FILM SUMMARY: Secrets & Lies, 1996
Dir. Mike Leigh
ONE * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
1. Wide shot of cemetery. Hearse and cars appear in the
background. Tracking shot behind stones
of group at the cemetery. The mourners
are almost all black people. All sing
“How Great Thou Art.” Scene ends with
focus on one young woman, Hortense, who is crying. Two young men put a flower arrangement that spells “Mum” on the
grave.
2. Interior of Maurice’s photography
studio. In his studio Maurice is
photographing the bride. Her wealthy
father stands in the background. The
bride seems nervous, uncomfortable, a bit stiff. Maurice handles her gently and keeps up a running commentary to
encourage her and relax her. He gets
her to smile broadly. “That’s the easy
bit,” he concludes.
Quick shot of his wife, Monica,
stenciling frantically a design on a piece of furniture.
3. Maurice and his wife relaxing at home. He touches her vest lightly, as if to show
affection, but Monica seems distracted, awkward with his touch. They share a glass of wine. They talk about his sister, Roxanne, and
Monica says, “She’s back on the streets now.”
They haven’t seen her in almost three years. She will turn 21 in August.
Then they talk about his sister, Cynthia. Monica doesn’t seem to care much for Cynthia. “She can’t help it,” Maurice says. “Can’t she?” Maurice gets up and says, “I’m really proud of that
portrait. That’s the last time she had
that smile.” Roxanne’s picture, taken
when she was about eight, is on the mantle.
4. Cut to Roxanne on the streets--a street
cleaner in the city. Her mouth is
screwed up into a nasty pucker under her nose as she works.
Cut to Cynthia, her mother, at work
in a box factory--menial labor.
Cynthia and Roxanne sitting at
home. Their conversation is strained,
verging on the argumentative. Cynthia
notes that she hasn’t seen Maurice in a long time. Finally the conversation turns into a shouting match about
Cynthia’s giving birth to Roxanne out of wedlock.
5. Hortense, a young professional black woman,
is giving a child an eye examination.
She is an optometrist. Hortense
leaves work.
Hortense upstairs at a relative’s
home. She is looking through a shoebox
of papers--her mother’s papers. It
contains old letters, keepsakes.
Downstairs some of her family members are arguing. Hortense seems uncomfortable, restless. Later, we see her at her apartment. She mails a form.
6. Exterior of Maurice Purley photography
studio. Inside, Maurice hard at
work--on a family (three generation picture), a boxer, a nurse, a mother and
child, a dog, a cat and owner, a young
man from India, and other assorted characters-all one right after the
other.
7. Maurice comes home, a bit tipsy. His wife Monica is busy vacuuming, and she
has no interest in being touched. She
is cross with him, no matter what he says.
She throws a tirade about dinner--and concludes, “Don’t make a
mess!” Camera in on Maurice. Then Monica bops in again and says, “Unless
you fancy a takeaway (take-out).”
Suddenly she begins to cry. She
slams the door.
More subjects at Maurice’s
photography studio. One after the
other-with Maurice’s encouraging voice always in the background.
8. Monica sits on the toilet--and holds a
tampon in her hand. She is in pain,
suffering from menstrual cramps.
Maurice comes home and prepares a hot water bottle for her. She lies in a beautiful bed covered with
lovely sheets and other decorations.
“You’ve drawn the short straw,” Maurice says sympathetically. Monica writhes in pain.
Another scene from the photography
studio--a married couple who are not happy.
TWO * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * *
9. Hortense returns to her apartment and reads
her mail. Then we see her on the
phone.
There is Hortense waiting to see
someone at a Social Service agency.
