When I saw this on tape, I immediately ordered it and have it in my collection. I had seen it earlier and was overwhelmed by it. Contains Spoilers! Two sisters. Vera and Eden. Loyally devoted to each other.
One child.
These were the central elements for a young girl named Faith (Helena Bonham Carter) to work with who watched, as did the rest of the family, as suddenly deception and betrayal turned into lies and finally in the end, murder.
Thinking she had put all these events behind her, Faith learns that a missing baby that poor Vera was suspected of doing in was actually the victim of another person. From there, she begins to investigate what may have happened between the sisters, including what she witnessed with her own eyes.
There is a big chunk missing from Eden's history and this is the only glitch, but Vera's tragic tale and finding happiness at last only to have it shattered by Eden's sudden claim is the real focus of the story. And then we learn how much was visible to the adults around the sisters, such as Faith's parents and another older half-sister, Vranni, I believe, who is present that horrible tragic day in the nursery. Helena Bonham Carter is compelling as Faith, who doesn't want to believe what has happened and gradually comes to understand what she can that did happen. Rachel Ward as Eden is pristine, elegant and beautiful; as devoted and worshipful at her slightly erratic sister Vera's feet as Vera is to her.
But the star is Celia Imrie as Vera. A well-meaning person who seems to only get pain and tries so hard to keep everything well. The sisters keep the secret they share so well-guarded no one ever suspects until it is too late. With each tear she sheds, with each plead she gives to Eden, you will be left wondering too what is going on, until . . . !
We only get a glimpse of Eden's feelings when Vera is thrown from the car and that last look on her face in the nursery, again this keeps all the focus on Vera and Imrie manages to hold it well.
In the end, the only ones left to salvage what went wrong are Bonham-Carter and the grown up baby, Jamie, as well as Vera's older son, the vulgar, despicable, maddening creature, Francis. And believe it or not, it is Francis who manages to bring it all full-circle and essentially provide some sort of happy ending to all the madness, leaving Faith to ponder what she would do if someone tried to do to her what happened to Vera. And all we hear is her baby's soft breathing on her shoulder.
One child.
These were the central elements for a young girl named Faith (Helena Bonham Carter) to work with who watched, as did the rest of the family, as suddenly deception and betrayal turned into lies and finally in the end, murder.
Thinking she had put all these events behind her, Faith learns that a missing baby that poor Vera was suspected of doing in was actually the victim of another person. From there, she begins to investigate what may have happened between the sisters, including what she witnessed with her own eyes.
There is a big chunk missing from Eden's history and this is the only glitch, but Vera's tragic tale and finding happiness at last only to have it shattered by Eden's sudden claim is the real focus of the story. And then we learn how much was visible to the adults around the sisters, such as Faith's parents and another older half-sister, Vranni, I believe, who is present that horrible tragic day in the nursery. Helena Bonham Carter is compelling as Faith, who doesn't want to believe what has happened and gradually comes to understand what she can that did happen. Rachel Ward as Eden is pristine, elegant and beautiful; as devoted and worshipful at her slightly erratic sister Vera's feet as Vera is to her.
But the star is Celia Imrie as Vera. A well-meaning person who seems to only get pain and tries so hard to keep everything well. The sisters keep the secret they share so well-guarded no one ever suspects until it is too late. With each tear she sheds, with each plead she gives to Eden, you will be left wondering too what is going on, until . . . !
We only get a glimpse of Eden's feelings when Vera is thrown from the car and that last look on her face in the nursery, again this keeps all the focus on Vera and Imrie manages to hold it well.
In the end, the only ones left to salvage what went wrong are Bonham-Carter and the grown up baby, Jamie, as well as Vera's older son, the vulgar, despicable, maddening creature, Francis. And believe it or not, it is Francis who manages to bring it all full-circle and essentially provide some sort of happy ending to all the madness, leaving Faith to ponder what she would do if someone tried to do to her what happened to Vera. And all we hear is her baby's soft breathing on her shoulder.