The Secret Scripture (2016)

A woman keeps a diary of her extended stay at a mental hospital.

Director:

Jim Sheridan

Writers:

Sebastian Barry (based on the novel by), Jim Sheridan

Stars:

Rooney Mara, Eric Bana, Aidan Turner

2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Rooney Mara	...	Rose
Eric Bana	...	Dr. Grene
Aidan Turner	...	Jack Conroy
Theo James	...	Father Gaunt
Vanessa Redgrave	...	Lady Rose
Jack Reynor	...	Michael McNulty
Susan Lynch	...	Nurse
Adrian Dunbar	...	Dr. Hart
Pauline McLynn	...	Anne McCartney
Tom Vaughan-Lawlor	...	McCabe
Elva Trill	...	Pregnant Woman
Omar Sharif Jr.	...	Daniel O'Brien
Nika McGuigan	...	Chrissie
John Connors	...	Joe Brady
Laurence O'Fuarain	...	Detective

Storyline

Roseanne McNulty must vacate the soon-to-be demolished mental institution in Roscommon, Ireland that she's called home for over 50 years. The hospital's psychiatrist, Dr. William Grene, is called in to assess her condition. He finds himself intrigued by Roseanne's seemingly inscrutable rituals and tics, and her fierce attachment to her Bible, which she has over the decades transformed into a palimpsest of scripture, drawings, and cryptic diary entries. As Grene delves deeper into Roseanne's past, we see her as a young woman, whose charisma proves seductive. We learn that she moved to Sligo to work in her aunt's café, fell in love with a dashing fighter pilot, and that a local priest fell tragically in love with her.

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Plot Keywords:

1940s | three word title | female protagonist | female mental patient | irish | 

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Taglines:

At the end of your life, what will you remember?

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated PG-13 for disturbing thematic content, some sexuality and language

Did You Know?

Trivia

Based on Sebastian Barry's novel The Secret Scripture which is one of the McNulty Family series of books.

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Goofs

Eric Bana is driven around in a Volvo 245 Station wagon, but the only time he is shown inside the car it is obviously a sedan model with a sloped roof and rounded rear windows, quite different from the boxy 80s Volvo seen from the outside.

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Quotes

Lady Rose: Anything you see with love is the truth.

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Soundtracks

Waltz For Fran
Composed & Performed by Brian Byrne
© Secret Films Ltd.

User Reviews

A shocking tale of abuse

This film tells the story of a psychiatrist in Ireland, who is sent to a hospital by the Church to evaluate a woman who has been locked up in a psychiatric hospital for the past 40 years.

"The Secret Scripture" begins very slowly, and for a while I thought it wanted to be "The Notebook". It turned out not to be the case, as the plot unfolded to become a shocking story of power abuse. How the perpetrator was capable of doing such inhuman things was simply beyond me. How he lived with his conscience for 40 years was shocking as well. I managed to guess the ending before the obvious clues were given, but seeing such a satisfactory ending drove me to tears. It was really touching to see the ending, even though justice arrived in an untimely manner.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site [Japan]

Country:

Ireland

Language:

English

Release Date:

13 October 2017 (USA)

Also Known As:

Tss

Filming Locations:

County Wicklow, Ireland

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$694,981

Company Credits

Production Co:

Screen Ireland, Apollo Media, Ferndale Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

108 min

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.40 : 1 Anamorphic