Jenny, the social worker, invites her in to her office. Jenny begins to grill Hortense. “Why now,” she finally asks. “I feel it’s the right time, that’s
all.” Jenny asks if her parents know
about this. “They’re both dead. Mum died two months ago.” Suddenly the parallel cuts go from medium
shots to close-ups. Hortense says, “I’m
not trying to replace her. She’s
irreplaceable. They both are.” The social worker is affirming, but
questioning. Hortense tells Jenny that
her adoptive parents told her about her being adopted when she was a
child. “Perhaps you should have
discussed it.” “My parents loved me,
and that was all that mattered.” Jenny
reminds her that her birth mother may not want to see her. She notes that the law has changed, and that
now adopted children have the right to seek out their birth parents. She hands Hortense a file. “It’s all about you.” She leaves to give Hortense time to look at
it. Close-up of Hortense. The camera stays on the close-up, parallel
cut with her point of view of the sheets from the file. She begins to cry. In a few moments Jenny returns and sits next to her. “Cynthia Rose Purley,” Hortense says. Hortense’s birth name? “Elizabeth Rose Purley.” Hortense seems stunned, in shock. Jenny gives her the papers. “You go away and think, and when the time is
right, come back to me and we’ll get the ball rolling.”
Cut to Hortense sitting in her car
and reading more of the file. Quick cut
to the exterior of the agency where Hortense confronts Jenny--she tells her the
birth mother was white. There must be
some mistake. Jenny tells her that is
unlikely.
10. Cynthia and Roxanne at home. Someone is at the door. Roxanne answers the door and sees Paul, a
boyfriend. She leaves with him. Cynthia sees them at the door as they walk
away. “Are you all right,
sweetheart?” “Will you get inside!”
Roxanne yells at her.
Roxanne and Paul at his place. He is apologetic about some prior
interaction. She is hard on him at
first, but soon they kiss. She breaks
away and says, “I’m not staying the night.”
He throws up his hands. “Now
give us a snug,” she says. They kiss
again.
11. Cynthia stands in her slip in front of her
mirror at home. Suddenly she begins to
caress her breasts and seems to be on the verge of tears.
Cut to Hortense sitting on her
bed. She is looking through the
file. She is crying. Cut to Hortense at the census office. She goes through the birth records and finds
information about her birth.
12. Hortense and a girlfriend sitting at her
apartment and talking about Hortense’s mother.
“I’ve got stuff to sort out,”
Hortense says. “What?” “Life.”
Then her girlfriend confesses that she had sex with a complete
stranger. “Did you use two condoms?” “Yes.
One after the other!” Later,
they talk more about their feelings.
Her girlfriend says her mother resents her. Hortense says, “She didn’t give you away.” Then Hortense concludes, “We choose our
parents. We choose the parents in this
life who can teach us something, so that when we go into the next life we get
it right.”
THREE * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
13. Hortense leaves work. She is shown then leaving the agency with
another slip of paper. This one has the
address of her birth mother on it. In
her car Hortense gets out a city address guide and then heads out to find
Cynthia Purley. She drives by the
address and then leaves.
14. Maurice shows up at Cynthia’s
apartment. “Bloody hell! What are you doing here?” She hands him a roll of toilet paper and he
goes outside to the toilet. She follows
and stands outside and continues the conversation. He tells her that Monica has been stenciling items in their new
house.
Back inside, they talk about the old
days--their adolescence. Then he
invites her to the new house for Roxanne’s birthday in August. “I was 21 when I was carrying her,” Cynthia
recalls. Both seem to be deep in
thought, alone in their thoughts despite their sharing. “17 weren’t you?” Cynthia says.
Cut to Hortense about to call
Cynthia. But she puts the phone down.
Back to Maurice and Cynthia. Maurice goes upstairs to check a leak in the
roof. “Nice to have a man about the
place,” Cynthia says. Maurice examines
the wall paper. He urges her to get the
landlord to check it. Cynthia says he
won’t. He tells her he’ll get a man to
come out. “Look at all this junk!” he
says, as the camera stays on Cynthia.
She is on the verge of tears.
“Give us a cuddle, Maurice,” she says, as it cuts to a wide shot of both
of them. She moans and runs to him and
embraces him. She keeps moaning and
crying out at the unfairness of life.
The camera stays on the two of them.
“My little brother!” She kisses
him on the cheek. Then they
separate. So much is left unsaid. “You aren’t going to make me an auntie now,
are you sweetheart?” Cut to close shot
of Maurice. Then back to Cynthia, then
back to ECU of Maurice. He looks
stunned, frightened. He leaves the
room. In the hall he stops to give her
some money. “Thanks, darling.” The leave-taking is awkward, painful.
