Eclipse (1977

Eclipse (1977) BFI Flipside BluRay BFIB1538 (Rated 18)

Available now on BluRay, BFI Flipside’s latest find, a tale of twin sibling rivalry, displacement and transference, all set in a remote coastal location in the north of Scotland. Simon Perry keeps a steady hand on the directorial tiller.

Our story opens with in a Sheriff’s court hearing where bereaved brother Tom (Tom Conti) is recounting the events of when he and twin brother Geoffrey (Tom, again) took their small boat out on to the sea to observe the lunar eclipse. Geoffrey’s widow Cleo (Gay Hamilton) looks on as Tom begins his halting, emotional story of the boat going out of control and his twin being swept off and into the water during the lunar light’s blackout. At this significant moment, Tom cannot recall what caused Geoffrey to fall in, but his heartfelt account is accepted and the Sheriff finds for accidental death. 

Tom visits Cleo and her son Giles (Gavin Wallace) for Christmas bearing all the usual trappings, including turkey and presents and finds himself in a rambling, shabby chic house with all the usual comforts but little seasonal joy. The number of half-drunk bottles of gin about the place bear testament to Cleo’s descent into alcoholism and the untidy rooms to her inquisitive son’s freedom. 

Cleo’s moods shift from blank eyed resignation to barely contained anger and outspoken rage as she reveals that she always felt there to be a barrier between herself and Geoffrey, specifically Geoffrey and Tom’s special, almost telepathic relationship. Geoffrey, a thoughtful man, is more able to talk dispassionately about his feelings, forever the younger, less worldly twin, always in his brother’s shadow. He finds the nude of Geoffrey, painted by Cleo, hanging on the living room wall particularly uncomfortable to be around, and tells her so.

The disastrous Christmas lunch and joyless unwrapping of presents casts a pall over the whole day, as Cleo, having bought Tom an academic book for his delectation, finds that he has bought her the kind of beautiful, multi-coloured dress she wears so well, and Giles, a train set any boy would love to bits. Cleo’s acute embarrassment at the imbalance here leads to more arguments and more self-medication by Cleo. Tom drinks with her more in solidarity than desire.

As an atmospheric, virtual two-hander ‘Eclipse’ works very well, evoking the isolation and chill of the Scottish north and the sense of loss, even abandonment felt by Cleo. Cleo even asks Tom is he killed his twin, a conversation hard to imagine taking place under any other circumstances. Tom’s survivor guilt is acute, and his sense of loss is mixed with a feeling that he could all too easily step into his twin’s shoes, life and marital bed.

This wouldn’t be a Flipside release if there wasn’t at least a sense of the supernatural about it, and a figure seen in the distance atop the lighthouse provides a momentary distraction. Cleo’s rush into the sea, fully clothed in a Celtic design dress, is a rare display of what must have once been her old self, before Geoffrey, before relocation, before any of this.

‘Eclipse’ is an inexplicably ignored film from a pivotal year in this country’s history and needs to be seen. The Blu Ray disk has a short interview with Tom Conti about the film, the 2025 trailer, some of the most fondly remembered public information films on the theme of danger on the water (yes, that one is here!) image gallery and more besides.

Scenester
18/5/25

Trailer: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3fvaPpBfDsw

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