Do you want to see ‘Secret Ceremony’?

Secret Ceremony (1968)

tomatometer

All Critics
Top Critics

Average Rating: 5.8/10
Reviews Counted: 10
Fresh: 5 | Rotten: 5

No consensus yet.

No Score Yet...

Average Rating: N/A
Critic Reviews: 4
Fresh: 2 | Rotten: 2

audience

liked it
Average Rating: 3.2/5
User Ratings: 434

My Rating

Added to your Facebook Timeline. — undo

Movie Info

Secret Ceremony was based on a prize-winning short story by Argentine civil servant Marco Denevi. Elizabeth Taylor plays Leonora, an aging prostitute who becomes convinced that Cenci (Mia Farrow) is her daughter -- who supposedly died in infancy. Cenci knows that she is in fact Leonora's niece, but Leonora will not be dissuaded in her illusion that their blood ties are stronger. Albert (Robert Mitchum), Cenci's incestuous stepfather, enters the scene, laying the groundwork for a near-orgy of

R, 1 hr. 49 min.

Drama

Directed By: Joseph Losey

Written By: Marco Denevi, George Tabori

In Theaters: Oct 23, 1968 Limited

Universal Pictures

Cast

Elizabeth Taylor
Leonora
Mia Farrow
Cenci
Robert Mitchum
Albert
Peggy Ashcroft
Hannah
Pamela Brown
Hilda
Robert Douglas
Sir Alex Gordon
Michael Strong
Dr. Walter Stevens

Critic Reviews for Secret Ceremony

All Critics (10) | Top Critics (4) | Fresh (5) | Rotten (5) | DVD (1)

Losey has shown skill at conjuring up corruption and terror. Here he is undone by his scenarist, George Tabori, who attempts a ghostly esthetic melodrama in the style of Henry James.

March 23, 2011 Full Review Source: TIME Magazine

| Comment

TIME Magazine

Top Critic

Moody, leisurely developed and handsomely produced.

July 22, 2008 Full Review Source: Variety

| Comment

Variety Staff

Variety

Top Critic

Joseph Losey's best film in years.

May 9, 2005 Full Review Source: New York Times

| Comment

Renata Adler

New York Times

Top Critic

If there's a secret, director Joseph Losey isn't letting the audience in on it.

January 1, 2000 Full Review Source: Chicago Reader

| Comment

Dave Kehr

Chicago Reader

Top Critic

A murky, moody psychological scare story with more holes than a Swiss cheese.

March 23, 2011 Full Review Source: TV Guide's Movie Guide

| Comment

TV Guide's Movie Guide

A trance

April 1, 2010 Full Review Source: CinePassion

| Comment

Fernando F. Croce

CinePassion

Losey's mannered direction, somehow entirely appropriate, makes for a memorable film.

February 9, 2006 Full Review Source: Time Out

| Comment

Time Out

Strangely fascinating.

June 20, 2004 Full Review Source: Ozus' World Movie Reviews

| Comment

Dennis Schwartz

Ozus' World Movie Reviews

Odd that Losey should make his two overly baroque disasters in the same year, first Boom! then this marginally less pretentious work.

May 24, 2003 Full Review Source: Film4

| Comment

Film4

More Critic Reviews

Audience Reviews for Secret Ceremony

View All

Now this--THIS--is a weird movie.

April 3, 2011

Rain Jokinen

Wednesday, March 23, 2011 (1968) Secret Ceremony PSYCOLOGICAL HORROR Gothic horror film which involves young wealthy aimless heiress(Mia Farrow) getting involved with a much older prostitute (Elizabeth Taylor) who thinks is her long lost mother! Robert Mitchum also stars as the actual neglected father! The

March 23, 2011

Dave Jordon

Secret Ceremony Quotes

View All

No quotes approved yet for Secret Ceremony. Logged in users can submit quotes.

Character	Quote
	Enter quote here...	Delete

Movies

Opening

59%	Star Wars: Episode I - The Phantom Menace (in 3D)	Feb 10
30%	The Vow	Feb 10
52%	Safe House	Feb 10

More…

Top Box Office

85%	Chronicle	$22.0M
64%	The Woman in Black	$20.9M
77%	The Grey	$9.3M
72%	Big Miracle	$7.8M
29%	Underworld Awakening	$5.5M
2%	One for the Money	$5.2M
36%	Red Tails	$4.7M
90%	The Descendants	$4.6M
32%	Man on a Ledge	$4.4M
45%	Extremely Loud & Incredibly Close	$3.8M