Movie Type: Psychological Drama, Psychological Thriller
Themes: Mysterious Strangers, Dangerous Friends
Main Cast: Sting, Denholm Elliott, Joan Plowright, Suzanna Hamilton
Release Year: 1982
Country: UK
Run Time: 87 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
The arrival of a mysterious stranger disrupts the lives of the members of a British family in this dark, psychological thriller. The stranger is one Martin Taylor (Sting), a dangerous charmer who ingratiates himself with the Bateses, a dignified, older couple (Denholm Elliott and Joan Plowright). The couple becomes especially fond of Martin after he demonstrates a strong, caring rapport with their daughter, a disabled invalid. It is only when he has become a part of the household, unofficially serving as the daughter's caretaker, that Martin's true, potentially demonic nature begins to show itself. Based on a script by Dennis Potter, the creator of the brilliant British television miniseries Pennies from Heaven and The Singing Detective, the film layers its already charged situation with hints of the supernatural, aspiring to be both disturbing family drama and provocatively ambiguous morality play. Some moments of MTV-like stylization threaten to diminish the mood of slow suspense and unhealthy obsession, but Potter's distinctly warped sensibility and the solid performances generally carry the film over its rough patches. ~ Judd Blaise, All Movie Guide
Review
Scripted by the always intriguing Dennis Potter, Brimstone and Treacle offers a disturbing look at what guilt and repression can do to a man, a marriage, and a family. It also offers the best acting work of Sting's movie career. Director Richard Loncraine does a fine job of recognizing the solid script he has been given, yet still manages to find appropriate moments to take some flights of visual fancy. The film plays out in mostly two and three shots allowing the audience to see how the psychopath con man Martin (Sting) is manipulating both Denholm Elliot's guilt-ridden husband as well as Joan Plowright's emotionally exhausted wife. They believably embody long-time married couple who, when faced with the adversity of caring for an invalid daughter, sink deeper into their resentments. Sting, obviously inspired by the work of Malcolm McDowell in A Clockwork Orange, seems to be having a marvelous time playing such an unrelenting hedonistic conman. He is equally charming and frightening. And in the few moments where one might find him less than believable, his expert co-stars are there to sell the performance to us. With a running time of less than 90 minutes, Brimstone and Treacle efficiently delivers a parable about honesty with more than a few wicked laughs. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
Benjamin Whitrow - Businessman; Dudley Sutton - Stroller; Tim Preece - Clergyman; Christopher Fairbanks - Drunk; Mary McLeod - Valerie Holdsworth; Hugh Walters - Man; Elizabeth Bradley - Passerby
Credit
Shuna Harwood - Costume Designer, Richard Loncraine - Director, Paul Green - Editor, Michael Nyman - Composer (Music Score), Sting - Composer (Music Score), Millie Burns - Production Designer, Norman Garwood - Production Designer, Peter Hannan - Cinematographer, Herbert F. Solow - Producer, Kenith Trodd - Producer, Tony Jackson - Sound/Sound Designer, Dennis Potter - Screenwriter
