Separate Lies (2005)

A couple's marriage is complicated by the introduction of a third party.

Director:

Julian Fellowes

Writers:

Nigel Balchin (based on the novel by "A Way Through the Wood"), Julian Fellowes

Stars:

Tom Wilkinson, Emily Watson, Hermione Norris

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Tom Wilkinson	...	James Manning
Emily Watson	...	Anne Manning
Hermione Norris	...	Priscilla
John Warnaby	...	Simon
Rupert Everett	...	Bill Bule
Richenda Carey	...	Sarah Tufnell
Linda Bassett	...	Maggie
Christine Lohr	...	Nurse
Alice O'Connell	...	Maggie's Daughter
John Neville	...	Lord Rawston
Peregrine Kitchener-Fellowes	...	Bill's Son Charles
Henry Drake	...	Bill's Son Freddy
David Harewood	...	Inspector Marshall
Sabine Tourtellier	...	Receptionist
Philip Rham	...	French Lawyer

Storyline

A cyclist is killed, swiped by a Range Rover in a village lane. James and Anne Manning become involved because the victim is the husband of their cleaner, Maggie. James, a solicitor in the city, soon comes to suspect William Bule, a millionaire playboy who has moved back to the village. William, pressed by James, confesses to the hit and run. But the confession is clouded by Anne's admission of her affair with William.

---

Plot Keywords:

confession | lawyer | solicitor | vomiting | death of husband | 

---

Genres:

Drama | Romance | Thriller

---

Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language including some sexual references

Details

Official Sites:

20th Century Fox [France] Fox Searchlight [United States]

Country:

UK

Language:

English French

Release Date:

18 November 2005 (UK)

Also Known As:

Laberinto de mentiras

Filming Locations:

Marylebone Station, Marylebone, London, England, UK

Box Office

Opening Weekend USA:

$22,341, 18 September 2005, Limited Release

Gross USA:

$923,347, 18 December 2005

Company Credits

Production Co:

Celador Films,DNA Films,UK Film Council

Technical Specs

Runtime:

85 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Nigel Balchin's novel was first published in 1951, but was updated to the 21st century for this movie adaptation.

---

Goofs

When Anne and James met out in the rain for a last goodbye it was very obvious that the rain was manufactured. The rain came down mainly where they were standing and the WAY it came down was not realistic at all.

---

Quotes

James Manning: [to Anne] Why'd you tell people? They wouldn't have found out.
Priscilla: That's a Londoner talking.

---

Connections

References 5 Fingers (1952)

User Reviews

Austin Movie Show review (very British drama, very powerful)

An old man is riding his bike down a village road when a car comes out of nowhere, strikes him down dead, and keeps driving. The rest of the film is spent discovering who hit him, why he was hit, and what consequences this murder will have on the rest of the village. Separate Lies is a very British movie indeed. I'm not saying that hit-and-run car accidents are a particularly British phenomenon, but the way everyone reacts to this tragedy is very British. Tom Wilkinson plays James Manning, a hard-working, respectable citizen with a "stiff-upper-lip" attitude towards tragedy. His wife Anne (Emily Watson), who is twenty years younger than her husband, is more emotional, more impulsive, and more prone to drama.

The man who really spices up life in this sleepy village is playboy millionaire William Bule, played by a deliciously devilish Rupert Everett (most American audiences will eternally remember him as Julia Roberts' gay friend who completely stole every scene in My Best Friend's Wedding). In Separate Lies, Everett is cruel, cold, and selfish, but he's an absolute blast on screen. No, it's not that exciting of a movie title (Separate Lies – how did they end up with that lame and forgettable title? Did they just not have a marketing team? Did they just now care about getting people to see this film?), but beyond the title is a heartbreaking drama about the power of forgiveness.