Secrets (TV 1995)

Etta Berter is a doctor's wife in 1905 who has been unable to have children. The couple has one adopted daughter but she has always wanted more children. Julie Harris's character is the ... See full summary »

Director:

Jud Taylor

Writers:

Barbara Esstman (book), Jerome Kass (teleplay)

Stars:

Veronica Hamel, Richard Kiley, Shae D'lyn

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Veronica Hamel	...	Etta Berter
Richard Kiley	...	Dr. Will Berter
Shae D'lyn	...	Edwina Phelan
Thomas Gibson	...	Hailus Tuckman
Reed Diamond	...	Thomas Rafferty
Jessica Bowman	...	Anna Berter
Julie Harris	...	Caroline Phelan
Shannon Eubanks	...	Clara
Ann Bronston	...	Lucy Minchion
Beatrice Bush	...	Edith
Erin Williby	...	Beth
Rob Brownstein	...	Reverend Goode
Rick Warner	...	Douglas Phelan

Storyline

Etta Berter is a doctor's wife in 1905 who has been unable to have children. The couple has one adopted daughter but she has always wanted more children. Julie Harris's character is the family's cook and close companion to their daughter. Her granddaughter is the family's maid. When a visiting friend of Etta's arrives for a visit both she and the maid are attracted to him. When he seems to prefer the younger woman (the maid) the other woman is very jealous and when the maid becomes pregnant by him the older woman vows to make that child her own.

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Plot Keywords:

choir | iowa | family secret | church | teenage girl | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 May 1995 (USA)

Also Known As:

Mystika

Filming Locations:

Greensboro, North Carolina, USA

Company Credits

Production Co:

Dorothea G. Petrie Productions, Signboard Hill Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min 120 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

User Reviews

A pleasant surprise

The story is set about a century ago. The main character is a 13-year-old girl named Anna, an only child. Her family is visited by a young man; when he has left, it becomes clear that one of the servants, Edwina, has become pregnant by him and the drama begins. The servants are fired and the baby is taken away from Edwina by Anna's parents, who turn out not to be able to make children (which gives Anna food for thought) and want to have a sister for their daughter. Subsequently, Edwina collapses because she can't see her baby anymore, but Anna sympathizes with her and takes the baby with her to Edwina's place. And so on.

This, of course, sounds quite 'soapy', and it is. However, this TV-film is better than you would expect from such a plot. Usually I am often annoyed while watching a soap-like film or series, but this film seems to be of a higher level: the cast was not as bad as in an average soap opera (except Shae D'Lyn, who plays her role of Edwina far too sentimental) and the story line was interesting enough to keep watching, though it was not by any means spectacular or great. A pleasant surprise after all.

6/10