Close Relations (1998– )

Many hidden secrets and desires come to light amongst the various Hammond family members following the near-fatal heart attack of Gordon Hammond.

Stars:

Amanda Redman, Adjoa Andoh, Kate Buffery

Cast

Series cast summary:
Amanda Redman	...	Prudence Hammond (5 episodes, 1998)
Adjoa Andoh	...	April (5 episodes, 1998)
Kate Buffery	...	Erin (5 episodes, 1998)
Honeysuckle Weeks	...	Imogen (5 episodes, 1998)
Daisy Beaumont	...	Trish (4 episodes, 1998)
Diana Kent	...	Dierdra (3 episodes, 1998)

Storyline

The stable, seemingly happy lives of the Hammond family and their three very different grown-up daughters Prudence (Amanda Redman), Louise (Alice Krige) and Maddy ('Kelly Hunter' ) are suddenly shattered when Gordon (Keith Barron) has a heart attack. Whilst recovering Gordon falls in love with his nurse April (Adjoa Andoh) and decides to leave Dorothy (Sheila Hancock), his wife of many years, and move in with her. Initially, the shock causes great consternation in the family but forces the exposure of many hidden secrets as Dorothy stays with each daughter in turn whilst trying to rebuild her life. Gradually, all the Hammond's, young and old, must come to terms with their new lives and circumstances, and face a future very different from anything they could have imagined.

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Plot Keywords:

tv mini series | sister | family relationships

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

17 May 1998 (UK)

Also Known As:

Familiens hemmeligheder

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

250 min 250 min (5 parts)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Two-part hot movie, well worth your time

Normally, I stay clear of "To be continued" movies...after all, I don't know if, by the time of the continuation, I'll be in as receptive a mood for subsequent episodes, as I was for the first.

However,I always expect great things of the Brits when they explore relationships (a la "Coronation St" and "Eastenders"), so I did myself a favour and watched both 2-hour episodes. The main theme is "Boy meets girl, stays married to her for X number of years, then dumps her, for another". There are plenty of single people, also, in this tale, and they, too, have their romantic problems.

I don't think this movie is over the top in depicting most of the male characters as pigs, and most of the women as dumb, when it comes to men...after all, how many romances in real life, last for very long, due to the duplicity of one partner, and the stupidity of the other?...I mean, look at the scarcity of even "Silver Weddings" in our society - the Brits, it seems, are just as unstable. During the film, some of the betrayed female characters are weighing lesbianism as an option. Again, as in real life, who could blame them? They couldn't do any worse than with us!

By the way, I was amazed by -but uncomplaining of - the unexpected amount of interesting sexual content of the film, yet it was rated at only 14...I have seen far tamer Brit movies with an 18 rating. Not that sex is all that this movie has going for it - it has much more. Well worth seeing.