FOUR * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
15. Maurice and Monica in their house. He talks about his mother’s death--and his
father not talking about his feelings.
“I hated him for it. He must have
been in real pain. Maybe he just
couldn’t share it. I didn’t know what I
felt. I still don’t.” Suddenly Monica refers to their secret--but
doesn’t state it specifically. “I hope
Cynthia doesn’t know,” she says. “She
doesn’t,” Maurice says. Monica refers
to a secret Cynthia has--before Roxanne was born. “She’s got a half-brother or half-sister knocking about
somewhere. She’s got a right to know!”
Monica says. Maurice wonders if Roxanne
misses her father. “Can’t miss what you
never had!” Monica says. “Can’t
you?” Maurice ponders. He recalls that he wanted to kill the man
who was Roxanne’s father. “Poor
Cynthia,” he says. “Saint Cynthia,”
Monica cracks. “She tried her
best. She gave me a lot of love.” Maurice goes to the backyard. Reaction shot of Monica. She is crying.
16. Interior of Cynthia’s flat. Roxanne is leaving. Again, mother and daughter are
argumentative.
Cut to Maurice sitting at the back
of a church waiting to take the photograph of the bride and groom as they walk
down the aisle.
Cut to Monica sitting on the stairs
at home. Then back to the church--Maurice completes his task.
17. Roxanne and Cynthia are sitting in the
backyard at Cynthia’s house. Cynthia
asks Roxanne if she is taking birth control pills. “Why don’t you bring him round?”
Cynthia won’t let up. Roxanne
runs back in the house. “Leave me
alone!” Roxanne cries. Finally Cynthia
says what’s on her mind--she doesn’t want Roxanne getting pregnant and then
expecting Cynthia to help raise the baby.
Now Roxanne is really angry. She
flies out of the flat after pushing her mother down on the sofa bed.
Cut to Roxanne walking down the
street near Paul’s place. Then inside
the two are on the bed and pulling off each other’s clothes.
18. Hortense sitting at home with the phone in
her hand. She dials Cynthia’s
number. Apparently this is the second
time she has tried to call her birth mother.
Cynthia answers the phone. She
is barely coherent and emotionally distraught.
Hortense says she is “trying to locate a Cynthia Purley.” “Yes, what is it you want, darling?” “It’s about Elizabeth Purley.” “Oh, she’s dead.” “No, she isn’t.” “She is,
darling, I should know. She’s my
mother, she went in 1961.” “No, I mean baby Elizabeth Purley.” Close-up of Cynthia. “She was born in 1968.” Back to Hortense, shuffling papers. Cut to close-up of Cynthia, her face
shaking. She runs into the kitchen and
throws up.
Back to
Hortense. She dials Cynthia again. Cynthia slowly approaches the phone. Camera stays on her. Cut to her point of
view of the phone down the hall.
Finally she picks it up. “Listen,
darling. What is it you want? You mustn’t come round here,
sweetheart. You mustn’t do that. You can’t come round. No one knows about you, see? Promise me you won’t come round. I’m a little bit upset. Promise me.” Hortense asks if she can meet Cynthia. “I shouldn’t think so, darling.”
Finally Cynthia agrees to meet her.
“What’s your name, anyway?”
Hortense is persistent. She
wants to leave her number. Cynthia says
she doesn’t have a pen. Hortense says
she’ll wait. Cut to close-up of
Cynthia. Her face is shaking with
fright. She raises her hand--she is
holding a pen. “I’ve got one.” Hortense
gives her the number and Cynthia hangs up.
Cut to Cynthia
sitting on her stairs and smoking a cigarette.
Cut to Hortense in her apartment.
It’s Cynthia. “Do you want to
meet me or not then?” They agree to
meet outside Holborn Tube (subway) station.
FIVE * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
19. Cynthia returns to her apartment after
grocery shopping. She has bought some
steak as a treat for Roxanne. She even
brought some beer. “I’m going to have a
few early nights. I’ve decided,” she
says, as if to herself.
