Brimstone & Treacle (1982) User Reviews

Very intriguing allegorical thriller

[capkronos · 7/10 · 13 May 2003]

Polite, mannered drifter Martin Taylor (Sting) charms his way into the home of Thomas Bates (Denholm Elliott), an outwardly upright publisher of religious text, his simple-minded, devout wife Norma (Joan Plowright) and their catatonic daughter Patricia (Suzanna Hamilton), whom he claims to know. Martin is allowed to stay in the home for a couple of days, cooks, cleans, "cares" for the daughter and tries to help the couple through their marital problems, but he's also the catalyst that forces some dark secrets out of the family closet.

Sting's character will either annoy or fascinate you as he exists solely as an enigma, representing angel or demon, or possibly both. Originally a play, this film never quite escapes the stage, but that only feeds into the claustrophobia of the stuffy household and guilt-ridden, lonely characters who inhabit it, and, all in all, it's an intriguing allegory on the nature of good and evil that has a lot to offer, including potent religious imagery, a knockout nightmare/fantasy sequence and a good score (plus songs by The Police) all driven home by excellent performances by the three leads and assured direction by Richard Loncraine.

Dennis Potter's script was previously filmed in 1976 for BBC (that version also starred the great Denholm Elliott).

Not as good as the BBC TV play but....

[saintetiennelee · 7/10 · 10 June 2020]

I really enjoyed Denholm Elliott's performance in this film. He's so bitter and gnarled up that his outbursts are brilliant and quite funny. Obviously the sick manner of the story is the same as the Play for Today, it's delivered well if not as successful as the TV version, although I've not seen that version for a long time so maybe the memory cheats a little.

Nothing wrong with Stings performance in this film but he he just didn't have the screen presence for me to completely convince.

I enjoyed this film more than I expected and it's good to see it get a repeat here in the UK on London Live channel. 7/10.

Twisted and dark, but Great with a terrific soundtrack!

[samxxxul · 7/10 · 24 November 2020]

Perhaps the build-up of so many people telling me to check out Sting's movies for years may have raised the stakes a bit too high. I have only seen his villainous role in David Lynch's Dune and also watched bits and pieces of Brimstone and Treacle long time back. The prayer sequence never left my subconscious and it stayed with me including the soundtrack. I slept on this for years and finally got to watch this creepy BBC film during the lockdown. This is a film adaptation of Dennis Potter's controversial play and was banned from screen for many years. The story is provocative starring Sting as a diabolical con artist who becomes a caretaker for a middle-aged couple's daughter who is in coma. Things take a nasty turn and it just gets weirder, at times somewhat uncomfortable, but above all devilishly intriguing. To be fair, this film is not for everyone. Yet it is a shame not to give this a watch. Also, it boasts of a terrific soundtrack; I'm not a huge fan of Sting/Police but he has done a splendid work to contribute for the score. Overall, a twisted story, full of solid acting performances to complement the dark atmosphere.

Disturbing yet engrossing film

[tresdodge · 7/10 · 16 September 2007]

A middle class commuter belt couple Mr Bates (Denholm Elliot) and Mrs Bates (Joan Plowright) are duped into taking a charming young man Martin(Sting)into their house to help care for their catatonic daughter (Suzanna Hamilton). Martin claims to have been close to their daughter before an accident left her unable to communicate. As the film progresses the couple mistakenly start to trust Martin and dark family secrets are revealed.

Originally a stage play written by Dennis Potter the film is in turn engrossing, disturbing and claustrophobic. Denholm Elliot is as ever brilliant as the lonely and disturbed father figure, Sting puts in a good performance as a strange and demonic young man, Joan Plowright is very good as the maternal and naive housewife.

The two slight let downs for me were the music which I did'nt feel fitted in well with the film and the main fantasy sequence which did'nt stand the test of time well.

Other than that the film held my attention throughout, the direction by Richard Loncraine was extremely capable, all in all an intriguing and idiosyncratic piece which is well worth a watch.

