Main Cast: Jane Horrocks, Brenda Fricker, Imelda Staunton, Jonathan Pryce, Edward Woodward
Release Year: 1994
Country: UK
Run Time: 90 minutes
MPAA Rating: R
Plot
A disturbed woman starts getting friendly advice from some of the great murderers of history in this black comedy from Great Britain. Introverted Jody Greenwood (Jane Horrocks) and her bolder sister Beth (Imelda Staunton) both live under the thumb of their domineering mother Iris (Brenda Fricker). Jodie has romantic feelings for Dr. Ted Phillips (Jonathan Pryce), a local physician at least twenty years her senior, while Beth has become involved with a hunky male stripper, but both sisters feel paralyzed to do much about their relationships while Iris is still around. One night, Jody is visited by the ghost of Maj. Herbert Armstrong (Edward Woodward), a locally infamous man who made his small town famous with the spectacular murder of his wife. After he passes on some advice about how to achieve personal freedom, Jody kills Iris with an axe and hides the body with Beth's help. However, bad blood arises between Jody and Beth, and, after a nocturnal visit from well-known murderer Dr. Crippen (Hywel Bennett), Jody is inspired to pick up the hatchet again, doing away with Beth and her stripper. Jody beats the case against her in court and wins the heart of Dr. Phillips, but unfortunately she starts getting visits again ... . Jane Horrocks's performance as Jody won her the Best Actress award at the 1994 Catalonian International Film Festival. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
Billie Whitelaw - Kate Webster; Hywel Bennett - Dr. Crippen; Jonathan Hyde - George Joseph Smith; John Mills - Jack the Ripper; Ian Abbey - Bunny; Eleanor Bron - Judge; Richard Moore - Constable Dickman; Dillie Keane - Mary
Credit
Michael Buchanan - Art Director, Sheila Trezise - Casting, Emma Porteous - Costume Designer, William Booker - First Assistant Director, Melanie Dicks - First Assistant Director, Mandie Fletcher - Director, John Jarvis - Editor, Richard Harvey - Composer (Music Score), Mark Holding - Musical Direction/Supervision, Robert McCann - Makeup, Christopher Hobbs - Production Designer, Richard Greatrex - Cinematographer, Nigel Stafford-Clark - Producer, Arthur Beavis - Special Effects, Tracey Eddon - Stunts, Glenn Chandler - Screenwriter