20. Outside Holborn Tube Station. Hortense is waiting for Cynthia. Cynthia is already there. Finally Hortense goes over to her and asks
if she is Cynthia. “How’d you
know?” Cynthia looks at her as if she
were a crazy person. “Oh, no, no
sweetheart. No, darling. You’ve been ringing the wrong person.” Hortense shows her her birth
certificate. “They’ve made a
mistake.” Cynthia looks at it
carefully. “I’m ever so sorry,
sweetheart. I must be a disappointment
for you.” Hortense asks her to go to
the coffee shop. They are filmed from
across the street in documentary fashion.
21. “I hope you find your mum,
sweetheart.” The two sit in a booth at
an otherwise empty coffee shop. Cut to
a closer view.
“I can’t be
your mother. Look at me. I’ve never been with a black man in my
life. I would have remembered, wouldn’t
I?” She looks away. Then she begins to concentrate her gaze. “Oh, bloody hell!” She looks back at Hortense.
“Oh, Jesus Christ Almighty!” She
turns away again and sobs to herself.
Hortense watches her warily.
“I’m so ashamed!” Then Cynthia
explains that she didn’t see baby she bore was black. “All this time I thought you was born six weeks premature. But you wasn’t.” “Who was he?” “You don’t
want to know that, darling. But I can’t
tell you that. Camera stays on
them. “I’ve been a disappointment to
you. You’ve been better without
me. I done you a good turn.” Suddenly they begin to exchange information
about each other. Married? Boyfriends?
Suddenly Cynthia makes a joke.
“They’ve gotten me into enough trouble, haven’t they?” She laughs and then just as suddenly begins
to sob and looks away. They exchange
employment information. “How about your
daughter?” “I’ll bet your mum was proud
of you!” Cynthia says. “I’d have been
proud!” Hortense asks, “Why don’t you
want to see me?” Cynthia tells her no
one knows about her. “I mean when I was
born.” “I was too upset. They wanted me to see you, to hold you. But I didn’t know whether I was coming our
going. I didn’t need a little girl when
I was only 16.”
22. Hortense drives Cynthia home. The condition seems to me that they will
never meet again. “I’ll be thinking
about you,” Cynthia says. Hortense
drops her at the corner and Cynthia walks away.
Later, Roxanne and Cynthia in the
flat. They have a brief
conversation--Roxanne seems to notice that Cynthia has changed somehow. But nothing of substance is talked about.
SIX * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
23. Cynthia calls Hortense. “I wanted to say how nice it was to meet you
yesterday. I’ve been thinking about you
all day.” Cynthia can’t say what she
means to say. She prepares to hang up. Hortense slips in, “I’d really like to see
you again.” “Would yeah?” They agree to meet for dinner.
24. Monica shopping. Cut to a close-up of a beautiful woman. He asks her to turn her face.
There are scars throughout her cheek and forehead. Maurice brings the camera closer. He gets the shots he needs to get. “It’s got to be done, of course.” “I lost my job. I was good at my job. I’m
a beauty consultant.” “So what happened
to you.” “My seat belt was broken. It wasn’t my fault.” She looks right into the camera and
declares, “It wasn’t!” and Maurice
snaps a shot at that precise moment, when her eyes are flared and her mouth is
set with rage. “Are you all
right?” he asks. “Life isn’t fair. Someone always draws the short straw.”
25. The young woman leaves. Maurice and his assistant, Jane, talk about
her case. Then Maurice notices an old
man outside who calls after the woman--as if to harass her. “He’s been looking me all morning. He gives me the creeps!” Jane says. Suddenly Maurice recognizes the old man. Suddenly Monica stops by after
shopping. Maurice tells her the old
bloke is Stuart Christian, the former owner of the shop. He comes in. They exchange pleasantries.
Stuart is obviously an alcoholic.
“You still in the game,” he says.
