Diamond Skulls ** (1989, Gabriel Byrne, Amanda Donohoe, Struan Rodger) – Classic Movie Review 11,050

‘The jealousy inside a man’s heart can be the deadliest weapon of all.’

Director Nicholas Broomfield’s 1989 British thriller Diamond Skulls [Dark Obsession] stars Gabriel Byrne as British peer of the realm Lord Hugo Bruckton, who kills a woman in a hit and run car accident on a drunken night out with his old army mates and there follows a determined cover-up by his aristocratic family and friends.

What starts as an essay on class turns into a study of a man disintegrating through an obsession with his wife Ginny Bruckton (Amanda Donohoe)’s infidelity.

Director Broomfield spices things up with lashings of sex, loud music and jazzy camerawork, but there is more commendable ambition than actual achievement on show on screen, though the film remains interesting and watchable, not least in part thanks to the excellent performances of Byrne of Donohoe.

Adult content, with strong sex, sensuality and strong language. It had a UK 18 certificate and an R certificate in the US for its edited version.

Also in the classy cast are Michael Hordern, Judy Parfitt, Douglas Hodge, Sadie Frost, Ian Carmichael, Struan Rodger, Peter Sands, David Delve, Ralph Brown, Alexander Clempson, Catherine Livesey, Matthew Marsh, William Hoyland, Phyllida Hewat and Edward Burnham.

Diamond Skulls [Dark Obsession] is directed by Nicholas Broomfield, runs 87 minutes, is made by Film Four International, British Screen Productions, Working Title Films, British Screen Finance and Channel 4 Television Company, is released by Virgin Vision (1990) (UK) and Circle Films (1991) (US), is written by Tim Rose Price, is shot by Michael Coultier (Technicolor), is produced by Tim Bevan, is scored by Hans Zimmer and is designed by Jocelyn James.

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,050

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