The Everlasting Secret Family (1988)

A beautiful, if ambitious and amoral, youth is tapped to become the lover of a powerful senator. The young man quickly realizes that he can hold this place, with all its perks, only as long... See full summary »

Director:

Michael Thornhill

Writer:

Frank Moorhouse

Stars:

Arthur Dignam, Mark Lee, Heather Mitchell

2 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Arthur Dignam	...	Senator
Mark Lee	...	Youth
Heather Mitchell	...	Wife
Dennis Miller	...	Eric the Chauffeur
Paul Goddard	...	Son
Beth Child	...	Pottery Woman
John Clayton	...	Mayor
Nick Holland	...	New Chauffeur
Bogdan Koca	...	Medical Specialist
John Meillon	...	Judge
Anna Volska	...	Wife's Friend
Allan Penney	...	Gardener
Louis Nowra	...	Shop Assistant
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Dominic Barry	...	Bell Captain
Tony Bremner	...	Piano Singer

Storyline

A beautiful, if ambitious and amoral, youth is tapped to become the lover of a powerful senator. The young man quickly realizes that he can hold this place, with all its perks, only as long as he is young. He has no other function than being young. With the help of an aged judge, the young man, referred to only as The Lover, contrives a plan to make a change in the way of the world, a plan that will take him years to realize. To succeed, he must manipulate, in subtle and not-so-subtle ways, the senator, his wife, the family chauffeur (who was, when young, a lover), and, by implication, the entire well-planned and controlling everlasting secret family.

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Plot Keywords:

lover | senator | secret | judge | youth | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Australia

Language:

English

Release Date:

September 1989 (USA)

Also Known As:

O Senador

Filming Locations:

Sydney, New South Wales, Australia

Company Credits

Production Co:

FGH, Hemdale Film, International Film Management

Technical Specs

Runtime:

94 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Goofs

During his first encounter at the hotel, the Youth's grip on his creme de menthe glass changes between shots.

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Connections

Featured in The Hidden History of Homosexual Australia (2005)

User Reviews

A truly disturbing film

A truly disturbing film that not only deals as its principal subject matter the sexual abuse of a youth who is inducted into an all pervasive "secret society" with very powerful members, but also because it confirms the sadly often held view of some sections of society that believe that this is how all homosexuals operate. That said, the sexual hypocrisy of Australian society of the sixties and seventies is tantalizingly portrayed.

The movie is set in an almost bucolic environment which is quite fitting when one considers that Canberra, the national capital of Australia is plonked right in the middle of nowhere. Later in the movie the scene shifts to Sydney, and surprisingly the harbour is not featured so much as the claustrophobic sandstone architecture of some indoor shots.

Designers should note the accurate representation of 70's chic of the youth's apartment.

The performance of Arthur Dignam in particular is spectacular, as is the muted and understated performance of the superb John Meillon in one of his final roles. Watch for Mark Lee trying not to cringe at one point when the "son" (Paul Goddard) says that he wants to visit the place where the first world war battle took place (Gallipoli) - Mark Lee having starred in the movie of the same name some years earlier.

The soundtrack is haunting for two reasons: Tony Bremner's themes orchestrated beautifully only to be let down by the unbearably out of tune male choir. This is such a pity because the score is truly wonderful.

I was delighted to have a copy of VHS: now it's even better on DVD, although the "extras" are virtually non existent.

Can this be recommended? It certainly reminds me of my teen years growing up in Australia when homosexuality was still a criminal offence and the only way to know one another was through underground contacts. I do wonder however, what people overseas will be able to make of this movie.