Stuart soon becomes his old self--obnoxious. “If you’re 21 or a millionaire, it’s great. But for guys like you and me, forget it.” Jane brings him some tea. He pours some brandy in it from his
omnipresent bottle. He tells them his
mother died when he was overseas. “I
don’t miss her much. It’s me Dad I
miss. You win some, you lose
some.” He can barely drink his
tea-brandy he is so shaky. Reaction
shots go all round when he drinks. He
puts the cup down and goes into the studio.
Suddenly Stuart turns nasty.
“You’ve done very well off my business.” He continues, “I gave you my
clientele, I gave you my fucking
reputation. But Maurice stands up for himself.
“In all due respect, your client list was shit. If there is any success in this shop, it’s
down to me.” Stuart remains
argumentative. He begins to yell at
him. “I can still do it!” Stuart
maintains. Clearly he expects Maurice
to hire him as an assistant. Finally he
leaves. “There but for the grace of
God. . . “ Maurice says when he leaves.
26. Interior of Maurice’s flat. Roxanne sits down for dinner. Then she sets out on her own.
Later, Roxanne and Paul are walking
down the street together. They talk
about Cynthia’s new ways.
27. Cynthia and Hortense at dinner
together. Their conversation is warm,
even affectionate. “You look like a
model,” Cynthia says. Hortense has told
her that her mother was a midwife. “I would have liked to have been one of
them. I love babies,” Cynthia
says. Then she realizes her faux
pas. Uncomfortable reaction shots of
both. “There are so many things I want
to ask you,” Hortense says. Then
Cynthia reads Hortense’s palm. She sees
a long life for Hortense, two children, and Hortense’s “big heart.” “When’s your birthday? Oh, 23rd of July. You’d think I know that.
That was just the other day.”
Hortense tells her what she did on her birthday. “You’re out now, ain’t yeah. With your mum!” Reaction shot of Hortense.
28. Roxanne and Cynthia at the dinner
table. Now it’s Roxanne’s turn to warn
Cynthia not to get “knocked up--at your age.”
“Don’t be bloody cheeky,” Cynthia warns her.
Cut to Cynthia leaving a hairdressing
salon. She walks past a street
cleaner--Roxanne--and kids her, “Missed a bit, darling.” Roxanne looks after her--as if wondering
what her mother is up to.
Cut to Cynthia and Hortense leaving
the cinema. Cynthia’s hair is lovely,
she wears a dress, and she takes Hortense’s arm.
29. Later, the two are in a cafe and chatting
about film stars. “You only have black
boyfriends?” Cynthia asks. Hortense shakes her head no. They talk about protected sex. Cynthia talks about Roxanne’s upcoming 21st birthday. “You look more like me than she does. The same build.” Cynthia mentions Maurice’s party for Roxanne. “Shame you ain’t coming. Meet your new family.” Then Cynthia gives Hortense a birthday
present--some perfume. Cynthia returns
to the idea of inviting Hortense to the party.
“But it’s a family thing,” Hortense says. “But you’re family. I’m
proud of you!” Cynthia answers.
SEVEN * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
30. Cut to
Cynthia at the box factory. She calls
Maurice and asks if she can bring a mate, “someone at work.”
Cut to Cynthia calling Hortense and
telling her that she can come to the party.
“I told him you were me mate.”
Hortense says, “It won’t feel right.”
She is nervous. Finally she
agrees. “You’re coming? All right, sweetheart, I’ll give you a ring
later in the week.” Reaction shot of
Hortense.
Maurice attending to Monica, who is
lying in bed. They discuss the
party--and Cynthia’s request to bring a mate.
Monica takes some pills.
31. Preparations for the party. Shots of Monica preparing the perfect table,
Hortense standing at her window, and then a cab puling up to Maurice’s
house. Cynthia, Roxanne, and Paul get
out. Cynthia carries flowers, Roxanne a
bottle of wine, and Paul a six-pack of beer.
Monica answers the door warmly.
“Hello, sweetheart.”
Introductions all round. Maurice
returns from work and brings Jane, his assistant. “You’ve landed on your feet here, eh Maurice?” Cynthia says. The tension between Monica and Cynthia is
evident. Maurice and Monica wonder
where Cynthia’s friend is.
Close-up of
Roxanne’s picture on the mantle.
