Keeping Mum (2005)

A pastor preoccupied with writing the perfect sermon fails to realize that his wife is having an affair, and his children are up to no good.

Director:

Niall Johnson

Writers:

Richard Russo (screenplay), Niall Johnson (screenplay)

Stars:

Rowan Atkinson, Kristin Scott Thomas, Maggie Smith

1 win & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Rowan Atkinson	...	Walter Goodfellow
Kristin Scott Thomas	...	Gloria Goodfellow
Maggie Smith	...	Grace Hawkins
Patrick Swayze	...	Lance
Tamsin Egerton	...	Holly Goodfellow
Toby Parkes	...	Petey Goodfellow
Liz Smith	...	Mrs. Parker
Emilia Fox	...	Rosie Jones
James Booth	...	Mr. Brown
Patrick Monckton	...	Bob - Pond Workman
Rowley Irlam	...	Ted - Pond Workman
Vivienne Moore	...	Mrs. Martin
Murray McArthur	...	Vicar's Convention Master of Ceremonies
Morgan Gower	...	Reverend Campbell
Rupert Simonian	...	Billy Martin the Bully

Storyline

Walter Goodfellow (Rowan Atkinson), the vicar for the small English country parish of Little Wallop, has allowed his marriage to Gloria (Dame Kristin Scott Thomas) go stale, and he is so detached from his family, that he has not taken notice that his seventeen-year-old daughter Holly (Tamsin Egerton) is going through a succession of relationships with unsuitable boyfriends, and his son Petey (Toby Parkes) fears going to school, owing to being bullied. Out of desperation for affection, Gloria begins to fall for the advances of Lance (Patrick Swayze), an American golf pro who is giving her "private" lessons. The problems upsetting the family start to fade away after Grace Hawkins (Dame Maggie Smith), the new housekeeper, arrives and starts tending to matters as an older, and rather darkly mysterious version of Mary Poppins (1964).

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Plot Keywords:

female nudity | letter writing | american | adulterous wife | trunk | 

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Taglines:

Schweigen ist Silber - Vergraben ist Gold (Silence is silver, but burying is golden)

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Genres:

Comedy | Crime

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language and some sexual content/nudity

Did You Know?

Trivia

This movie is dedicated to James Booth (Mr. Brown), who died four months before the first release. This was his final movie.

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Goofs

When everyone is taking the trunk upstairs, the shadow is visible above Grace's head moving around.

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Quotes

Reverend Walter Goodfellow: It's sort of as we feared. The pond. Algae.

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Connections

Referenced in The Graham Norton Show: Nicole Kidman/Hugh Bonneville/Julie Walters/Take That (2014)

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Soundtracks

Did You Ever Wonder Why?
(2005)
Produced and Written by Dickon Hinchliffe
Sung by Dickon Hinchliffe and Cara Dillon
Guitar: Neil Fraser
Engineered by Philip Bagenal at Eastcote Studios and Mat Bartram at Angel Studios
Mixed by Ian Caple
Published by Keeping Mum Productions Ltd

User Reviews

Go on, have a laugh

You could drive a horse and cart through the plot holes in this movie. It doesn't matter, just splash about in the humour. It has the predictability of a Stan and Ollie routine, Morecambe & Wise or any other such comedians who mix story telling with visual and verbal humour. Rowan Atkinson is of course the comedian cast in the straight part trying to regain a sense of humour. Maggie Smith is absolutely superb as the straight actress playing the clowning criminal. A bit of sound effect filched from Reeves and Mortimer's frying pan sketch would have heightened the humour even more. Never mind, this is harmless, charming, and engaging entertainment. Entertainment - now we don't get much of that to the pound usually.

Details

Country:

UK USA Isle Of Man

Language:

English

Release Date:

6 October 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

Keeping Mum

Filming Locations:

Pickering Railway Station, 12 Park Street, Pickering, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Budget:

$169,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$27,112, 17 September 2006

Gross USA:

$1,619,466

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$18,586,834

Company Credits

Production Co:

Summit Entertainment, Isle of Man Film, Azure Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

99 min (dvd) 97 min (TV)

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1