Our Mother’s House (Clayton, 1967): Close-Up Cinema, 8pm
This screening is introduced by Ranjit S. Ruprai and followed by discussion with film critic Phuong Le.
Close-Up Cinema introduction: Jack Clayton’s strange, gothic film takes place in a shadowy, old house in south London. A home in which secrets must be kept by 7 children about their dead mother as they try to continue their lives whilst avoiding the orphanage. What happens to a parental home when it suddenly becomes parentless? The children, including a pre-Oliver! Mark Lester, form a mother cult with a sacred shrine and disturbing seances. Into this bizarre situation returns the absent father, played by Dirk Bogarde, a charming and devious character. This rarely screened British film is a marvellous curio.
Time Out review: In this matter of fact tale of the macabre, seven children, the eldest aged 13, stick together to carry on as normal after their mother's death. With the old girl safely buried in the garden, all looks to be going smoothly, until ne'er-do-well Bogarde turns up claiming he's their long-lost dad. Intriguing material (adapted from the novel by Julian Gloag)
No comments:
Post a Comment