Sunday Bloody Sunday: Authorship, Collaboration and Improvisation

Abstract

Sunday Bloody Sunday (1971) was based on an original screenplay written by Penelope Gilliatt, directed by John Schlesinger and produced by Joseph Janni. The extensive John Schlesinger papers held within the BFI Special Collections will be used to examine how conflicts in agency and authorship manifested themselves within the text of the film. Set in the early 1970s, against a background of rocketing inflation and grim economic downturn, the film follows Alex Greville (Glenda Jackson) and Daniel Hirsch (Peter Finch), who are both in love with young sculptor Bob (Murray Head). All the members of the bisexual love triangle are aware of each other and both Alex and Daniel struggle to pretend that they are satisfied with the arrangement. This unhappy arrangement only ends when Bob leaves them both for a job in America.