Intimate Relations

Brilliantly accomplished descent into a domestic suburban normality whose 50's banality masks the dysfunctional morbidity of a household which is an almost Ortonesque symposium of 'inappropriate behaviour'. Except that the black humour turns to a sense of hysteria. Even the last attempt by the sexually triangulated characters to escape the emotional miasma of their huis-clos by pic-nicing in the countryside is tragically doomed.

Ultimately, they destroy each other in a distinctly incestuous and furious resolution by people hopelessly isolated from decent society, beyond the pale of ordinary acceptance, forgiveness, or indeed of any possible closure but that of death.

Horrific and disgusting - most definitely.

But infinitely pitiable, as well, and a tragedy of truly Greek proportions, reminding us that the respectable shibboleths of civilised morality, such as 'Mum' constantly employs in her sententious middle-class way to 'shore against the ruins' of a collapsing private world, are not necessarily sufficient to guard us against our own flawed nature. The drama in this film has a Sophoclean power, and leaves us humbled and cleansed by the spectacle of puny individuals destroyed by forces greater than themselves.

We shudder at the spectacle, and are perhaps purified thereby of the temptation to indulge too readily our own baser natures. In Greek terms, we learn a new respect for the gods that rule over our mortal nature.

The dramatisation of such awe and pity restores us to our right mind. This is a very unusual object for a contemporary film: So often it is the 'authenticity' of transgression which is lauded and extolled in modern culture, no matter what the cost. Perhaps this film is seen by modern audiences as in some sense therefore 'reactionary' in its revulsion from the fate of its characters, who are seen by the writer and director in Classical terms as having been trapped and destroyed, rather than as having achieved any meaningful selfhood? Not for this director the typically adolescent Romanticism that so admires the supreme perversity of self-immolation. It is not that he condemns his characters for their weakness, or even that he harps particularly upon their evil natures, for he does neither, choosing instead to regret the selfishness, the solipsism, that has excluded them from the human family. Much as Mankind in general is excluded from the innocence of its early, Edenic, dreams by the psychological burden of a self-consciousness that actually is the guilty sense of being regarded as having drawn attention to the Self: The whole psychological evolution of modern man seems to demand that we must constantly seek to submerge our sense of the obtruding and distracting self to our sense of the Other. Whereas, in 'Mum''s household rebellious emotions finally overwhelm all pretence of domesticity, and the world beyond their walls, for them, ceases to be of any relevance or significance, and therefore becomes absolutely untenable and unsustainable. There is no 'consequence-free' zone where they may be permitted to go off and begin new lives, in any conceivably more sympathetic milieu: As much as in Arthur Penn's film of 'Bonnie & Clyde' these are lives driven to their own destruction by their own interior demons. They are by no means the exemplary free spirits that some might wish them to represent. Quite the opposite - they are the damned. They are a lesson, and a warning.

It is possibly for just such conceptual offence against the reckless modern creed of untrammeled and indulged Individualism that this film has been punished at the box-office, upon its release. It is made a more important film thereby, and will stand the test of time, that destroys the transient glamour of fashion.

All the acting is very fine, but Julie Walters gives a phenomenal performance. Altogether a great piece of work.

I thought this film was very well acted especially by the lead actors. Julie Walters gives a brilliant performance, as always, and the story was kept tight and interesting throughout.The ending was very brutal but honestly approached, although of course no-one can be sure exactly what really happened as the two main witnesses couldn't testify.

If you feel that your family isn't quite right, see this movie and you'll be grateful for what you have. This mother is the mother from Hell, seducing the boarder...a baby-faced ex-reform school lad. But he's an angel compared to her and her pitiful completely wierded out daughter. Guess you would be too if you shared a bed with your mama doing the nasty. Then of course, he refused to play on the night he catered inexplicably to this kids' attempt at blackmail.

Loved the English countryside, despite the fact that it was splashed with gore. It's an interesting diversion from what passes as entertainment today. Wonder what the TRUTH was. Glad that the veteran with one leg at least got Christmas cards from the Veteran's Group over there;;;;that's ALL he ever got.

This movie is brilliant, really it is. The fact that it is based on a true story only adds to it and makes it that much better.

Basically, this movie is following Harold Guppy, a man who we want to like but does some pretty despicable things on our road to the ending. He seems like he's had quite a bit of trouble in his life (he lets us know in a discussion with his brother) and he wants to start fresh. This won't be the only time he has such ambitions.

Harold is immediately welcomed into a family who are looking to rent a room. Enter Julie Walters. Although it's a nice, friendly, relationship at first, Harold and Mrs. Beasley's relationship soon turn sexual (though he's in his 30's and she her 50's), where they even result in having sex in bed with Mrs. Beasley's (or as he calls her, Mum's) daughter Joyce.

Their relationship is smooth enough until Harold decides he wants to get out. Mum has this psychological control over him and it isn't healthy. They are now regularly sleeping together (with Joyce still in the bed) and Harold needs to get out of the situation. So he escapes, at least, for a while.

Soon enough Mum has control of him again, saying she'll tell the police that Harold sexually abused Joyce. So here he is again, back in Mum's control.

We are led to believe that Harold really is a good boy, just a weak one. We have compassion for him, as he really needs Mum (it's not as if he ever had one growing up), and he can't escape. But he must.

All the way to the end, we pity our Harold as everything falls apart. And it does fall apart for poor Harold.

This movie is sad in its simplicity and we do feel for many of the characters, Harold's brother and wife, Mum's children, Joyce, Mr. Beasley, the list goes on.

I'd suggest this movie a million times over. The film-maker films each shot so coldly, there never really is any sunshine, and everything seems so grey...it's reminiscent of the relationship Harold and Mum have. Icy.

Julie Walters and Rupert Graves deliver masterly performances, as well as the young girl who is Joyce. Congrats to everyone who worked on this film, it's amazing.

I cannot find a copy (DVD or VHS) of this film. I have checked Amazon.com, Movie Unlimited, Sunburst and a couple other less known sources.

It is difficult to imagine a film with such good reviews not being available. If anyone can e-mail (schillings@enter.net) me a lead on where I can obtain a copy compatible with U.S. player/VCR standards I would appreciate it.

Or if anyone knows of any plans to reissue copies of this film, I would appreciate any details. Similarly, any leads on who I could write to for information would be appreciated. Thanks.