Goodbye Gemini
Encyclopedia
Goodbye Gemini is a 1970
thriller directed by Alan Gibson from the novel Ask Agamemnon by Jenni Hall.
on Spring break
, and their father is in Mexico
on business. The twins quickly set about mindlessly indulging themselves in the pleasures afforded to them by their father's estate, much to the chagrin of their put-upon housekeeper, Mrs. McLaren. When Mrs. McLaren threatens to upset their carefree life by imposing order upon it, they trip her down the stairs and stage it as an accident.
Now free of "adult" supervision, Jacki and Julian launch themselves into London's underground party scene, clubbing
at strip bars, accompanied by Jacki's teddy bear
, Agamemnon, whom the twins address as a father figure. At one such club the pair encounter Clive, a small-time pimp
who makes his way in the world by ingratiating himself with the wealthy and well-connected. Clive quickly endears himself to Jacki, while Clive's sometimes girlfriend Denise attempts to befriend Jules—who himself rebuffs her advances in the hopes that Jacki will someday reciprocate his incest
uous feelings for her. The foursome while away their days clubbing and playing games, as Clive attempts to hide out from Rod Barstowe, a gangster
to whom he owes several hundred quid
for a gambling debt. Meanwhile, Julian becomes more introverted and aggressive, as he sees Clive posing a threat to bond that he shares with Jacki. After Jacki once again rebuffs his advances, Julian goes out for a night with Clive. Seeing an opportunity to make the money for his debt to Rod Barstowe, Clive plies Julian with whiskey and marijuana and convinces him to accompany him to a brothel
. The brothel turns out to be a room in an old hotel where Clive sometimes keeps his "Circus"-- transvestites who work as prostitutes for Clive. On Clive's orders, two of the prostitutes, Audrey and Myra, beat and anally rape Julian while Clive takes photos.
Clive keeps quiet about the rape, and he, Julian, Jacki, and Denise resume their activities as Clive contemplates which of the siblings to approach with the photos in a blackmail
attempt. He is forced to rush his plans when Barstowe finally tracks him down and issues an ultimatum for the payment of his debt. One evening at Julian and Jacki's house, Clive sends Jacki and Denise out, after which he beats Julian and forces him to look at photos of the rape. As Clive demands that Julian pay off the debt in exchange for Clive keeping the photos a secret from Jacki, Denise informs Jacki of Clive's plan, telling her that he's done this before—and that if Julian can't come up with the money, Clive will force him into his "Circus." That night, Jacki comforts Julian, telling him that she knows what happened and that their relationship hasn't changed.
The next night, the twins bet a drunken Clive a bottle of whiskey that he can't tell the two of them apart. They ask Clive to leave the room, and then rearrange their father's parlor into a shrine, positioning Agamemnon between a pair of lit candles and draping themselves in robes made from bedsheets. The twins then blindfold Clive and position him in a chair set up before Agamemnon. When he hesitates in identifying them properly, the twins stab him to death with Jacki's antique Tantō
. In the process of Clive's murder, Agamemnon is cut in half; the combined sight of Clive's blood splattered on her and Agamemnon's severed body causes Jacki to suffer a nervous breakdown
and she flees, leaving Julian behind.
Jacki is discovered semi-catatonic on a dock by London politician James Harrington-Smith, who recognizes her from a party that they both attended. He takes her in, thinking that she's suffering the after-effects from a wild night out. In the middle of the night, a dazed Jacki wanders out of the flat and hails a cab, thinking she's going home. At her father's house, she discovers Clive's body and Agamemnon's shredded remnants and runs screaming from the home. The nearby cab driver, alerted by her screams, runs into the house. Discovering Clive's body, he phones the police, and the next day a manhunt for the twins is in full force.
Jacki returns to James' house and the two have sex. James believes her when she says she has no memory of the events surrounding Clive's death, but after lying to the police about her whereabouts, tells her that she'll need to find Julian to clear her own name. Her memory jarred by a trip around London to their favorite places and by a display of teddy bears identical to Agamemnon, Jacki figures out that Julian would have gone to hide the last place anyone would think he'd gone—the hotel room where he was raped. Jacki gives James the address, telling him to call the police if she isn't back within the hour. Arriving at the hotel room, Jacki finds Julian, whose mental state is rapidly deteriorating. He blames her for his rape and for Clive's death, saying that if she'd believed in the uniqueness of their relationship and paid him the attention he deserves, he'd never have gotten despondent enough to have gone out with Clive. Jacki apologizes and reinforces their special bond, then attempts to tell him that she has to go get supplies to abet their flight from London—reluctant to tell Julian that she's going to stop James from calling the police. Believing that she intends to abandon him, Julian becomes enraged and strangles Jacki. Meanwhile, afraid that he'll face consequences for lying to the police, James ignores Jacki's request to call the authorities and spends the rest of the evening drinking alone in his flat.
Back at the hotel, a distraught Julian blows out the pilot light
on the room's heating system and then loosens the gas valve, resulting in a carbon monoxide
leak. He seals the room's exits with towels, gathers Jacki in his arms, and lay on the floor cradling her until he succumbs to carbon monoxide poisoning
.
