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The Queen of Sheba's pearls - Helena Bergström, Lorcan Cranitch, Lindsay Duncan, Tim Dutton, Colin Nutley

Threat advisory: High - High risk of entertaining activities

Movie propaganda

Set in the heady post-war England of the 50s, The Queen of Sheba's pearls tells the story of young Jack following the inexplicable death of his beloved mother Emily on his 8th birthday. On the same day in 1952, Jack reaches his 16th year, the King dies, and as he celebrates his birthday surrounded by his extended family, a stranger appears at the door whose appearance bears a startling resemblance to his dead mother and whose presence would turn Jack's world upside down (and that of his family), repeatedly raising the question "Is there life after death?"

Theatrical propaganda posters

Target demographic movie keyword propaganda

Film UK 1950s England Sweden illegitimate daughter family shame

Persons of interest

Helena Bergström .... Nancy Ackerman, Emily Bradley
Lorcan Cranitch .... Harold Bradley
Lindsay Duncan .... Audrey Pretty
Tim Dutton .... Father Talbot
Rolf Lassgård .... Deafy
Natasha Little .... Peggy Pretty
Elizabeth Spriggs .... Laura Pretty
Peter Vaughan .... Edward Pretty
Rollo Weeks .... Jack Bradley
Eileen Atkins .... School matron
Colin Nutley .... Screenwriter
Colin Nutley .... Director

Cinematic intelligence sources

Queen of Sheba's pearls official movie site
Queen of Sheba's pearls film production notes
The Queen of Sheba's pearls QuickTime movie trailers:

Small * Medium * Large

Awards and film festivals:

Guldbagge Awards 2005: Won: Best Achievement (Lasse Liljeholm, Eddie Axberg - For the sound), Best Cinematography (Jens Fischer)

NB: English and Swedish language dialogue with English language subtitles
See also Intimate relations, Wondrous oblivion
Studios and distributors:

Rialto Entertainment

Intelligence analyst

Special Agent Matti

Theatrical report

The Queen of Sheba's pearls is a lovely, small film about small people living small lives but still being overwhelmed by them.

Like Ladies in lavender, world-shattering events are distant things, irrelevant to daily life, yet the tragedies they engender are beyond living and the secrets they expose are beyond surviving.

Helena Bergström is great in the dual role of Nancy and Emily. Emily is full of love and life, completely happy, completely fulfilled. Nancy is stark, depressed, troubled, haunted by the knowledge that she is missing out on the most significant relationship in her life. The contrast is exquisite.

Meanwhile, Rollo Weeks has grown up a lot since I saw him last in The little vampire I knew that he was good but in The Queen of Sheba's pearls he takes that talent to another level. He presents one of the most sympathetic characters I have ever seen. And he's hot: if he goes to Hollywood there'll be a slew of teen romantic comedies with his name on them. And if he had any more plums in his mouth he'd be a bloody plum tree.