Secret Places

For the books, see Bruce Kershner.

Secret Places
U.S theatrical release poster
Directed by	Zelda Barron
Written by	Zelda Barron
Based on	novel by Janice Elliott
Produced by	Simon Relph Ann Skinner Al Clark
Starring	Marie Theres Relin Tara MacGowran Claudine Auger Jenny Agutter
Cinematography	Peter MacDonald
Edited by	Laurence Méry-Clarl
Music by	Michel Legrand
Production companies	Skreba Films Rank Film Distributors Ltd Virgin Films
Distributed by	Rank Film Distributors Ltd
Release date	11 May 1984 (1984-05-11)
Running time	98 minutes
Country	United Kingdom
Language	English
Budget	£1.25 million [1]

Secret Places is a 1984 British drama film directed by Zelda Barron and starring Marie Theres Relin, Tara MacGowran, Claudine Auger and Jenny Agutter. ^[2] It was based on a novel by Janice Elliott. It was one of the most popular films shown at the 1984 Toronto International Film Festival. ^[3]

Plot

The film, which takes place during the Second World War, tells the story of a German refugee girl sent to an English boarding school, where she bonds with an English girl.

Cast

• Marie Theres Relin as Laura Meister
• Tara MacGowran as Patience
• Claudine Auger as Sophie Meister
• Jenny Agutter as Miss Lowrie
• Cassie Stuart as Nina
• Ann-Marie Gwatkin as Rose
• Pippa Hinchley as Barbara
• Sylvia Coleridge as Miss Trott
• Klaus Barner as Dr. Meister
• Rosemary Martin as Mrs. MacKenzie
• Amanda Grinling as Miss Winterton
• Veronica Clifford as Miss Mallard
• Adam Richardson as Stephen
• Zoe Caryl as Junior
• Erika Spotswood as Valerie
• Bill Ward as Mr. Watts
• Rosamund Greenwood as Hannah
• Maurice O'Connell as Police sergeant
• Margaret Lacey as Mrs. Burgess
• Marissa Dunlop as Little girl
• Mike Heywood as Soldier in train
• Andrew Byatt as Soldier in train
• Tony London as Cockney soldier
• Georgia Slowe as Cordelia
• John Henson as Jack
• Robert Kelly as Gerald
• Paul Ambrose as David
• Francisco Morales as Carlo
• Stewart Guidotti as Alfredo
• Mark Lewis as Dino
• Jessica Walter as Girl #1 in art room
• Sian Dunlop as Girl #2 in art room
• Alan Berry as Dr. Parrish
• Lala Lloyd as Nurse
• John Segal as Al

Production

Zelda Barron was a top script supervisor and production assistant who had worked on movies such as Reds and Yentl. She formed a company, Skreba Productions, which she co-founded with Simon Relph and Ann Skinner, using the first two letters of their surnames for the title. After making Return of the Soldier, they optioned a novel, Secret Places by Janice Elliot and Barron wrote the script. ^[4]

Initial development funds were provided by Virgin Films. The budget was raised by the National Film Finance Corporation, Rank, and Rediffusion. Filming started August 1983. ^{[1] [5]}

References

1. "Zelda gets a break". Southern Daily Echo. 28 July 1984. p. 18.
2. BFI.org
3. Fred Haeseker (9/13/1984). "Polished British Film Likely Festival Favorite". The Calgary Herald .
4. Blandford, Linda (8 May 1985). "She was the one who was always there". The Guardian. p. 12.
5. Vagg, Stephen (11 September 2025). "Forgotten British Film Studios: The Rank Organisation 1982-1997". Filmink. Retrieved 11 September 2025.

External links

• Secret Places at IMDb