British film review

 British critical film review: Secret’s and Lies (Mike Leigh)

 

The 1996 Mike Leigh film Secrets and Lies is truly an excruciating yet extremely heart-warming story displaying the new mood in British film in the mid 1990’s. Work varied, reflecting social and cultural contexts, rebelling against the social hierarchies, making working class people and their issues visible and important. In this case, following the death of her adoptive parents, a successful young black optometrist establishes contact with her biological mother – a lonely white factory worker living in poverty in South London. Class is certainly a paramount factor of the film, reflecting one of the constant binary oppositions occurring, the separation between the working lower class and the middle class. Cynthia and Roxanne are in poverty, Roxanne “works for the council” and Cynthia in a low paid factory, their desperation for stability is not in fact outwardly expressed but concealed and only released on rare occasion. A good example of this is Maurice’s visit to Cynthia’s home, throughout Cynthia’s performance in this scene, her helplessness is intensely clear, the leak on the ceiling and the overflowing number of items lying around the place. Cynthia seems to follow Maurice around the home, suggesting her lack of independence and feelings of abandonment she feels even in her own place. Their bond is tight as siblings, Cynthia even following Maurice to the outhouse, a key symbol of Cynthia’s class and inability to change from the past. A role reversal has certainly occurred between the relationship of Cynthia and Maurice, their class being the catalyst. Cynthia cared for Maurice in their younger days, so he attempts to return the favour out of the subliminal guilt of her situation, her meltdown earlier contributing to Maurice’s need to help.  For example, offering to pay for the fix of the leak and providing her with some money before he leaves. 

 

Another key moment in the film that not only reflects the conflicts between different classes but also an inexplicit theme of race is when Monica answers the door to Hortense at the birthday party. Monica and Maurice are a stable, middle-class couple living in a lavish home in North London, drastically juxtaposing Cynthia’s position in class, though they may be comfortable financially, there are certainly factors contributing to their own “secret’s and lies”. Monica opens the door to see Hortense waiting outside; a mid-shot is used showing Monica’s back and Hortense at the door, followed by Monica rapidly saying, “you’ve got the wrong house”. This short but symbolic scene emphasises the idea of underlying racism in the film, Monica does not expect someone of colour to be attending the party, assuming Hortense is there for “other reasons”. Monica’s class allows her to have assumptions of other people’s backgrounds, which is in fact ironic as Hortense is of the same class as her, with her own car, being a homeowner and having a well-paid job. I also believe this highlights some contexts of the films time, Hortense is categorised into the “working class” by Monica due to stereotypes of the time and the unfair yet predominant opinions on the Windrush generation. In my opinion, I think Hortense is majorly symbolic of “Individualism” left over from Thatcher’s era, she has made something of herself despite the expectations of her race in society. Monica’s guilt is certainly evident after Hortense’s awkward and short exclamation of her presence, being Roxanne’s 21^st.