Going through my list of "Watch Later" files on my YouTube account, I came across the subject of this post. 1970s British cinema is among the cream of the crop in the history of film and having people like Jacqueline Bisset and Robert Powell as the stars would be an advantage. Unfortunately, Philip Saville's "Secrets", which also includes Swedish film legend Per Oscarsson and Oscar nominated actress Shirley Knight, is part of the bargain basement collection of leftover soap opera bits and faux Ingmar Bergman scenarios.
The story takes place in less than 24 hours and involves a faltering marriage between two closed minded people Jennifer (Bisset) and Allan (Powell) and their daughter Judy (Tarka Kings). The opening scene shows Jennifer and Judy at the laundromat and like a scene out of "Rugrats", Jennifer leaves Judy behind for some fresh air. While she's being wooed by wealthy businessman Raoul (Oscarsson), because she reminds him of his late wife, Judy is led to the house of a fellow laundromat customer named Raymond (Thomas Ellice). On the other side of town, Alan is taking an exam for his job and strikes up a conversation with the female proctor named Beatrice (Knight). For the duration of the afternoon, the 3 members of this family are in the companies of complete strangers where betrayals and passions are prevalent.
"Secrets" has the formula for a fascinating story, but not much character development and plot progression is thought out. Director and writer Saville creates a trio of stories where none of the characters are fascinating, and you gradually care less and less about them while the film drudgingly goes on. Part of it is that the film is less than 90 minutes and leaves little to no room for the characters to gain any kind of sympathy with the audience. Most insulting is that of the plot involving the daughter, who is put in a situation of possible harm by a complete stranger while her mother is at another stranger's house. There is a moment where Judy straddles Raymond like two lovers making out that is done in the most trivialized and tasteless manner. The worst thing is that there is no consequence of this terrible act put forth on any of the parents or the girl herself. By the end of the film, every single character is held at the highest levels of contempt.
Bisset, Powell, Oscarsson and Knight are four acting legends all held in great regard in much better content, but in this schlock, they are maneuvering a script not worthy of their talents. Bisset, in particular, acts in the same passive monotone voice from start to finish, like her character commits adultery and neglects her child on a daily basis. Powell's booming voice is put to waste with boring voiceover monologues, that only demonstrate how childish his character really is. As the two respective home-wrecking lovers, Knight and Oscarsson bring little chemistry to the bedroom, with limp sex scenes that lack passion. Oscarsson does have a good scene where he recounts how his wife was diagnosed with a terminal illness after giving birth to their child and for only a few minutes, you'd think you were watching an adequate film.
The big secret about "Secrets" is that it's a terrible film that no one knows about, nor should ever see it and take seriously as a work of art. It's best viewed with Servo, Crow, Statler and Waldorf in the peanut gallery making wisecracks.
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