Secrets & Lies
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| Secrets & Lies | |
|---|---|
 film poster |
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| Directed by | Mike Leigh |
| Produced by | Simon Channing-Williams |
| Written by | Mike Leigh |
| Starring | Brenda Blethyn Marianne Jean-Baptiste Timothy Spall Phyllis Logan |
| Music by | Andrew Dickson |
| Cinematography | Dick Pope |
| Editing by | Jon Gregory |
| Distributed by | October |
| Release date(s) |  May, 1996 (premiere at Cannes) 24 May 1996 5 September 1996 27 September 1996 27 September 1996 (limited) |
| Running time | 142 min |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $4.5 million |
| IMDb profile | |
Secrets & Lies is a 1996 British film directed by Mike Leigh and starring Brenda Blethyn and Marianne Jean-Baptiste.
Contents |
[edit] Storyline
The film tells the story of Hortense Cumberbatch, a successful black optometrist who traces her family history and discovers that her mother, Cynthia Rose Purley, is a working class white woman. Cynthia's brother, Maurice Purley, is a photographer who is married to a petty suburban housewife.
[edit] Production
Although Leigh is credited with writing the screenplay, most of the performances were actually improvised: Leigh told each of the actors about their roles, and let them create their own lines.
Secrets and Lies was partly filmed in Whitehouse Way, Southgate, London.
The emotional scene in the bar, in which Cynthia realises that she is indeed Hortense's mother, was filmed in a single uninterrupted take of almost 8 minutes.
[edit] Awards
The film was a critical success. It has a 93% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a website that collects film reviews, with an average rating of 8.7, significantly higher than the average rating for most other films.
The film was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actress in a Leading Role (Brenda Blethyn), Best Actress in a Supporting Role (Marianne Jean-Baptiste), Best Director, Best Picture and Best Writing, Screenplay Written Directly for the Screen.
The film also won the 1996 Palme d'Or and Best Actress (Brenda Blethyn) awards at the Cannes Film Festival, and Golden Globe and BAFTA Best Actress awards.
[edit] Cast
- Timothy Spall - Maurice Purley
- Phyllis Logan - Monica Purley
- Brenda Blethyn - Cynthia Rose Purley
- Claire Rushbrook - Roxanne Purley
- Marianne Jean-Baptiste - Hortense Cumberbatch
- Elizabeth Berrington - Jane
- Michele Austin - Dionne
- Lee Ross - Paul
- Lesley Manville - Social Worker
- Ron Cook - Stuart
- Emma Amos - Girl with Scar
- Brian Bovell - Hortense's Brother
- Trevor Laird - Hortense's Brother
- Claire Perkins - Hortense's Sister-in-Law (as Clare Perkins)
- Elias Perkins McCook - Hortense's Nephew
[edit] Trivia
- A few days before their mass suicide, the Heaven's Gate religious cult watched Secrets & Lies at a cinema on March 19, 1997.[1].
[edit] External links
| Awards | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by Underground |
Palme d'Or 1996 |
Succeeded by Taste of Cherry tied with The Eel |
| Preceded by The Madness of King George |
Alexanda Korda Award for Best British Film 1996 |
Succeeded by Nil by Mouth |
