Sirens (1994)

When a painting is termed blasphemous, a young minister and his wife visit the artist... and the three sexually playful models living with him.

Director:

John Duigan

Writer:

John Duigan

Stars:

Hugh Grant, Tara Fitzgerald, Sam Neill

1 win & 3 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Hugh Grant	...	Anthony / Priest / Estella's husband
Tara Fitzgerald	...	Estella / Anthony's wife
Sam Neill	...	Norman / Artist / Rose's husband
Pamela Rabe	...	Rose / Norman's wife
Portia de Rossi	...	Giddy (as Portia De Rossi)
Tziporah Malkah	...	Pru / Model (as Kate Fischer)
Elle Macpherson	...	Sheela / Model
Ben Mendelsohn	...	Lewis
John Polson	...	Tom
Mark Gerber	...	Devlin / Blind man
Julia Stone	...	Jane
Ellie MacCarthy	...	Honey
Vincent Ball	...	Bishop of Sydney
John Duigan	...	Earnest Minister
Lexy Murphy	...	British Bulldog Girl

Storyline

A young reverend and his wife are on the way from England to Australia to minister to their flock. The bishop asks him to visit an eccentric artist prone to sexual depictions and requests that he voluntarily withdraw a controversial work call "Crucified Venus" from his show. The minister, who considers himself a progressive, is shocked at the amoral atmosphere surrounding the painter, his wife, and the three models living at his estate. The minister's wife is troubled also, and has to deal with latent sexual urges while trying to remain loyal to her husband.

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Plot Keywords:

female full frontal nudity | nude modeling | female exhibitionist | female removes her clothes | clothed female naked male | 

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Taglines:

A sensitive new comedy from award winning director John Duigan [UK theatrical]

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for strong sexuality, language and some violence

Details

Country:

Australia UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 March 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Sirenas

Filming Locations:

Australia

Box Office

Gross USA:

$7,770,731

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Screen Finance Ltd., Samson Productions Pty. Ltd., Sarah Radclyffe Productions - Sirens Limited

Technical Specs

Runtime:

98 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Dolby SR

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Frustrated by her failure to snag Devlin, Portia de Rossi's character says she'll swear off men completely. This actress later "came out" as a lesbian and has since gotten married to comedienne Ellen DeGeneres.

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Goofs

In the first dining room scene, as Norman leaves the table, Giddy offers Estella some tea. Moments later in the scene, as Tony is speaking, Giddy and Estella can be seen repeating the action in the background.

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Quotes

Sheela: [talking about an outhouse] I should have warned him about the redbacks.
Estella Campion: What are they?
Sheela: Small spiders with big teeth. They live under toilet seats usually.
Estella Campion: How do you know if they're there?
Sheela: By the screams.

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Connections

Referenced in Skins: Sketch (2008)

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Soundtracks

GREY FUNNEL LINE
Written by Cyril Tawney
Dick James Music Ltd.
Performed by Silly Sisters
Courtesy of Chrysalis Records Ltd.

User Reviews

An erotic little romp

"Sirens" seems to have touched a nerve here. Some reviewers dismiss it as derivative soft-core drivel. Others love it. It probably helps to know that there's little derivative about the story-it's based on real people and a real incident. Sam Neill's character--Norman Lindsay--was real. Lindsay, a prolific artist and novelist, was also a libertine living a Hugh Hefner lifestyle when the rest of the world was awakening from the Victorian Age. "Sirens" was filmed at the Lindsay home and gallery, a 40-acre estate now run by the Australian National Trust. The artworks are all Lindsay's. And the storyline is based on an incident in which the Anglican Church dispatched a cleric to convey concerns about "The Crucifixion of Venus." As for the plot, it's simply a humorous retelling of what might have been--with lots of voluptuous nudes and erotic symbolism tossed in for good measure. Yes, it's all quite predictable. You know five minutes into the film that the Converters will become the Converted. But it's a fun ride getting to that inevitable destination. `Sirens' is not for everyone. If full-frontal male and female nudity offends, you will be offended. If ridiculing the Church or its values offends, you will be offended. And if the notion that the cure for a boring marriage is a little extra-marital dalliance offends, you will truly be offended. Otherwise, it's a little erotic gem and a great way to start an even better evening. :)