Cult Movies 33

[TYLERdurden74 · 7/10 · 4 January 1999]

33. BRIMSTONE AND TREACLE (thriller-drama, 1982) Martin (Sting) befriends middle-aged bookkeeper Tom (Denholm Elliott). Martin cons his way into his house by passing himself as friend to his daughter. Daughter Patricia has been left a mute and bedridden for 3 years after a mysterious car accident. Though Tom is suspicious of Martin's exact motives, his wife is beguiled by Martin's charm. But what they don't know is that Martin is sexually abusing their defenseless and disabled daughter.

Critique: Part fairy tale, part religious parable, this creepy, atmospheric film is highlighted by a wickedly perverse turn by Sting (lead singer of rock group 'The Police'). What makes his character such a bizarre figure is that his motives are unknown, his appetites unresolved.

I think Martin is just a thief, passing himself as anyone's friend just to have a place to stay. A sort of pickpocket. He's also a sexual deviant who doesn't mind how he gets it, either from an invalid or an old woman. The film portrays him as an avenging angel-type, brought into this deeply secular home as a purger of sins.

Interesting direction by Richard Loncraine (is this his film debut?) who works from a play adapted by Dennis Potter, whose own sexually dubious works are to be questioned.

'The Police', along with 'The Go-Gos' provided the 'hip' soundtrack.

Dennis Potter strikes again, striving to be a deranged literary cross between Charles Dickens and Joe Orton...

[moonspinner55 · 6/10 · 6 September 2011]

British middle-agers with a handicapped daughter invite into their home a strange young man who holds a curious power over the family. Sting (vocalist and bassist with The Police) gives a commendable performance--his first lead--in this Dennis Potter concoction based upon the writer's own play (originally taped--and banned--by the BBC). Writing like a mischievous child, and aiming for lofty subtext and ironic turns of the screw, Potter doesn't always get the affects he's aiming for, but neither does he disappoint. Director Richard Loncraine doesn't struggle too noticeably getting this peculiar material off the dime (and out from the main set), while his build-up to the foregone conclusion is rife with interesting, twisted bits of business. Not a barn-burner by any means, but a handsome, calculated work in a minor, if derivative key. **1/2 from ****

Only You

[copeland-1 · 21 July 2004]

Though Sting was cooler as the Ace Face in the movie Quadraphenia, this film was certainly unique as it cast the 32-year old Sting in the role of the devil. The rape scene of Patty was disturbing to say the least but what do you expect from the devil? Most memorable is the soundtrack which I have yet to find on CD format. A notable track is "Only You" which features Jeff Seitz, Stewart Copeland's drum tech on drums. This track was also listed in the liner notes of the Police's '93 box set as being included in the 4-CD set but it wasn't! Nor was the instrumental "Light Changes" from their movie "Around the World" but I digress. Brimstone and Treacle was a dark film and spawned the video for one of its tracks, "Spread a Little Happiness". The video is bizarre as it features Sting in clerics serving tea to a bunch of church ladies. Yet at the very end of the video, he turns to look at the camera and his look is so demonic, so piercing that it actually gave me a fright. If you see the video, you'll understand.

further info

[jlaw · 7/10 · 7 October 1998]

The film is re-make of a television play which the BBC chose not to transmit because of its controversial subject matter, in particular the final sequence of rape. This version which received a cinema release, appeared 6 years later, and included one member of the original cast, Denholm Elliot.

The central role of Martin was re-cast with Sting (then lead singer with The Police) who also provided music material, including his first solo single Spread A Little Happiness. (Michael Nyman also provided soundtrack material.)

The script remains largely faithful to the original screenplay, though several minutes of discourse in one of the final scenes is excised completely. This is a discussion of racism which provokes Mr Bates to retract from his outspoken racist views.

The original TV play is set mostly within the confines of a living room, while the

bigger-budget movie is less restricted, and has a Gothic, sinister atmosphere. References to Martin's diabolical nature are more subtle too – the TV play shows Martin with hairy, clawed feet. The closing scene of the film suggests that Martin may have been caught out (by an angel – or devil?), while the TV play implies that his actions within the Bates household are just one of many continuing abuses on a never-ending cycle.

Excellent film and soundtrack

[repdetec-3 · 10/10 · 30 December 2000]

Sting has, throughout his career, been involved in indie filmmaking. This was his second outing on film, his first being "Quadrophenia" by The Who.

