Beautiful Kate
Encyclopedia
Beautiful Kate is a 2009 Australian film directed by Rachel Ward
and starring Rachel Griffiths
, Bryan Brown
, Sophie Lowe
and Ben Mendelsohn
. Rachel Ward adapted the script from a 1982 novel of the same name by Newton Thornburg
; this was the first novel by Thornburg used for a movie since Cutter's Way
(1981). The film was shot on location in the Flinders Ranges
.
The film premiered in June 2009 at the Sydney Film Festival
and was released in limited release
across Australia on 6 August 2009.
While back home, Ned starts indulging in memories of his childhood, many involving his beautiful twin sister Kate (Lowe) and his older brother Cliff (McFarlane). These memories awaken long-buried secrets from the family's past.
After a drunken night out with friends, the young Ned (O'Donnel) goes for a swim in the family dam. He is joined by Kate, who seduces and subsequently has sex with him on the banks of the dam. Ned shows immediate remorse while Kate remains unperturbed.
After Ned's refusal to have further sexual relations with Kate, Kate instigates a fight between the brothers by suggesting that Ned made unwanted advances towards her. As punishment, Bruce makes Ned accompany Kate to the Christmas dance. During the dance, Ned leaves Kate, who is left to go home with Cliff. Ned leaves separately and on his way home he finds his sister's dead body in Cliff's crashed car. Cliff later hangs himself.
Ned's memories are shattered as Toni discovers written evidence of Ned's affair with his sister and leaves him. Eventually however Ned makes peace with Sally, who reveals that she knew of Ned and Kate's secret. She also reveals that the car's clock stopped on impact of the crash and no one could figure out what took Kate and Cliff so long to get home from the Christmas dance. Sally speculates that Kate also had sexual relations with Cliff, who then involves in a crash in which Kate dies and later kills himself. The guilt from his part in Kate's death was multiplied knowing he had committed incest.
Ned then makes amends with Bruce and says that he is sorry for blaming him over Cliff's suicide. He doesn't tell Bruce the truth about Kate and lets him die still believing that Kate was everything he thought she was.
. Beautiful Kate received four and a half stars from both Margaret Pomeranz
and David Stratton
on At The Movies. Until the debut of the Paul Hogan-starring Charlie & Boots
in early September, Beautiful Kate held the title of the largest opening weekend for an Australian title for 2009.
Rachel Ward
Rachel Claire Ward, AM is a British actress, columnist, film director, and screenwriter who has primarily pursued her career in Australia.-Early life:...
and starring Rachel Griffiths
Rachel Griffiths
Rachel Anne Griffiths is an Australian film and television actress who came to prominence in the 1994 film Muriel's Wedding and her Academy Award nominated performance in the 1997 film Hilary and Jackie....
, Bryan Brown
Bryan Brown
Bryan Neathway Brown, AM is an Australian actor.-Early life:Brown was born in Sydney, the son of John Brown and Molly Brown, a house cleaner who worked as a pianist in the early days of the Langshaw School of Ballet. He grew up in the south-western Sydney suburb of Bankstown and began working at...
, Sophie Lowe
Sophie Lowe
Sophie Lowe is an actress who was born in England and migrated to Australia.-Life and career:Lowe was born in Halifax, Yorkshire, England and moved to Australia with her family in 2000. In her early teens she signed to Chadwick Models but quit modelling in favor of dancing. Lowe attended the...
and Ben Mendelsohn
Ben Mendelsohn
Paul Benjamin "Ben" Mendelsohn is an Australian actor.-Early life:Mendelsohn was born in Melbourne, Australia, the son of Carole Ann and Frederick Mendelsohn. He attended Heidelberg Primary School and Banyule High School. His father is a prominent medical researcher who heads the Howard Florey...
. Rachel Ward adapted the script from a 1982 novel of the same name by Newton Thornburg
Newton Thornburg
-Early life:Born in Harvey, Illinois, Thornburg graduated from the University of Iowa with a Fine Arts degree. He worked in a variety of jobs before devoting himself to writing full-time in 1973.-Writing:...
; this was the first novel by Thornburg used for a movie since Cutter's Way
Cutter's Way
Cutter's Way is a 1981 thriller directed by Ivan Passer. The film stars Jeff Bridges, John Heard, and Lisa Eichhorn. The screenplay was by Jeffrey Alan Fiskin, based on the novel Cutter and Bone by Newton Thornburg....
(1981). The film was shot on location in the Flinders Ranges
Flinders Ranges
Flinders Ranges is the largest mountain range in South Australia, which starts approximately north west of Adelaide. The discontinuous ranges stretch for over from Port Pirie to Lake Callabonna...
.
