses Brian, and the two fight. Dot visits the house of Reggie's grandmother and learns that he is sharing a bed with Pete. She taunts them, calling them "queers". Reggie is disturbed by this, and asks Pete to deny that he is homosexual, but Pete avoids answering.
The bikers organise a race from London to Edinburgh and back in which Reggie, Pete and Brian all take part. Dot rides with Brian. When Brian's bike breaks down, Reggie carries Dot on his. Dot admits she is not pregnant. The two start to rekindle their relationship. When they get back, Pete manages to separate Reggie from Dot, taking him to the pub. They come back to their room drunk. When Pete passes out, Reggie sits up thinking. The following morning, he decides to return to Dot. Pete gets upset, and says he can't understand why Reggie would want to return to Dot because they get on so much better. He says they should go to America together. Reggie says that he needs a woman. He returns to Dot, but discovers her in bed with Brian. In despair, he meets with Pete and says he wishes to leave for America as soon as possible. Pete says he can get them passage working on a ship.
While Pete is arranging things, he leaves Reggie in a pub in Silvertown near the Royal docks, which turns out to be a gay pub. Reggie realises when one of the clientele starts chatting him up. When Pete enters, they all recognise him, and Reggie suddenly understands that Pete is gay. He leaves.
Cast
Rita Tushingham as Dot
Colin Campbell as Reggie
Dudley Sutton as Pete
Gladys Henson as Gran
Avice Landone as Reggie's Mother
Lockwood West as Reggie's Father
Betty Marsden as Dot's Mother
Martin Matthews as Uncle Arthur
Johnny Briggs as Brian
James Chase as Les
Geoffrey Dunn as Mr. Lunnis
Dandy Nichols as Mrs. Stanley
Carmel McSharry as Bus Conductress
Production
The film is based on a 1961 novel commissioned by the London literary agent and publisher Anthony Blond, who suggested that Gillian Freeman write about a "Romeo and Romeo in the South London suburbs". Freeman published the novel using the pseudonym Eliot George but she is credited under her own name for the screenplay "based on the novel of Eliot George". The novel is explicit about the sexual relationship between Reggie and Pete, and about the possibility that the Dot is pregnant by another man. It also portrays their gang as a criminal network, and ends with a botched robbery. The plot was changed considerably for the film: only Pete is gay, and there is no criminal activity.
Rita Tushingham said much of the dialogue was improvised after the actors complained that the script "was nothing like how the youth living in London spoke at the time".
Locations include the Ace Cafe and the Tidal Basin Tavern in Silvertown, East London.