The Passion of Darkly Noon **** (1995, Brendan Fraser, Ashley Judd, Viggo Mortensen) – Classic Movie Review 732

Clever British writer-director Philip Ridley’s 1996 mystery thriller is a real eye-opener. Brendan Fraser stars as Darkly Noon, a handsome young man with a strict religious background, who is found ailing and exhausted in the American Deep South woods and rescued by truck driver Jude (Loren Dean). He takes Darkly to the forest house of sexy young Callie (Ashley Judd), who nurses Darkly back to health.

But, on recovering, Darkly Noon’s rising passion is troubled by his upbringing, the death of his strictly religious parents, his own strict beliefs and the fact that Callie is already involved with Clay (Viggo Mortensen), currently away in the forest. Nevertheless, Darkly develops a sexual obsession for Callie. So, when Clay returns and Darkly sees the two lovers kiss and hears them making love, madness starts.

It is imaginative, startling, clever stuff from the writer of The Krays (1990), Ridley, who’s good at finding ways to disturb you.

The acting of the special young star trio, all on their way to bigger if not always necessarily always better things, is impeccable.

Although set in the American Deep South, it was filmed in Germany.

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© Derek Winnert 2014 Classic Movie Review 732

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