Maurice holds forth with Roxanne and Paul, who are seated next to each
other.
Monica gives a
tour of the house--with focus on the bathrooms. Finally, the master bathroom.
“More like a bridal sweet,” Cynthia says. “It’s something like out of a fairy tale!” Jane says. “Another lavoratory!” Cynthia exclaims. “You’ve got everything, Monica,” Jane says.
Maurice downstairs. Maurice brings up Cynthia’s friend. “First I’ve heard of it,” Roxanne says.
32. Monica at the door. She begins to turn away the salesperson,
when we hear Hortense’s voice-- “I’m a friend of Cynthia’s.” Monica invites her in. “Hello, sweetheart!” Cynthia cries. She introduces everyone to Hortense. All go
out onto the patio in the back. All are
together in the high angle shot.
Everyone but Maurice and Monica are
seated at the table on the patio. In
the background Maurice stands over the grill.
Monica flits about serving.
Cynthia gets up and prepares some salad on Hortense’s plate. She can’t seem to sit still either. Maurice brings on the chicken drumsticks,
and burgers and bangers (sausages).
“Why don’t you sit down?” Monica asks Cynthia. “What about Maurice?
Who’s looking after the worker?” Cynthia says. Finally Cynthia sits down.
“You all right, darling?” she asks Hortense. Maurice drops a steak onto Cynthia’s plate. “That’ll shut you up,” Roxanne cracks. Monica brings over her plate. “You havin’ a steak, Cynthia? That’ll put hairs on your chest.” Then she offers some dressing for the
steak. Cynthia ignores her. “This looks
lovely Maurice.”
Conversation begins in earnest. The first topic is where people live. When Maurice bugs Roxanne about going to
college, Cynthia pipes up, “Hortense went to college!” For a few minutes Cynthia squirms in her
seat as the conversation follows this lead--what is Hortense working in a box
factory for if she has a college degree in optometry? Cynthia tells a few white lies.
EIGHT * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
33. Maurice and Monica carry in Roxanne’s
birthday cake. Note a clap of thunder
in the background. It has started to
rain. Everyone seems nervous, a bit on
edge. Monica takes a picture of Roxanne
blowing out her candles. “This is
livin’, ain’t it?” Cynthia says.
Hortense stands next to her.
Maurice proposes a toast. “To
Roxanne on her 21st birthday. Now it’s
all legal and twice as boring.”
Everyone drinks the toast.
Sounds of thunder. Everyone is
silent for a moment. Maurice hands
Roxanne a card. Inside are several
fifty pound notes. Roxanne is
shocked. “Don’t spend it all in one
shop,” Monica says. She hugs
Roxanne. Cynthia and Hortense stand
slightly in the background. Cynthia’s
face is screwed up in pain.
34. Everyone sits down at the table. Hortense goes to the bathroom. Camera focuses on Cynthia--her head down as
if deep in thought. Cut to Hortense in
the bathroom. She stands behind the
door and clasps her arms over her chest.
The
conversation at the table turns to Hortense--she’s a nice girl, everyone
concludes. Camera back to Cynthia. “She takes after her mother.” “She work at the factory?” Maurice
asks. “You’re lookin’ at her,” Cynthia
says, looking at Maurice. Reaction shot
of Roxanne. Back to Cynthia. “She’s my daughter!” Reaction shots all around--last to
Roxanne. “What’s the matter with
ya?”
Summary of
cuts:
Cynthia. She looks right at Maurice.
“Maurice, it’s me daughter.”
Reaction shot of Maurice.
Roxanne. “Don’t be stupid! She’s
had too much to drink.”
Reactions shots of Paul and
Jane.
Then to Monica. “She can’t be the one that--” she says to
Maurice.
Maurice. He looks stunned.
Reaction shot of Roxanne. “What?”
Reaction shot of Monica.
New angle on Cynthia, shows Roxanne
sitting to her right (in the background).
Roxanne is in
focus--Cynthia is out of focus in the foreground. “Hortense,
sweetheart, she’s your
sister!” Cynthia cries. Roxanne is shocked.
