Data Bases • Custom Term Papers • Free Term Papers • Free Research Papers • Free Essays • Free Book Reports • Plagiarism? Links • Top 100 Term Paper Sites • Top 25 Essay Sites • Top 50 Essay Sites • Search 97,000 Papers @ DirectEssays.com • Search 101,000 Papers @ ExampleEssays.com • Search 90,000 Papers @ MegaEssays.com Free Essays • Term Paper Sites • Chuck III's Free Essays • Free College Essays • TermPaperSites.com • My Term Papers • Get Free Essays • Essay World • Planet Papers	Search Lots of Essays Back to Subjects - Film & TV About Mike Leigh About Mike Leigh Like many of the films watched in class there seems to be an ongoing theme in Mike Leigh’s films of the tragedy that is the life of those living in Britain. Fortunately, Leigh chooses to instead use these tragedies to instead promote the optimism or “high hopes” if you will of the people stuck in such unfortunate circumstances that are displayed onscreen. His films seek to bring light where there is darkness and truth where there are lies. In the film Secrets and Lies, we are introduce into a family that seems to have quite a few problems that are on the surface and far more that are well hidden to the world as well as those they call family. Instead of pulling together and expressing their feelings and problems they instead decide to draw in on themselves and keep the secrets hidden. It seems to me to be a out of sight, out of mind kind of mentality that for some odd reason they believe will help them deal with their problem. At the birthday party when things finally come to a head and Maurice finally says his peace and gets the secrets and the lies that they have all kept for so long out in the open the burden of his message is what is going to happen after this is unleashed upon their family. Maurice faced an unknown future when he decided to face up to his family’s problems. He was the only character in the entire film that actually knew everything that was being kept from the rest of the family. With this knowledge comes a burden of what to do with this knowledge. With the emergence of Hortense and the discovery of her true identity Maurice must come to grips with the truth of his family and must make them understand that they must tell each other the truth behind their demeanor. Maurice’s speech could have had very bad consequences. He could have lost his niece, whom he views as the daughter he and his wife will never have. He also could have lost Cynthia’s trust in making her tell the truth of matters. Lastly, Maurice’s own marriage was on the brink due to his wife’s inability to have children and she was driving him away because of it. One small turn of events could have forever veered this from the brink of tragedy right over the edge and this would have been yet another family lost to the unforgiving world in which they live. In his earlier project, High Hopes, Leigh took a slightly different approach to the world. Instead of having a growing tragedy taken from the brink and brought into the wonderful world of optimism, he instead continues the theme of the messed up family drama that we have all come to know and love and then adds the optimistic characters as small roles that merely pass on through the lives of the family briefly. In the film very few characters seemed to enjoy their lives or even thought that they had a future worth living for. The small but important character (in my opinion) of Wayne was a brief in his time on screen or within the lives of the main characters but while he was there his hopes brought a smile to the faces of Cyril and Shirley. One thing that I did notice was a kind of symbolism of Wayne’s shoes. Cyril comments on how bright they are. They didn’t believe that he would find a job and Cyril is actually the one to shatter the hopes of Wayne and send him on his way back home. Yet another character that had a reason for living in the movie was that of Susie, the friend that shows up and stays for a night. Even though she may not have the best of lives she seeks hope in the future and in revolution. She believes that the people will grow tired of the hell that they are surrounded by and will rise to the occasion to make a difference in their lives. Yet again, Cyril shatters the hopes that are her reasons to live. Cyril’s own wife, Shirley, is actually the only character that seems to have hope for the future and is the reason for living. She is the only good person that this family has going for them. She doesn’t mess with the mother, she instead treats her with the utmost respect even though both Cyril and his sister are lacking in their love and respect for their mother. Shirley also would like to have a child while Cyril comments on the world they live in and that he would not want to bring a child into it. The last character that I believe to have a reason for living is that of the mother. At first I really didn’t believe that she should be included in this paper but upon further thought I believe that Cyril’s mother losing her mind was about the best thing to happen to her. She seemed so content to be on that roof, “the top of the world” as she puts it. To conclude, I will discuss the return of Hortense as a blessing. With the return of the unknown daughter many changes began to occur within the family. Cynthia found the love of a daughter which in turn leads to the confrontation that this family needs. With the confrontation comes several topics that the family must think over. Cynthia obviously loves her newfound daughter and also stills loves Roxanne and seeks to renew their love but feels that she is distancing herself. Monica uses this to scorn Cynthia for her failures as a mother all the while jealousy for her inability to have children drives her words. Maurice uses this opportunity to get truth out in the open so that there is no more hiding from each other. Hortense was merely a catalyst in this concoction of secrets and lies while Maurice was the solution. Mike Leigh’s films are very well written. Although hard to sit through and watch due to their depressing nature they aren’t without optimism as well as there social insights. He uses the medium of film to get across the idea of hope for the future and faith in the family structure. This view makes his films intriguing as well as uplifting to the viewer by the time the end is reached. He brings you to the depths of human tragedy and despair and then revives the human spirit within his characters and brings forth a feeling of joy. Bibliography: Word Count: 1103
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