Heart

Synopsis

Maria is found in a graveyard, covered in blood and with a human heart in a bag. She begins to tell the police what has happened...





Maria takes us back to an argument between Gary, a successful, working class business man, and his wife Tess, a television producer. Gary has followed Tess to a house where he believes she is sleeping with a writer, Alex. Fuelled by obsessive jealousy, Gary's repressed anger triggers a violent heart attack. He survives but is forced into a wheelchair. Tess takes the opportunity to start a sexually driven passionate affair with Alex.





A desperate Gary still wants to win Tess back and believes a heart transplant can save his marriage. Tragedy offers him hope when a 17 year old, Sean, is killed in a road accident caused by Nicola Farmer, high on cocaine. Sean's mother, Maria, agrees to allow his heart to be transplanted and Gary is the recipient. Tess walks away from the fantastic sex she is having with Alex to be with Gary.





As Gary regains his strength and tries to repair his marriage, Maria is left alone with her grief and her memories.





After confronting Alex and being humiliated at gunpoint, Gary goes looking for the source of the heart that is driving him and he traces Maria. Meeting Gary gives Maria's life meaning again. Gary takes all the information he needs but when he thinks he can walk out of her life Maria proves to be difficult. Tess tries to get rid of Maria but by now Gary trusts Maria more than he trusts Tess.





Desperate to confront Alex, Gary accidentally kills Tess, before murdering Alex and ending his own life.





A distraught Maria takes back Sean's heart from Gary and tries to return it to her son's grave. Caught by the police, she falsely confesses to murdering Gary, Tess and Alex.

Details

Year

1998

Type of film

Features

Running Time

85 mins

Format

35mm Kodak

Director

Charles McDougall

Producer

Pippa Cross

Executive Producer

Pippa Cross

Director of Photography

Julian Court

Principal Cast

Christopher Eccleston, Saskia Reeves, Kate Hardie and Bill Paterson

Screen Writer

Jimmy McGovern

Genre

Production status

Complete

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Last updated 26th November 2005