“That’s her half-sister,
Paul!”
Reaction shots of Paul, Monica,
Maurice.
Wide shot of the group at the
table--Hortense enters the frame and sits down.
Reaction shot of Hortense. She looks around.
Reaction shots of the
principals--all from Hortense’s point of view.
We hear Cynthia say, “I
told them.”
Reaction shot of Hortense.
We hear Cynthia say, “Tell ‘em who you are
sweetheart.” “It wasn’t supposed to happen like
this,” Hortense says.
Cut to Cynthia in extreme
close-up. “Well, it has, ain’t it, so
you tell ‘em, go on!”
Reaction to Hortense with Maurice
behind her. “Is it true,” Maurice
asks. “Yes.”
Back to Cynthia with Roxanne behind
her. We hear Maurice say, “You never
told her, then.” Note that Roxanne is
in focus, her mother out of focus.
“I’m
sorry, darling,” Cynthia says.
Roxanne explodes, “Will someone tell
me what the fuck is going on here!”
Cynthia cries, “She’s your sister!”
Reaction shot of Roxanne. She looks to Maurice.
Reaction shot of Maurice. No answer.
Roxanne looks to Monica.
Reaction shot of Monica. “I always said she had a right to
know.”
Reaction shot of Roxanne. Cut to wide shot of the table.
Roxanne runs from the table, and her
mother chases her.
Angle on the hallway past the
table. Roxanne pushes Cynthia away
in the hallway and
screams at her.
Reverse angle to Hortense, who is
standing in front of the table.
Reverse angle to show Cynthia coming
back to the table. She asks everyone to
sit
down--as if nothing has happened. She
even begins to eat her cake.
Low angle of Hortense, who looks
down at Cynthia. Hortense suggests that
she
leave.
Close shot of Cynthia. She will have none of it. She tells Jane to eat her cake.
Reaction shot of Jane.
Cut to Maurice. You don’t have choose your moments,
Cynthia.”
Cynthia. “When’s the right moment, Maurice? You tell me that.”
Back to Maurice. Roxanne comes out of the bathroom and rages
at Maurice.
“You used
to tell me everything!” Then she lashes
out at Hortense-- “As
for you, thanks for the
present! You’ve ruined my party and I hope you’re
happy!” She storms out with Paul. Maurice follows them.
35. Cynthia still crying at the table. She speaks to Hortense. “She don’t mean it darling. She’s just a little bit upset.” Reaction shot of Cynthia.
Maurice goes after Roxanne and finds
her and Paul at a bus stop. Roxanne
rages, but Maurice tells her, “She loves you.
We all love you.” He tells her
she has to come back. “You’ve got to
face up to it.”
Back in the house. Monica is cleaning up. She makes a quick reference to how Roxanne
forgot her card and that they probably will never see her again. Suddenly Cynthia attacks her. “You’d like,
wouldn’t you, sweetheart. You’ve been
working at it for 18 years. Monica, you
turned my father against me, you turned me Maurice against me, and you’ve
turned my daughter against me.” Monica
tries to ignore her. “You wouldn’t have
none of this if I hadn’t given Maurice the money to start with!” Monica disputes this account. “That money was for me and Roxanne!” Cynthia
maintains. The argument continues. “You’ve done nothing but spend his money
since the day you clapped eyes on him!” Cynthia says. “At least we made something of ourselves!” “Oh, you ought to try to bring up a kid on
your own!” All this time poor Hortense
stands there with her hands folded across her chest.
NINE * * * * *
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
36. Long shot of Maurice at the bus stop with
the young couple. “She can’t help it,”
he says. “She’s never had enough
love.” He continues, “She needs
you.” Paul supports Maurice. They head back.
37. Shot summary:
Close shot of Roxanne. Cynthia apologizes. Paul and Maurice stand behind
them as if they are
guards. Cynthia tells her that now that
Hortense is
here, she is “glad she
came. She didn’t want to hurt you any
more than I
did.”
Close-ups pass between Roxanne and
Hortense.
