My Policeman
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| Authors | Bethan Roberts[1] |
|---|---|
| Language | English and Spanish |
| Publisher | Chatto & Windus |
Publication date | 4 August 2012[1] |
| Pages | 304 |
My Policeman is a 2012 historical romance novel written by Bethan Roberts. It is set in Brighton, East Sussex, England, in the 1950s.
Plot summary
The novel is set in Brighton in 1957.[2] Tom Burgess, a policeman, is coming to terms with his sexuality.[2] Marion, a schoolteacher, falls in love with him oblivious to his homosexuality tendencies. Tom explores gay love with Patrick Hazelwood, a museum curator but, because of the social constraints of the era, Tom and Marion get married, even though Tom still has feelings for Patrick.[2] Tom is torn between the safety his marriage to Marion offers him and his attraction to Patrick. When Marion becomes jealous, she exposes Patrick and gets him arrested for indecency.[3] This causes a permanent split in Tom and Patrick's relationship and building tension in Tom and Marion's marriage.
Critical reception
The novel received positive reviews in the press. Writing for The Guardian, Natasha Tripney said the style was "fluid and tender".[2] In The Independent, Richard Canning wrote a positive review, suggesting the novel had "a strong period feel and a sprightly structure."[3] Moreover, he added that the "euphemistic references to homosexuality and rich period slang" were congruous.[3]
Film adaptation
In February 2021, it was reported that a film adaptation of the novel was in the works, directed by Michael Grandage and starring Emma Corrin as Marion, David Dawson as Patrick Hazelwood, and Harry Styles as Tom Burgess with shooting to begin in April of that year.[4][5][6] It was later reported the film would also featured Gina McKee as an older Marion, Rupert Everett as an older Patrick Hazelwood, and Linus Roache as an older Tom Burgess with the film starting with the arrival of Patrick to Marion and Tom's home during the late 1990s, triggering an exploration of the events from 40 years ago in the 1950s.[6]
My Policeman had its world premiere at the 2022 Toronto International Film Festival[7] and was screened at the Adelaide Film Festival[8] before a limited theatrical release in the United States and a streaming release on 4 November 2022 by Amazon Prime Video.[9] The film received mixed reviews from critics, who praised Dawson's performance but criticised the direction and the screenplay. The main cast members were announced as the collective winners of an acting award at TIFF's Tribute Awards, the first time that an award in that category was ever presented to an ensemble cast rather than an individual.[10]
References
- ^ a b Vintage Books: My Policeman
- ^ a b c d Natasha Tripney, My Policeman by Bethan Roberts – review, The Guardian, March 11, 2012
- ^ a b c Richard Canning, My Policeman By Bethan Roberts, The Independent, March 20, 2012
- Deadline. 4 February 2021. Archivedfrom the original on 5 February 2021.
- ^ Vlessing, Etan. "Emma Corrin, Harry Styles to Star in Romantic Drama My Policeman for Amazon Studios". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 February 2021.
- ^ a b "Harry Styles' Male Lover in My Policeman Film Has Been Cast". Out. 5 March 2021. Retrieved 13 March 2021.
- ^ Lang, Brent (21 July 2022). "Harry Styles Drama My Policeman to World Premiere at Toronto Film Festival". Variety. Retrieved 9 November 2022.
- ^ "AFF announces the first 5 films for 2022". Adelaide Film Festival. 30 August 2022. Retrieved 11 September 2022.
- ^ Ford, Rebecca (9 June 2022). "First Look: Harry Styles Plays a Closeted Officer in My Policeman". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 9 June 2022.
- Screen Daily. Retrieved 5 November 2022.
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