DEADLY ADVICE

UK, 1993, 91 minutes, Colour.
Jane Horrocks, Brenda Fricker, Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Edward Woodward, Billie Whitelaw, Hywel Bennett, Jonathan Hyde, John Mills, Eleanor Bron.
Directed by Mandie Fletcher.

Deadly Advice is a strongly tongue-in-cheek black comedy. English style.

The film focuses on a mother, Brenda Fricker, excellent as usual and dominating, with two daughters, the mousy Jane Horrocks and the strong Imelda Staunton. Their mother so controls their lives that they see no future for themselves even though one is attracted to the older local doctor and the other to a stripper.

The irony of the film is in discovering that the founder of the town actually established the town by murdering his wife. This gives the sisters ideas.

There are some fantasy sequences with Hywel Bennett appearing as Dr Crippen and, of all people, John Mills as Jack the Ripper.

There is a very strong supporting cast with Jonathan Pryce and Edward Woodward and Billie Whitelaw.

Direction is by Mandie Fletcher who had experience in television, especially directing Blackadder and Only Fools and Horses.

1.An entertaining film noir, British-style?

2.The Welsh locations, the credits, the picture of the picturesque town, a nice United Kingdom village, a nice way of life? The musical score?

3.The title – and the ironic touches?

4.How well did the film treat themes of madness and fantasy? Jodie and her imagination? Her memories? The father and the wax, his death?

5.The quality of the strong British cast?

6.Iris, her walking through the town, her relationship with Jodie, with Beth? At home, punctuality, rules, eating, coping with Jodie’s moods, anti the father? Her dominating character, humiliating Jodie in the bar? Her death?

7.Jodie and Beth, types, age, experience, dominated, at home? The cross-cutting between their lives at home and outside? The hen singing, the dress, the stripper and Beth’s attraction, the Bunny?

8.Jodie and the book, Major Armstrong and his advice, the others, the discussions, going into action, with Beth, the chest, the car, the water, the body sinking?

9.Jodie and Beth, their coping, Bunny and her presence, tension, the police? The church and the minister? Doctor Ted? The lies?

10.The variety of characters, Major Armstrong, Kate Webster, Doctor Crippen, Jack the Ripper, Doctor Ted – their all giving advice? Information?

11.Bunny and Beth, the cat, the crash?

12.Bunny, the sex, the scissors, caught?

13.Ted, his place in the village, with Jodie, the framing of the others, the court and the truth? Room service?

14.The blending of this film noir with the typical British village comedy style? With Bristol? A new world? Ted and his world, Bunny and his world?

15.An enjoyable black and satiric fantasy comedy?