Squeeze

Richard Turner made Squeeze to break the "conspiracy of silence" about homosexuality. A pioneering early portrait of Auckland's LGBT scene, Squeeze centres on the relationship between a young man (Paul Eady) and the confident executive (Robert Shannon) who romances him, then mentions he has a fiancée. The film was discussed in Parliament after Patricia Bartlett campaigned against the possibility it might get NZ Film Commission funding (it didn't). Kevin Thomas in The LA Times praised Squeeze's integrity and the "steadfast compassion with which it views its hero".

[T]he film incensed Patricia Bartlett and the Society for the Promotion of Community Standards who campaigned vigorously against it. Writing to MPs to express their concern over the subject matter and the possibility that Government might finance such a film, the Society caused the film to be debated in Parliament. Some say this resulted in the addition of clause 18b in the Film Commission Act — which states that the Commission must have due regard to normal standards of general public morality.

– Film Archive historian Diane Pivac on Squeeze

Key Cast & Crew

Paul Eady

As: Paul

Robert Shannon

As: Grant

Richard Turner

Director, Producer, Writer

Yvette Parsons

As: Girl at Bus Stop

David Herkt

As: John

Faye Flegg

As: Kate