The film premiered in June 2009 at the Sydney Film Festival
Sydney Film Festival
The Sydney Film Festival is an annual film festival held in the Australian city of Sydney and is held over 12 days in June. The competitive film festival draws international and local attention, with films being showcased in several venues across the city centre and includes features,...
and was released in limited release
Limited release
Limited release is a term in the American motion picture industry for a motion picture that is playing in a select few theaters across the country ....
across Australia on 6 August 2009.
Plot
A writer, Ned Kendall (Mendelsohn), is returning to the remote and isolated family home inhabited by his sister Sally (Griffiths), to say goodbye to his father, Bruce (Brown), who is dying. Ned also brings his 21 year old aspiring actress fiancee, Toni (Dermody) who has trouble getting used to the isolation and harshness of rural Australia.While back home, Ned starts indulging in memories of his childhood, many involving his beautiful twin sister Kate (Lowe) and his older brother Cliff (McFarlane). These memories awaken long-buried secrets from the family's past.
After a drunken night out with friends, the young Ned (O'Donnel) goes for a swim in the family dam. He is joined by Kate, who seduces and subsequently has sex with him on the banks of the dam. Ned shows immediate remorse while Kate remains unperturbed.
After Ned's refusal to have further sexual relations with Kate, Kate instigates a fight between the brothers by suggesting that Ned made unwanted advances towards her. As punishment, Bruce makes Ned accompany Kate to the Christmas dance. During the dance, Ned leaves Kate, who is left to go home with Cliff. Ned leaves separately and on his way home he finds his sister's dead body in Cliff's crashed car. Cliff later hangs himself.
Ned's memories are shattered as Toni discovers written evidence of Ned's affair with his sister and leaves him. Eventually however Ned makes peace with Sally, who reveals that she knew of Ned and Kate's secret. She also reveals that the car's clock stopped on impact of the crash and no one could figure out what took Kate and Cliff so long to get home from the Christmas dance. Sally speculates that Kate also had sexual relations with Cliff, who then involves in a crash in which Kate dies and later kills himself. The guilt from his part in Kate's death was multiplied knowing he had committed incest.
Ned then makes amends with Bruce and says that he is sorry for blaming him over Cliff's suicide. He doesn't tell Bruce the truth about Kate and lets him die still believing that Kate was everything he thought she was.
Cast
- Rachel GriffithsRachel GriffithsRachel Anne Griffiths is an Australian film and television actress who came to prominence in the 1994 film Muriel's Wedding and her Academy Award nominated performance in the 1997 film Hilary and Jackie....
– Sally - Bryan BrownBryan BrownBryan Neathway Brown, AM is an Australian actor.-Early life:Brown was born in Sydney, the son of John Brown and Molly Brown, a house cleaner who worked as a pianist in the early days of the Langshaw School of Ballet. He grew up in the south-western Sydney suburb of Bankstown and began working at...
– Bruce - Sophie LoweSophie LoweSophie Lowe is an actress who was born in England and migrated to Australia.-Life and career:Lowe was born in Halifax, Yorkshire, England and moved to Australia with her family in 2000. In her early teens she signed to Chadwick Models but quit modelling in favor of dancing. Lowe attended the...
– Kate - Ben MendelsohnBen MendelsohnPaul Benjamin "Ben" Mendelsohn is an Australian actor.-Early life:Mendelsohn was born in Melbourne, Australia, the son of Carole Ann and Frederick Mendelsohn. He attended Heidelberg Primary School and Banyule High School. His father is a prominent medical researcher who heads the Howard Florey...
– Ned - Maeve Dermody – Toni
- Josh McFarlane – Cliff
- Scott O'Donnell – Young Ned
Reception
The film currently holds a 94% Fresh Rating on Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
. Beautiful Kate received four and a half stars from both Margaret Pomeranz
Margaret Pomeranz
Margaret Pomeranz AM is an Australian film critic and television personality.-Early life:Pomeranz was born in 1944 in Waverley, a suburb of Sydney, and was educated at the Presbyterian Ladies' College, Sydney in Croydon, the then newly opened Macquarie University, and the Playwright's Studio at...
and David Stratton
David Stratton
David James Stratton is an English- Australian film critic and television personality.-Life and career:Born in Trowbridge, Wiltshire, England in 1939, Stratton was sent to Hampshire to see out the war years with his grandmother, an avid filmgoer, where he was taken to the local cinemas regularly...
on At The Movies. Until the debut of the Paul Hogan-starring Charlie & Boots
Charlie & Boots
Charlie & Boots is a 2009 Australian film starring Paul Hogan and Shane Jacobson. It had the best opening weekend for any Australian film in 2009 when it was released on Father's day. The film features many small towns in country Australia...
in early September, Beautiful Kate held the title of the largest opening weekend for an Australian title for 2009.