Secret People (film)
| Secret People | |
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Original UK poster
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| Directed by | Thorold Dickinson |
| Produced by | Sidney Cole |
| Written by |
Thorold Dickinson Wolfgang Wilhelm Joyce Cary Christianna Brand |
| Starring |
Audrey Hepburn Valentina Cortese Serge Reggiani Charles Goldner |
| Music by | Roberto Gerhard |
| Cinematography | Gordon Dines |
| Edited by | Peter Tanner |
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Production
company |
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| Distributed by | General Film Distributors |
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Release date
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Running time
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96 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Secret People is a 1952 British drama film, directed by Thorold Dickinson and produced by Sidney Cole for Ealing Studios, with a screenplay from Thorold Dickinson, Wolfgang Wilhelm, Joyce Carey and Christianna Brand. Secret People stars Valentina Cortese, Serge Reggiani and Audrey Hepburn and premiered in the U.K. on 8 February 1952. The film provided Audrey Hepburn with her first significant film role, leading to her big breakthrough.
In 1930, Maria Brentano (Valentina Cortese) and her younger sister Nora (Audrey Hepburn) flee to London as their father is about to be executed by his country's dictator. Seven years later, Maria unexpectedly meets Louis (Serge Reggiani), her childhood sweetheart, who is engaged in a plot to assassinate the dictator. Maria is persuaded to play an active part in the plan, but it all goes horribly wrong when the bomb they plant kills an innocent waitress, causing Maria much distress.
The film provided Audrey Hepburn with her first significant film role, leading to her big breakthrough in Roman Holiday: on 18 September 1951, shortly after Secret People was finished but before its premiere, Thorold Dickinson made a screen test with the young starlet and sent it to director William Wyler, who was in Rome preparing Roman Holiday. He wrote a glowing note of thanks to Dickinson, saying that "as a result of the test, a number of the producers at Paramount have expressed interest in casting her."
Although finished before August 1951 (the film was screened by the BBFC censors on 7 August 1951), it didn't premiere at Odeon Leicester Square in London until 8 February 1952.
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