On the original question: I've said this all along, and occasionally it needs repeating. Objectively viewed, this film is a period piece. We cannot inflict out modern day sensibilities on the actions of these two (or any other) characters. It's quite easy for us to sit here and say "why didn't he?", or "why didn't they?", but the fact remains that their behavior and consequent actions were in perfect agreement with the social and political times.
We can't lull ourselves into a false sense of outrage at what they did or didn't do, because for them, these options did not exist. Let me relate a story to illustrate. My sister-in-law's brother passed away. Natrurally my partmer and I went to the wake (which was held some distance away). Upon arriving, I noticed a man at the other end of the room who looked familiar. He was someone who both Rick and I had seen at several get to-gathers that were held by a friend of ours (completely unrelated to my sister-in-law or her family, so it was a real case of worlds colliding. We knew that Bruce (the deceased) was gay as it was common knowledge. I asked Rick if he had ever been introduced to this guy at one of the parties we had been at, and he said no. Since I gad not been either, I asked my brother-in-law who it was. He said that it was Bruce's significant other. Ok, no big deal. Since I had never been introduced I felt odd about just going up and saying "Don't I know you" so I didn't.
The next day I called my friend (who hosted these get to-gathers) and described him. She said "Oh yeah, that's my cousin Brian." I asked why she never mentioned her cousin was gay, and she said "He's not". I backed off that very quickly, but later that night, my sister-in-law called and asked (at Brian's request) that we not talk to his cousin about this as he was not out and was too afraid for anyone to find out. This man is single and in his 40's. When did this happen? Two weeks ago. If this level of fear still exists today, imagine what it was like back in the sixties, or even the eighties. That's why it is very important to view the mens actions in the context of the times they happened in.