With a passion towards dark humor, Sting involved himself in this remake of the teleplay that had also starred Denholm Elliot as Mr. Bates back in 1976.

"Brimstone and Treacle" is a modern gothic tale about the evil that men do and the price that must be paid to make things right. Also about how the actions of evil can still bring about an unintentional good.

The film also included an incredibly cool soundtrack of songs by The Go-Go's ("We've Got The Beat"), Squeeze ("Up The Junction"), The Police("How Stupid Mr Bates", "Only You", "A Kind of Loving" and "I Burn For You" and more...)and an irreverently stylish 1930's little diddy called "Spread A Little Happiness", was performed by Sting alone.

The song "I Burn For You" performed by The Police, unlike the later incarnation performed by Sting during his solo years, this original version has an almost funeral durge feel to it and adds to the dreamlike, if not nightmarish, quality of the film. This is not unlike the several other songs by The Police that make up most of the "Brimstone and Treacle" soundtrack.

If you have or have not seen the film, people who like the songs of The Police or just like the music from the 1980's, the film's soundtrack is something that should be added to your collection. And I do believe it is still available.

What the heck is treacle anyway?

[Sack-3 · 6/10 · 24 July 2001]

If you look up the definition of the two terms in the title, it will give you some insight into where the film is headed (I didn't know what brimstone was either--crazy Brits). I've always liked Sting's work, and I was intrigued to see Showtime was playing one of his movies that I'd never heard of. Since it got three stars in the TV guide, I figured it was better than Dune, and it was.

The movie is a very odd Indie film that really keeps your attention. Sting is really funny and spooky--especially considering how whitebread he has become since his alternative days. A summary of the movie--con artist takes advantage of a family's tragedy--sounds very depressing, but the movie is strangely uplifting. Maybe I'm just a freak.

Tame compared to the original

[ashwetherall1 · 4/10 · 9 February 2020]

Now. I'm not saying that this is a bad film. In fact all the cast are good including Mr Sting. But This version of Denis Potters work suffers because there was an a much better more disturbing version made 6 years earlier.. Strangely that version also starred Denholm Eliot and was more claustrophobic and intimate making the whole experience for the viewer more disturbing. By expanding the the scope this version loses its impact which is a shame because as I previously said this isn't a bad film, it was done better for less money and with a smaller budget..

Outstanding, brilliant allegorical drama

[fertilecelluloid · 9/10 · 31 December 2005]

Brilliant allegorical drama from writer Dennis Potter and director Richard Loncraine. It is the fascinating tale of a young man, Martin Taylor (Sting), who -- to quote Denholm Elliott, "may be the Devil himself" -- manipulates his way into the home and trust of an ageing, embittered couple (Elliott and Joan Plowright) who "live in the shadows" after their daughter is injured in an accident and rendered mute. In a suggestion of Taylor's origins, the smarmy slimeball emerges from a church in one early scene and behaves like he's being physically assaulted when the bells begin to toll. Although his actual origins remain ambiguous up until the explosive, surprising climax, Loncraine and Potter have lots of fun keeping us guessing.

The performances of all players are so good they're worthy of awards. It is thoroughly amusing to watch Sting ingratiate himself into Plowright's trust while Elliott fights with his natural distrust of strangers and occasionally blurts out his true feelings through a stiff upper lip. Suzanna Hamilton, as the disabled Patricia, communicates great inner torment and anger with limited resources of expression.

Potter's script, adapted from his play, is simply riveting. His uncanny ability to capture real language, behavior and see-sawing emotions is a joy to behold and draws us into a highly emotional, sometimes surreal drama. A stormy prayer sequence is a standout, as is an economically directed flashback sequence that reveals the cause of everybody's unease. A wicked, very English sexual undercurrent throbs beneath the polite surface of the drama, as does a pitch black vein of humor.

The music (Sting and Michael Nyman) sits perfectly in every scene, embellishing mood and tone, the cinematography of Peter Hannan is moody and striking, and Paul Green's sharp and inventive cutting is terrific.

Outstanding in every department.

A disturbing film....

