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Secrets & Lies
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Secrets & Lies (1996) More at IMDbPro »

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Secrets & Lies (1996) -- Successful black woman traces her birth mother to a lower-class white woman, who denies it; emotions run high as everyone's secrets are exposed.

Overview

User Rating:
7.9/10   13,179 votes
MOVIEmeter: ?
Down 10% in popularity this week. See rank & trends on IMDbPro.
Director:
Mike Leigh
Writer:
Mike Leigh (writer)
Contact:
View company contact information for Secrets & Lies on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
25 October 1996 (USA) more
Genre:
Comedy | Drama more
Tagline:
Roxanne drives her mother crazy. Maurice never speaks to his niece. Cynthia has a shock for her family. Monica can't talk to her husband. Hortense has never met her mother.
Plot:
Successful black woman traces her birth mother to a lower-class white woman, who denies it; emotions run high as everyone's secrets are exposed. full summary | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for 5 Oscars. Another 30 wins & 18 nominations more
NewsDesk:
(4 articles)
Producer Channing-Williams Dead
 (From WENN. 14 April 2009, 5:05 AM, PDT)

British Filmmakers Rebuff Hollywood
 (From Studio Briefing - Film News. 13 January 1998)

User Comments:
Honesty & Integrity more

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

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
more
Create a character page for: ?

Additional Details

Also Known As:
Secrets et mensonges (France)
more
MPAA:
Rated R for language.
Runtime:
142 min | USA:136 min
Country:
France | UK
Language:
English
Color:
Color (Metrocolor)
Aspect Ratio:
1.85 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Dolby SR

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
To add a spontaneous effect to the performances, Mike Leigh met with each actor individually and only told them what their character would know at the beginning of the film. As filming progressed the actors were hearing the secrets for the very first time. Brenda Blethyn, for instance, didn't know that Marianne Jean-Baptiste was black. more
Quotes:
Cynthia Purley: But sweetheart, I can't be your mother!
Hortense Cumerbatch: Why not?
Cynthia Purley: Well... look at me!
more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in The Book That Wrote Itself (1999) more
Soundtrack:
Happy Birthday to You more

FAQ

This FAQ is empty. Add the first question.
35 out of 39 people found the following comment useful:-
Honesty & Integrity, 3 June 2004
10/10
Author: wainot from United States

This is one of my very favorite movies of the last 10, even 20 years. For me, its greatness lies in the resonance of the story lines, the brilliant acting, (Brenda Blethyn, Marianne Jean-Baptiste and Timothy Spall all turned in Oscar-worthy turns, and the rest of the ensemble were all with them), and Mike Leigh's direction.

This is a feast of tremendous acting, by a most talented ensemble who really become their characters. The scenes play out very naturally, and you really feel a part of the story, with special empathy towards - in no particular order - Cynthia, Maurice and Hortense. As the film builds towards a showdown/climax at the birthday party, you can even take a step back and at least sympathize with Roxanne and even, Monica.

This rates 10/10 by this reviewer, who wishes that more directors - if they truly have a good story to tell - will shoot and edit the film in a way that appreciates the audience's intelligence and capacity to feel without being manipulated by a director's avant-garde(??) bag of tricks ...for comparison, perhaps see my scathing review of 21 Grams! What a contrast of styles!!!

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Message Boards

Discuss this movie with other users on IMDb message board for Secrets & Lies (1996)
Recent Posts (updated daily)User
How Could She Not Know Patty-76
overacted? etoilesss12
Hortense is supposed to be mixed race??? markcody
Roxanne was hilarious Luin_On
representation of Marianne Jeane Baptiste (Ortense) scarlet817
the perfect antidote to special effect movies inbred_cannibal_activist
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