, providing, per producer Peter Snell and star Judy Geeson in an audio commentary recorded in 2009, a snapshot of the London club scene as it existed at the time. At the time of filming, Geeson had recently achieved star status for her role in the successful To Sir With Love with Sidney Poitier; Sir Michael Redgrave, conversely, was nearing the end of a celebrated career, as he had recently been diagnosed with the Parkinson's Disease
of which he would ultimately die; Redgrave would make only four more screen appearances following Gemini.
The film makes significant divergences from the book, which was highly experimental
in nature and involved the use of dream and fantasy sequences written in the style of a Greek tragedy, during which Agamemnon comes to life and interacts with Jacki. Most notably, the film presents the story in chronological order, whereas the book takes place within the frame narrative of an amnesiac Jacki slowly piecing together the events leading up to Clive's death as she convalesces at James' house. The film also places added emphasis on the incestuous undercurrent between Jacki and Julian's relationship, while the book focuses more on Jacki's budding relationship with James and her conflicted feelings about Clive. At the climax, James phones the police, resulting in a strike team laying siege to Julian's hotel room and arresting him before he can harm Jacki. The story ends with Jacki breaking from a fantasy encounter with a wounded but recovering Agamemnon to find James checking in on her.
, is a particularly fine period piece with wistfully autumnal instrumentals, mod party background music and quirky but melancholic songs by the likes of The Peddlers
, Jackie Lee
and Peter Lee Stirling (aka Daniel Boone
). The original soundtrack issued in 1970 on DJM Records had become a sought after collector's item in recent years until it was reissued on CD by Harkit Records in 2005.
1970 in film
The year 1970 in film involved some significant events.-Events:* January 9 - Larry Fine, the second member of The Three Stooges, suffers a massive stroke, therefore ending his career....
thriller directed by Alan Gibson from the novel Ask Agamemnon by Jenni Hall.
Plot
Jacki (Geeson) and Julian (Potter) Dewar, a pair of fraternal twins, arrive via bus to London; they are home from universityUniversity
A university is an institution of higher education and research, which grants academic degrees in a variety of subjects. A university is an organisation that provides both undergraduate education and postgraduate education...
on Spring break
Spring break
Spring break – also known as March break, Study week or Reading week in the United Kingdom and some parts of Canada – is a recess in early spring at universities and schools in the United States, Canada, mainland China, Korea, Japan, Taiwan, Mexico, the Dominican Republic, the United...
, and their father is in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
on business. The twins quickly set about mindlessly indulging themselves in the pleasures afforded to them by their father's estate, much to the chagrin of their put-upon housekeeper, Mrs. McLaren. When Mrs. McLaren threatens to upset their carefree life by imposing order upon it, they trip her down the stairs and stage it as an accident.
Now free of "adult" supervision, Jacki and Julian launch themselves into London's underground party scene, clubbing
Nightclub
A nightclub is an entertainment venue which usually operates late into the night...
at strip bars, accompanied by Jacki's teddy bear
Teddy bear
The teddy bear is a stuffed toy bear. They are usually stuffed with soft, white cotton and have smooth and soft fur. It is an enduring form of a stuffed animal in many countries, often serving the purpose of entertaining children. In recent times, some teddy bears have become collector's items...
, Agamemnon, whom the twins address as a father figure. At one such club the pair encounter Clive, a small-time pimp
Pimp
A pimp is an agent for prostitutes who collects part of their earnings. The pimp may receive this money in return for advertising services, physical protection, or for providing a location where she may engage clients...
who makes his way in the world by ingratiating himself with the wealthy and well-connected. Clive quickly endears himself to Jacki, while Clive's sometimes girlfriend Denise attempts to befriend Jules—who himself rebuffs her advances in the hopes that Jacki will someday reciprocate his incest
Incest
Incest is sexual intercourse between close relatives that is usually illegal in the jurisdiction where it takes place and/or is conventionally considered a taboo. The term may apply to sexual activities between: individuals of close "blood relationship"; members of the same household; step...
uous feelings for her. The foursome while away their days clubbing and playing games, as Clive attempts to hide out from Rod Barstowe, a gangster
Gangster
A gangster is a criminal who is a member of a gang. Some gangs are considered to be part of organized crime. Gangsters are also called mobsters, a term derived from mob and the suffix -ster....
to whom he owes several hundred quid
Pound sterling
The pound sterling , commonly called the pound, is the official currency of the United Kingdom, its Crown Dependencies and the British Overseas Territories of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, British Antarctic Territory and Tristan da Cunha. It is subdivided into 100 pence...
for a gambling debt. Meanwhile, Julian becomes more introverted and aggressive, as he sees Clive posing a threat to bond that he shares with Jacki. After Jacki once again rebuffs his advances, Julian goes out for a night with Clive. Seeing an opportunity to make the money for his debt to Rod Barstowe, Clive plies Julian with whiskey and marijuana and convinces him to accompany him to a brothel
Brothel
Brothels are business establishments where patrons can engage in sexual activities with prostitutes. Brothels are known under a variety of names, including bordello, cathouse, knocking shop, whorehouse, strumpet house, sporting house, house of ill repute, house of prostitution, and bawdy house...