[MovieGuy01 · 3/10 · 8 November 2009]

I thought that Brimstone & Treacle was quite a disturbing movie. which i did not like. Tom Bates is filled with guilt over causing his daughter, Patricia, to become bed ridden and is unable to speak for for the last three years afters she accidentally ran into an oncoming truck after catching her dad and his secretary having sex, so he invites a young man home to dinner whom he believes is his daughter's old school friend. Mrs. Bates finds their visitor, Martin Taylor, quite a charming person. And he helps with the work of taking care of their daughter, so she invites him to stay for a few days. Mr. Bates is quite suspicious of Martin, but he agrees to let him stay. Martin slowly exploits the Bates' trust as he tries to sexually abuse their paralysed daughter. I found this to be a very disturbing film to watch at certain times. 3/10

"What she needs is love...lots of it!"

[raegan_butcher · 10/10 · 26 June 2006]

I saw this when it was fresh on video and it is weird. Like TRACK 29 by Nicolas Roeg is weird. Both films have screenplays by the irrepressibly strange (God bless him) Dennis Potter; This one has 2 heavyweights of the British theater, Denholm Elliot and Joan Plowright, and a thoroughly convincing STING as ...what? An evil sprite? The devil himself? watch it and try to come to your own conclusion; that is the pleasure of this odd little gem.

Richard Loncraine has style to burn and he fills the screen with expertly crafted compositions and he has a nice tendency to use slightly wide-angle lenses to make everyday objects take on a malevolent aspect; he knows how to shoot STING, in order to make him look sinister, that is for sure. Bravo.

Over the years I have shown this to many different people and it always captivates them and holds their attention from the first frame to the last. I would have to say this is my favorite of anything Dennis Potter has written to hit the cinema screens,so far. He is a difficult artist do do justice to, but BRIMSTONE & TREACLE delivers the goods,in spades. Its darkly funny and also thoroughly squirm-inducing in places. The acting is all first rate; Denholm Elliot is magnificent as the repressed and domineering husband; he projects a marvelous sense of twitchy hostility and discomfort; watching him agonize is one of the films strange pleasures. And Sting is fantastic. I think a lot of people here on the IMDb are being unfair to him because of his pop stardom, but I think he delivers an excellent performance, full of sly menace and sinister charm.

Controversial, but slightly lacking, early Potter re-make. (possible spoilers)

[Nriks · 28 January 2003]

A brainchild of Dennis Potter, grand purveyor of the kind of surreal, darkly-comic TV landmarks that set out to shock the system, the public, and the finger wagging likes of Mary Whitehouse et al, comes the surreal, darkly-comic but not quite landmark 'Brimstone and Treacle'. Much like the Alan Clarke/Roy Minton borstal set drama 'Scum', 'Brimstone and Treacle' began its life as part of the BBC's revered and highly popular 'play-for-today' series. However, when auntie Beeb and the powers that be took a look at director Barry Davis' rough-cut, the vision of a Pinter-esque fallen-angel despicably conning his way into the home of a middle-aged couple and their handicapped daughter, who he eventually rapes, was just too much for the woolly-jumper, Wogan worshiping suits at the beeb -- who banned it outright before it's proposed airing back in nineteen-seventy-six.

The script, we presume, then lay at the bottom of Potter's desk drawer whilst he busied himself with something called 'Pennies from Heaven' (classic BBC musical drama with Bob Hoskins, later given an MGM make-over starring Steve Martin and Christopher Walken), eventually resurfacing in this cinematic incarnation, with direction from Richard Loncraine, and starring (of all people) former Police front-man Sting. The casting, which should be crucial to a piece like this, seriously fails here, with the sight of the (then) reggae-influenced pop-star swaggering about the screen like Billy Idol's freakish younger brother, emitting a feeling of true disappoint -- especially when compared to the detailed characterisations of Michael Gambon's Philip E. Marlow in 'The Singing Detective' or Albert Finney's Daniel Feeld from 'Karaoke'. And if his camp-theatrics aren't bad enough, surely the sight of his bare-buttocks wriggling atop a frontally nude Suzanna Hamilton is as embarrassing for the now 'serious artist' as it is for the disconcerted viewer.