Then Cynthia turns her attention on
Monica again. “She said you’d never
come
back. Well you were wrong, Monica. She has come back!” Cynthia
admits that she should
have told Roxanne about the other child.
Then
Cynthia attacks Monica
for not “acting” like a good wife to her brother--
Long shot of Maurice standing apart
from everyone. “Why ain’t you given him
no
kids?”
Monica. “That’s between Maurice and me.”
Maurice. “The things you know nothing about!” Maurice says.
But nothing can put a stop to
this--reaction shots go around the room--and then
back to Maurice, in
medium close-up.
To Monica he says, “Tell her.”
Monica can’t speak. She is in tears.
Cynthia. “Tell me what?”
Back to Maurice. “Why can’t you tell her?”
Reaction shot of Monica.
Back to Maurice. “She can’t have kids. Simple as that. She is physically
incapable of having
children. We’ve had all the tests.”
Cut to Monica doubled over in
pain. “And she can’t have bloody
kids.”
Then to Maurice, who bends over his
wife. “And I love you to bits! But it’s
almost destroyed our
relationship.” As he stands up and
moves away
from her, the camera
follows. “There, I’ve said it. So where’s the bolt of
lightning?”
Reaction shot of Monica.
Back to a wide shot of Maurice. “Secrets and lies! We’re all in pain! Why
can’t
we share our pain! I’ve spent my entirely life trying to make
people
happy, and the three
people I love the most in the world hate each other’s
guts--”
Close shot of Maurice: “and I’m in
the middle! I can’t take it
anymore!
Reaction shots of Cynthia, Roxanne,
and Monica.
Maurice. “I’m sorry, Hortense.” He
walks past Monica. “You are a very
brave
person”--
Wide shot of Hortense at the
table. Maurice bends over her. “You were prepared
to find out the truth and suffer the
consequences, and I admire you for
that. And I mean it!” He sits down.
Reaction shots of Roxanne, Cynthia,
and then Monica.
Cynthia gets up and goes over to
Monica. She embraces her.
Reaction shot of Hortense and Maurice
at the table.
Cynthia and Monica. “You’re so lucky!” Monica says.
Roxanne and Paul. He puts his arm around her.
Back to the table, where Maurice
asks Hortense about the factory. She
says she
doesn’t work there. “I’m an optometrist.” Maurice says, “Welcome to the
family.”
Reaction shot of Roxanne.
Back to the table. Jane says, “I wish I had a Dad like
you!” Maurice reaches
out his hand to her.
Reaction shot of Roxanne.
Cynthia looks
over to Roxanne and tells her the name of her father. She says he was from America.
He was a medical student. “He
was a nice man.” Roxanne looks
stunned. Cut to Hortense. “Was my father a nice man?” Cynthia says, “Don’t break my heart,
darling.” She cries. Now Monica begins to comfort her. Back to Hortense. Maurice tries to reach out to comfort her, but she pulls
back. “I’m all right.” Then she gets up and goes to the two women
and embraces t hem. Cynthia looks to
Roxanne and cries, “Please, Roxanne, sweetheart, please!” Reaction shot of Roxanne.
38. Maurice and Monica in bed. He tells her that he is worried she doesn’t
love him anymore, “like you used to.”
She turns around. “You don’t
know how much I love you!” She kisses
him.
39. Roxanne and Hortense in the backyard of
Cynthia’s flat. They examine the junk
in a shed. The two stand next to each
other. Hortense laughs. “Do you feel like we’re sisters?” “Do you?”
Then Roxanne adds, “I don’t mind it yet. You want to go out one night?”
They smile. “How would you
introduce me, as your half-sister?”
“That’s what I’d say, though.”
“Best to tell the truth, eh?”
Here comes
Cynthia with some drinks. The three sit
in the tiny backyard of the flat.
“Who’d have thought it, eh? Look
at you two sitting there like a couple of garden gnomes.” Cynthia leans back. “This is the life, ain’t it?” “Yeah,”
Hortense says.
Summary written by Robert E. Yahnke
Copyright, Robert E. Yahnke, © 2001
Professor, General College, Univ. of Minnesota
Reprinted by permission of the author
for educational use only