[2] It tells the story of a free-spirited young bisexual artist (played by Head) and his simultaneous relationships with a divorced recruitment consultant (Jackson) and a gay Jewish doctor (Finch).

[3] Although a box office failure in many regions of the United States, the film received critical acclaim upon release, with major praise drawn towards Schlesinger's direction, performances of the cast (particularly of Finch and Jackson), and its screenplay.

It received four nominations at the 44th Academy Awards: Best Director, Best Actor (for Finch), Best Actress (for Jackson), and Best Original Screenplay.

In London, a middle-aged gay Jewish doctor, Daniel Hirsh, and a divorced woman in her mid-30s, Alex Greville, are both involved in an open love triangle with sculptor Bob Elkin, a younger man in his mid-20s.

Alex and Daniel are both close friends with the Hodsons, who are a bohemian, academic middle-class family living somewhere in a leafy London suburb.

After unsuccessfully trying to fill a heroin prescription for him at a pharmacy, being unable to prove he is a doctor, Daniel finds that his medical bag has been stolen from his car.

Despite their opposed circumstances, Daniel and Alex come to realise that it is time to move on; Bob leaves for the United States.

He approached Penelope Gilliatt, who had recently finished a novel, A Statement of Change, about a love triangle involving a doctor, and asked if she would write a script.

By that time, Gilliatt already moved to New York to work for The New Yorker magazine, and did not want to return to London to revise the script.

Producer Joseph Janni wrote her a letter, asking her to acknowledge the collaborative nature of the final script, stating[9][page needed][6]I have just received a copy of the book of SUNDAY BLOODY SUNDAY and I am flabbergasted at the note at the back which says that you "first thought of this film script on a train in Switzerland".

I wish, however, that any statement made about this work should correspond to the truth as I have stated it above and the reason for my writing this letter is to ask you to do so, so that we should not be forced, especially when coming to America for the opening of the film, to have to deny certain statements or make declarations which will conflict with yours and which ultimately will not be pleasant for any of us.The original choice for Alex was Vanessa Redgrave.

Schlesinger was thinking of casting Jean Simmons until he saw Glenda Jackson in Women in Love and decided to offer her the role.

[1] Several actresses (including Dame Edith Evans and Thora Hird) politely refused the part of Glenda Jackson's mother, Mrs. Greville, because they thought the project was too risqué.

The director told the New York Times, "Both Peter and Murray were totally involved in their parts and they were certainly less shocked by the kiss than some of the technicians.

[10] The film makes extensive use of source music including a leitmotif of the trio Soave sia il vento from Mozart's opera Così fan tutte.

[11] The film performed strongly at the box office in urban centres but was not popular outside these and ultimately lost money.

"[14] Peter Rainer of Bloomberg News wrote, "It's Finch's finest moment as an actor (and literally a far cry from his most famous role as the "mad prophet of the airwaves" in Network).