Thankfully the supporting cast are exceptional, both Joan Plowright and Denholm Elliot (who reprises his role from the original version) give the film a touch of old school charm, whilst Hamilton pulls off the embarrassing task of playing mentally retarded with a willing confidence. It's a shame the producer's decided to go with the "bankable" choice of Sting in the lead, because at its very core, 'Brimstone and Treacle' had the potential to be one of Potter's strongest work. It sadly falls somewhat short, and admittedly, it's not all Sting's fault. Although there are many familiar Potter trademarks, notably the use of thirties music -- used hear as bookends -- conjures up memorable images of Marlow crooning along to Vera Lynn in 'The Singing Detective', but the elements just don't gel. The golden oldies seem to grate, especially when coupled with contemporary artists like Squeeze, The Go-Go's and (of course) The Police -- something which would seem to signal a conflict of interests between the writer and director's distinctive sensibilities.

Potter hints and psychological guilt, and sexual repression, but looses the TV play's strongest metaphysical link somewhere in the celluloid translation. In the original, Hamilton's character Patti comes home early to find her father in bed with her best-friend, forcing her to run into the street in disgust, where she is hit by a truck. For the film, Potter has opted for the more conventional playing away with the receptionist routine, turning the proceeding events into a conventional tale of guilt, rather than the implied oedipal fear of paternal molestation that is a constant foreboding in the original work.

What we have instead is an almost-pastiche of Hammer horror movies and a somewhat condemnation of organised religion as a whole. There is the lack of faith in the guilt ridden Mr Bates that is countered by the caring of the maternal (but blinkered) Mrs Bates, who spends the film spouting reactionary quotes to her husband's claims of "There is no God" with the likes of "I'd sooner be dead than think like that"... is there a message here? Or did Potter simply have his knickers in a twist. Admittedly this is one of his more self-consciously shocking works, and nowhere near as enjoyable as later productions would prove to be, but thankfully there is at least a spark of imagination, something that is lacking in current British film. 'Brimstone and Treacle' may be Potter-lite, but it's certainly worth a look.

Is This PBS?

[TheRedDeath30 · 4/10 · 4 April 2015]

I've been working my way through some of the movies reviewed in the amazing book, HIDDEN HORROR, and this was one of those movies spotlighted, so I was looking forward to uncovering what might have been a lost gem. The movie features Sting (the Police man, not the wrestler) as a drifter, of sorts, who insinuates himself into the home of a small British family who have just been through a tragedy, as their daughter has been in an accident and is left helpless and immobile. The main focus of the movie is on the character played by Sting and his performance. He plays the character almost as twin faces of a mirror, at times exceedingly angelic, yet letting us glimpse the demon within. What "happens" in the movie is almost irrelevant, as most viewers will see the setup coming, because it's mostly about the characters and the themes presented.

I'm all for intelligent films and I think I have a more open mind than most viewers, but the movie still has to be entertaining and make you care what's going to happen next. My biggest issue with the movie is the setting. It's origins as a stageplay are also its' limitations. Much like movies a half century before it, like Dracula, that were also based on plays the movie just comes across as claustrophobic and boxed in. Yes, that plays to the themes somewhat, but it's also boring. The whole production feels like an episode of MASTERPIECE THEATER.

The ending result of this lack of setting and story is that all of the weight is put on the performance of Sting. I thought, personally, that his mannerisms and tones reminded me too much of Malcolm McDowell's Alex in A CLOCKWORK ORANGE. Combine that with the comparisons between the two characters invading a suburban home and the viewer starts seeing the influences leak out a little too much.

While I admired parts of Sting's performance and the themes that the director wanted to explore, I just found the movie, as a whole, to be tedious, at times, and ultimately forgettable.

