PRIMAL SECRETS
US, 1994, 93 minutes, Colour.
Ellen Burstyn, Meg Tilley, Barnard Hughes, H. Paxton Whitehead.
Directed by Ed Kaplan.
Primal Secrets focuses on a young artist, struggling, thinking herself of no talent but able to do copies of master works. She is suddenly employed by a very rich woman and asked to decorate an old ballroom where her daughter had died on her coming-out party.
The artist is played by Meg Tilley, the rich woman by Ellen Burstyn. With such a strong cast, the interactions between the two women are quite powerful at times. It soon emerges that Burstyn is looking for a substitute daughter, Tilley is much more independent and won't let herself be dominated. However, she learns great creativity in her plans for the painting and its execution. There is a butler who hovers always in the background, ultimately supportive of her. She also has a confidant, an old art dealer played by Barnard Hughes. It emerges at the end of the film that he was conniving with the plan of the rich woman to employ the artist.
The film is set in an affluent, even opulent, house. The drama does not quite ignite as one might expect from the cast and from the interaction as the dominating woman has to face the truth about her dominance of her daughter.
1. Interesting drama? Women's drama? Interactions between the two generations? The dead daughter and her spirit behind the interaction?
2. The Californian settings, the opulent house, the gardens? The ballroom and the painting? The sea? The musical score?
3. The title, its focus on mother and daughter relationships, Frances and her domination of Cassie, Faith and her not being dominated by her own mother, flying to her bedside and not able to effect reconciliation before she died, resisting the domination of Frances? The need for these relationships? The primal secret of creativity, Faith and her ambitions with her art, appreciation, execution, wanting success? The contrast with Frances who was merely a catalyst for creativity, spoilt by her dominating behaviour?
4. Faith, her friend, their working in the studio, their self-deprecation? Frances's arrival, the proposal? Faith being intrigued, wanting independence, going to the house, seeing the room? Frances and her continued encouragement? The plans, the designs, talking to her friend, the idea about painting the party? The tableau, the photos, designing the room? Her success, Frances's interference about the staircase and Faith's sullen reaction? The invitation to come and live at the house? Faith keeping her independence, Frances and her support? The enjoyment of the picnic day off? Faith and her settling in, the achievement? The encounter in the mausoleum with Simon, his threats, her attraction? Seeing him at the end, his note, the possibility of some kind of relationship? With herself or with the dead Cassie? The painting of the dress, the discovery of the set-up with Frances and Harry? Her confiding in Harry, the discussions, his support? Her finding the bill, the truth? His still insisting that it was to her benefit? Her anger, Frances's illness, going to her side - and discovering that that was fictitious as well? The final confrontation, the discussion of the stairs, the truth about what happened to Cassie?
5. Frances, wealth, clothes, garden, house? Hiring Faith? The discussions, the mystery? The proposal, supporting, interfering, inviting her to the house, the day off, the meals? The discussions about Cassie, the dress in the painting? Faith finding the room and the truth about the dress? The clashes, her dominance? Faith and the clashes, Frances demanding her pick up the serviette? The reality of the connivance with Harry? Her illness, painting over the walls? The final clash, the truth about her dominance, about Simon and paying him off, about the slap and Cassie dying? Her being left alone with her memories?
6. Simon, his story, Cassie's infatuation, being paid off, the stealing of the paintings, coming to Faith and threatening her, the note, the final explanations?
7. Deane, in the background, finally supportive of Faith and the memory of the painting?
8. Harry, art dealing, his commissions, his faith in Faith, supporting her, persuading her, the truth about his relationship with Frances?
9. A portrait of two women, interactions, clashes, catalyst for creativity, demand for independence, mothers and their controlling their daughters' lives thinking that they were being creative and offering opportunities for growth?
