Special Exhibit: SECRETS & LIES

Year: 1996

Duration: 142 minutes

Where to watch: Amazon Prime.

My former students will recognize this one, for I had the tradition of using Secrets & Lies signature scene as a study subject in one of my classes. For that reason, I have watched that sequence heaps of times, and I am still in awe at its prodigiousness.

I personally find much enjoyment in British director Mike Leigh’s particular brand of light drama, mostly those that are about ordinary people having ordinary problems, and in that category, you won’t find a much better film than this one.

Like Life is Sweet and High Hopes, the picture follows the lives of a family, in this case, the Purleys. This time, they’re divided in two households: a suburban one, where middle-class couple Monica (Phillys Logan from Downtown Abbey) and Maurice (played by frequent Leigh collaborator Timothy Spall) live, and a poor East London housing, home to Maurice’s uneducated sister Cynthia (Brenda Blethyn) and her daughter Roxanne (Claire Rushbrook).

Both sides are a bit stranded, mostly because of the prejudices they have towards each other’s social classes and perceived personality faults. Still, the married Purleys want to have a party for their niece Roxanne’s upcoming birthday. At the same time, a successful black woman named Hortense is looking for the birth mother who gave her in adoption, who turns out to be the white Cynthia.

There are two incredible scenes in the film. The most monumental of them is when Cynthia finally agrees to meet Hortense at a diner. The meeting, which was shot as a single take of almost 8 minutes, and improvised by both actresses, is a crowning achievement of screenwriting, acting and directing, and emotionally resonant is so many ways. You can feel Hortense’s discomfort, as well as Cynthia’s slow realization of what is going on and her subsequent breakdown.

I already mentioned the improvisational element, which is a big part of how Mike Leigh approaches his films, and here we have it at its best. For the filming of this scene, Blethyn wasn’t even told that the daughter would be black, so the character’s surprise at discovering her race is quite genuine, and you wonder how in the world anyone can invent so much backstory in just seconds while acting with raw emotion. And remember, this is all done without a single camera cut. It’s no wonder both actresses got so many accolades, and Blethyn is probably as deserving of that year’s Oscar as the eventual winner, Frances McDormand for Fargo.

The second great sequence comes in the third act, when all the main characters are reunited and, after tensions arise, the bubble breaks and they all start confessing their own secrets and lies. Another thing of beauty, both from an interpretative and a directorial standpoint.

I would hesitate to call this film a dark comedy, but during its run, and especially throughout these two confrontations, you will probably find yourself snickering in discomfort, wanting to hear more while desiring to go away and give these people privacy. It’s like being caught up in some strangers’ actual family argument. Only great cinema can make you feel like that.