Brimstone & Treacle

[stang-creativitree · 8/10 · 20 October 2007]

This is a movie from 1982. Just bought it and thoroughly like it. It is a psychological thriller, which at some level is disturbing, but I found it interesting. The character Martin (Sting) approaches Tom Bates (D. Elliot)and tries to suggest they knew each other in an attempt to get closer to him and extract something, perhaps money. Mr. Bates abandons Martin in town, but later that evening Martin shows up as he has lifted the wallet of Mr. Bates, with his home address, money, credit cards. The money ends up "missing" and Martin portrays himself as the good samaritan to return the wallet. Mr. Bates doesn't trust Martin, but his wife, Norma, takes to the kindly young man who professes to know their sickly daughter, from Art School a few years earlier. Martin, the drifter, or perhaps an escapee from a mental institution, is seen as a devil but ultimately saves the family from its hidden secrets and releases all of them. Sting was great in the role of Martin, in my opinion, sometimes angel and sometimes demented. I looked up the meaning of Treacle in the dictionary - it is a remedy. So Martin ends up saving the family, he is the remedy to their nightmares. Interesting.

summary

[thd-3 · 10/10 · 27 January 2000]

An extremely fascinating picture, "Brimstone & Treacle" suited my perversive taste in 100%. Sting's part is the best in his career, and the music he wrote for the film makes my heart tremble (esp. "I Burn For You").

Brimstone and treacle haunting and confusing

[madonemb · 10/10 · 4 July 2021]

I first saw this movie when I was in my early teens. I have become a very scrupulous and dedicated movie critic through the years.i believe movie's must attract their viewers attention within the first15 minutes or less if it's worth watching.

Brimstone and treacle is possibly one of the top ten on MY "top shelf"list. It is i(n my opinion)the precise definition of human suppressed inhibitions. This movie was banned for 11 years (possibly because of this?) For many years I have wracked my mind trying to analyse this bizzare and captivating movie and I've come to the conclusion that good and Evil are just matters of human perspectives.all Said and done its a truly captivating film that certainly will have you trying to understand what it represents. ENJOY!

Not a pleasant film, but good music!

[helenandbrian · 12 November 2002]

Depending on your point of view, this is either an incredibly sick film or a classic piece of Filme Noire.

Basically, Sting is a strange, disturbed young man who at least believes himself to be the devil incarnate. He inveigles his way into the house of a middle-aged couple and their brain damaged daughter, persuades them to let him "babysit" and then rapes the comatose girl while they are out.

The characterisation is fairly well handled, as is the psychological aspect, but you can't help thinking that Dennis Potter was feeling rather more controversial than normal when he wrote it and that the director was exploiting the situation to get away with gratuitous, sadistic sex scenes masquerading as art.

Ultimately, this is a very disturbing film, but is at least head and shoulders above the "made for TV" play released a few years earlier.

The music on the other hand - by Sting himself (both solo and with The Police) - is much better fare. Simple production and a strange mix of styles, but at times it really captures the macabre mood down to a tee.

worth watching,forget the musical element

[VicTheDaddy · 8/10 · 23 May 2006]

Dennis Potter never made a drama that never had a point,its just that his work was so deep the point of his dramas wasn't always obvious,in fact you felt you needed a high IQ level to get your head around his work.The important message of this film is that we shouldn't always be so trusting towards strangers,especially ones who seem so angelic they may have ulterior motives and in this case he did.How many cases have there been where the mentally handicapped have been abused by their carers,its not that often but its enough.Plus cases of the elderly go into nursing homes and end up being shoved about,i think he was making a very strong point.Stings character was a wolf in sheep's clothing,i think in the original version he was played by Micheal Kitchen,who i feel played the part better,the original version has only been on TV once as it had been banned,and may still be.The original version does put the point across better,i feel the remake lacks this, probably because Sting whose much more well known as a singer wasn't a good choice,it just made the film seem bizarre,people went to see this film purely to see what his acting was going to be like,so the point of the story sort of got lost.Dennis Potter was quiet ingenious, he never made a controversial film for the sake of being controversial,there was much more to him than that.Although i must admit its a pretty disturbing film,not one you would easily forget.

Empty Black

[rufasff · 17 May 2004]

This film was never around much at the time of it's release dispite some good word of mouth. It is pretty well brought off in every way, but leaves one feeling one has seen a rather more obvious version of Pinter with then trendy rock and an even more pronouced lack of point.

Sting holds his own surprisingly well with his classy co-stars.. It's Potter's heavy handed irony, admittedly popular, that just tires you out.