Brimstone and Treacle (1982)
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66% of users liked it
(597 ratings)
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).… More 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, Rovi
- Directed By
- Richard Loncraine
- Genres
- Mystery & Suspense, Drama
R,
- In Theaters
- Jan 1, 1982 Wide
- On DVD
- Sep 16, 2003
Critic Reviews
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Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat, Spirituality and Practice
Brimstone and Treacle explores the strange interface betwen sex and religion.
See more critic ratings and reviews on Rotten Tomatoes
Fresh (60% or more critics rated the movie positively)
Rotten (59% or fewer critics rated the movie positively)
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Cast
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Sting
as Martin Taylor
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Denholm Elliott
as Thomas Bates
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Joan Plowright
as Norma Bates
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Suzanna Hamilton
as Patricia Bates
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Benjamin Whitrow
as Businessman
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Dudley Sutton
as Stroller
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Tim Preece
as Clergyman
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Christopher Fairbanks
as Drunk
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Mary McLeod Bethune
as Valerie Holdsworth
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Hugh Walters
as Man
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Elizabeth Bradley
as Passerby
- Mary MacLeod
