Beautiful Kate
| Beautiful Kate | |
|---|---|
Theatrical film poster
|
|
| Directed by | Rachel Ward |
| Produced by |
|
| Screenplay by | Rachel Ward |
| Based on |
Beautiful Kate by Newton Thornburg |
| Starring |
|
| Music by | |
| Cinematography | Andrew Commis |
| Edited by | Veronika Jenet |
| Distributed by | Roadshow Entertainment |
|
Release date
|
|
|
Running time
|
101 minutes |
| Country | Australia |
| Language | English |
| Box office | $1 million |
Beautiful Kate is a 2009 Australian drama film directed by Rachel Ward and starring Ben Mendelsohn, Rachel Griffiths, Bryan Brown, Maeve Dermody and Sophie Lowe. 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.
A writer, Ned Kendall (Ben Mendelsohn), is returning to the remote and isolated family home inhabited by his sister Sally (Rachel Griffiths), to say goodbye to his father, Bruce (Bryan Brown), who is dying. Ned also brings his fiancee, Toni (Maeve Dermody), who has trouble getting used to the isolation and harshness of rural Australia.
Ned starts reliving memories of his childhood, many involving his beautiful twin sister Kate (Sophie Lowe) and his older brother Cliff (Josh McFarlane). These memories awaken long-buried secrets from the family's past. He begins writing, and his fiance reads that he had an awkward sexual encounter with Kate, and leaves him without giving him a chance to explain.
Kate continues to entice Ned despite his obvious revulsion, and after a drunken night out with friends, the young Ned (Scott O'Donnell) 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, and then finds that Cliff has hanged himself.
...
Wikipedia