I laughed when I saw the title. I thought that is a very dodgy title! I was even more surprised when I realised it had a gay character lurking in his sexy leathers behind the main character! (Not that he got up to anything behind him) Although, I have to say it is extremely well acted, and even though the film is rather ancient now, it was actually rather refreshing, and very entertaining. So if it pops up on television somewhere, and you happen to be in front of it, watch it! It is well scripted and splendid stuff. You don't have to be gay to enjoy it either! Nice bikes too, makes me want to get my three wheeler out of the garage. Pedal power... Oh yes... Work those legs!

Dot (Rita Tushingham) and Reggie (Colin Campbell) marry too young and realize it too late. Reggie starts to be good friends with Pete (Dudley Sutton) who just happens to be gay. And Dot wants Reggie back...

Technically this isn't really a gay film. Pete is gay but it's only suggested here and there and not made clear until the very end. And, despite the title, this doesn't deal with the heavy leather gay set. It's about Reggie trying to deal with his life--figuring out what he wants. Is it Dot...or Pete? SPOILER!!!!! The ending pretty much makes it clear that it's neither. He walks away from both but I never got the feeling it was because Pete was gay--I think it was because Reggie just wasn't ready for a relationship with anyone END SPOILER!!!!! The film is ahead of its time for having a sympathetic gay character and it IS an interesting character study (of Reggie) shot in stark black and white. Good acting too. Good luck trying to see this...I caught it totally by accident one night on a local PBS station.

A fascinating film which shows you just how fast the 1960s was waking up in 1964. Some say the homosexuality in the film is referred to obliquely. I disagree. Unless you are 13 years old, it should be very obvious that Reggie's mate is gay about half way through the film. Other than that it is fascinating to see how the film was used as a template for Quadrophenia (1979). I can think of at least 10 similarities. 1) Our hero is working class teenager with a broad cockney accent. 2) All his mates ride motorbikes. 3) The main character takes a road trip to Brighton 4) The argument in the café in Brighton between the two key male characters. 5) The same shot of the massed bikes facing the camera as they head off down a London road. 6) Jimmy in Quadrophenia has a close mate who works as a car engineer. Reggie works as a car/ bike engineer. 7) One of the main characters (Chalkie?) stands out by wearing a traditional tweed hat with a feather in it - the character who calls the start of the endurance race in Leather Boys wears one too. 8) Jimmy encounters his old biker school mate (played by Ray Winstone) when both are stark naked in the baths...need I say more. 9) Reggie/ Jimmy are unable to sustain a relationship with their girlfriends. 10) ..and this is the clincher. The final scene has Jimmy/Reggie walking towards the camera after their whole world has fallen apart, with the audience left guessing what will become of them. Especially liked Rita Tushingham's performance in Leather Boys, she does angry much better than Lesley Ash in Quadrophenia.