Most French films of this period ( 1960's, 1970's ) that approached the subject of homosexuality were messed up because French society at the time was basically deeply homophobic. Catholicism was a strong force against homosexuals and books that dealt with the subject were banned or were pathetically negative. This is a furtive film and there is nothing of Robert Bresson about it. Many films were given praise because of a certain ' style ' that is associated with Bresson, and this at the time could give a film like this on a ' delicate ' subject credence. I like Gerard Blain as an actor, but I find him messed up as a director. The story here is of an inter-generational ' friendship ' and it is not moving but banal, and the acting from the young man involved bland. Why the film has not been lost in the mists of a time and why it should be worthy of Gay interest is a mystery to me. It had to take an X-Rated French film like ' Le Beau Mec ' to confront homosexuality head on and in a beautiful sex scene show a limited public what this ' taboo ' subject was honestly about.