(Charles Spencer’s article appeared in the Telegraph, 7/27.)
One of the damaging accusations levelled at Terence Rattigan (1911-77), contributing to the decline in his reputation, was that he was a dishonest writer. He was a homosexual, but never publicly admitted it, even when homosexuality was legalised. And though The Deep Blue Sea was inspired by the suicide of a former male lover, Rattigan transformed his play into a heterosexual story about a judge’s wife having an affair with a former RAF hero who cannot return her ardent passion.