''Consenting Adults'' is a 2007

BBC Four BBC Four is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was launched on 2 March 2002

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

which portrays the events of the Wolfenden Committee, chaired by Sir John Wolfenden. The film is set in the 1950s and depicts social attitudes towards homosexuality in Britain at that time, while also focusing on Wolfenden and his homosexual son Jeremy Wolfenden. The Committee first met on 15 September 1954 and published its report on 4 September 1957, recommending that "homosexual behaviour between consenting adults in private should no longer be a criminal offence". The report led to the passage of the

Sexual Offences Act 1967 The Sexual Offences Act 1967 (c. 60) is an act of Parliament in the United Kingdom. It legalised homosexual acts in England and Wales, on the condition that they were consensual, in private and between two men who had attained the age of 21. ...

, which partially decriminalised homosexuality in England and Wales. The film was commissioned as part of a season of programming marking the 40th anniversary of the partial decriminalisation of homosexuality in England and Wales in 1967.

Cast

Charles Dance Walter Charles Dance (born 10 October 1946) is an English actor. He is known for playing intimidating, authoritarian characters and villains. Dance started his career on stage with the Royal Shakespeare Company (RSC) before appearing in film an ...

as John Wolfenden *

Sean Biggerstaff Sean Biggerstaff (born 15 March 1983) is a Scottish actor. He is best known for playing Oliver Wood in the ''Harry Potter'' film series, appearing in ''Philosopher's Stone'' (2001), '' Chamber of Secrets'' (2002), and '' Deathly Hallows – P ...

as Jeremy Wolfenden *

David Bamber David James Bamber (born 19 September 1954) is an English actor. His credits include '' Privates on Parade'' (1983), '' Juliet Bravo'' (1983), '' Crown Court'' (1984), '' Call Me Mister'' (1986), '' The Buddha of Suburbia'' (1993), '' Pride an ...

as Dr Carl Winter *

Samantha Bond Samantha Jane Bond (born 27 November 1961) is an English actress. She played Miss Moneypenny in four James Bond films during the Pierce Brosnan era, and appeared in ''Downton Abbey'' as the wealthy widow Lady Rosamund Painswick, sister of Rob ...

as Jill Wolfenden *

Dallas Campbell Robert Dallas Campbell (born 17 September 1970) is a British television presenter, podcast host, and television and stage actor, previously a presenter on the factual Channel 5 (UK), Channel 5 series ''The Gadget Show'' in 2008 and BBC One sci ...

as Sergeant Harry *

Mark Gatiss Mark Gatiss (; born 17 October 1966) is an English actor, comedian, screenwriter, director, producer and novelist. Best known for his acting work on stage and screen as well as for co-creating television shows with Steven Moffat, he has received ...

as Police Constable Butcher *

Haydn Gwynne Haydn Gwynne (; 21 March 195720 October 2023) was an English actress. She was nominated for the 1992 BAFTA TV Award for Best Light Entertainment Performance for the comedy series '' Drop the Dead Donkey'' (1990–1991), and won the 2009 Drama ...

as Mary Cohen *Paul Kendrick as Clive *Jamie Martin as Colin Parker *Charles Reston as Michael * Matt Ryan as Charley Bullard *

Mel Smith Melvyn Kenneth Smith (3 December 1952 – 19 July 2013) was an English comedian, actor and filmmaker. He worked on the sketch comedy shows ''Not the Nine O'Clock News'' and ''Alas Smith and Jones'' with his comedy partner, Griff Rhys Jones. Smi ...

as Maxwell Fyfe *Tim Wallers as Spellman *

Colin Stinton Colin Stinton (born March 10, 1947) is a Canadian-American actor. He is widely known for his collaborations with playwright and filmmaker David Mamet, and has worked extensively in the United Kingdom since 1985. He is a Joseph Jefferson Award win ...

Alfred Kinsey Alfred Charles Kinsey (; June 23, 1894 – August 25, 1956) was an American sexologist, biologist, and professor of entomology and zoology who, in 1947, founded the Institute for Sex Research at Indiana University, now known as the Kinsey Insti ...

Reception

The film was nominated for

BAFTA Scotland BAFTA in Scotland is the Scottish branch of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts. Formed in 1986, the branch holds two annual awards ceremonies recognising the achievement by performers and production staff in Scottish film, televis ...

’s Best Drama Award, and at the ceremony on 18 November 2007, Sean Biggerstaff won BAFTA Scotland's Award for Best Actor (Television).

References

External links

BBC Four program description
* LGBTQ history in the United Kingdom 2007 television specials BBC television dramas 2007 drama films 2000s LGBTQ-related drama films 2007 LGBTQ-related films 2007 films 2000s British films British drama television films 2000s English-language films British LGBTQ-related television films {{UK-tv-film-stub