. The brothel turns out to be a room in an old hotel where Clive sometimes keeps his "Circus"-- transvestites who work as prostitutes for Clive. On Clive's orders, two of the prostitutes, Audrey and Myra, beat and anally rape Julian while Clive takes photos.
Clive keeps quiet about the rape, and he, Julian, Jacki, and Denise resume their activities as Clive contemplates which of the siblings to approach with the photos in a blackmail
Blackmail
In common usage, blackmail is a crime involving threats to reveal substantially true or false information about a person to the public, a family member, or associates unless a demand is met. It may be defined as coercion involving threats of physical harm, threat of criminal prosecution, or threats...
attempt. He is forced to rush his plans when Barstowe finally tracks him down and issues an ultimatum for the payment of his debt. One evening at Julian and Jacki's house, Clive sends Jacki and Denise out, after which he beats Julian and forces him to look at photos of the rape. As Clive demands that Julian pay off the debt in exchange for Clive keeping the photos a secret from Jacki, Denise informs Jacki of Clive's plan, telling her that he's done this before—and that if Julian can't come up with the money, Clive will force him into his "Circus." That night, Jacki comforts Julian, telling him that she knows what happened and that their relationship hasn't changed.
The next night, the twins bet a drunken Clive a bottle of whiskey that he can't tell the two of them apart. They ask Clive to leave the room, and then rearrange their father's parlor into a shrine, positioning Agamemnon between a pair of lit candles and draping themselves in robes made from bedsheets. The twins then blindfold Clive and position him in a chair set up before Agamemnon. When he hesitates in identifying them properly, the twins stab him to death with Jacki's antique Tantō
Tanto
A is one of the traditional Japanese swords that were worn by the samurai class of feudal Japan. The tantō dates to the Heian period, when it was mainly used as a weapon but evolved in design over the years to become more ornate...
. In the process of Clive's murder, Agamemnon is cut in half; the combined sight of Clive's blood splattered on her and Agamemnon's severed body causes Jacki to suffer a nervous breakdown
Nervous breakdown
Mental breakdown is a non-medical term used to describe an acute, time-limited phase of a specific disorder that presents primarily with features of depression or anxiety.-Definition:...
and she flees, leaving Julian behind.
Jacki is discovered semi-catatonic on a dock by London politician James Harrington-Smith, who recognizes her from a party that they both attended. He takes her in, thinking that she's suffering the after-effects from a wild night out. In the middle of the night, a dazed Jacki wanders out of the flat and hails a cab, thinking she's going home. At her father's house, she discovers Clive's body and Agamemnon's shredded remnants and runs screaming from the home. The nearby cab driver, alerted by her screams, runs into the house. Discovering Clive's body, he phones the police, and the next day a manhunt for the twins is in full force.
Jacki returns to James' house and the two have sex. James believes her when she says she has no memory of the events surrounding Clive's death, but after lying to the police about her whereabouts, tells her that she'll need to find Julian to clear her own name. Her memory jarred by a trip around London to their favorite places and by a display of teddy bears identical to Agamemnon, Jacki figures out that Julian would have gone to hide the last place anyone would think he'd gone—the hotel room where he was raped. Jacki gives James the address, telling him to call the police if she isn't back within the hour. Arriving at the hotel room, Jacki finds Julian, whose mental state is rapidly deteriorating. He blames her for his rape and for Clive's death, saying that if she'd believed in the uniqueness of their relationship and paid him the attention he deserves, he'd never have gotten despondent enough to have gone out with Clive. Jacki apologizes and reinforces their special bond, then attempts to tell him that she has to go get supplies to abet their flight from London—reluctant to tell Julian that she's going to stop James from calling the police. Believing that she intends to abandon him, Julian becomes enraged and strangles Jacki. Meanwhile, afraid that he'll face consequences for lying to the police, James ignores Jacki's request to call the authorities and spends the rest of the evening drinking alone in his flat.
Back at the hotel, a distraught Julian blows out the pilot light
Pilot light
thumb|right|Merker gas fired water heater from the 1930's, with pilot light clearly visible through the aperture in the front cover. The large opening allowed for the manual lighting of the pilot light by a lit match or taper...
on the room's heating system and then loosens the gas valve, resulting in a carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide
Carbon monoxide , also called carbonous oxide, is a colorless, odorless, and tasteless gas that is slightly lighter than air. It is highly toxic to humans and animals in higher quantities, although it is also produced in normal animal metabolism in low quantities, and is thought to have some normal...
leak. He seals the room's exits with towels, gathers Jacki in his arms, and lay on the floor cradling her until he succumbs to carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning
Carbon monoxide poisoning occurs after enough inhalation of carbon monoxide . Carbon monoxide is a toxic gas, but, being colorless, odorless, tasteless, and initially non-irritating, it is very difficult for people to detect...
.
Cast
- Judy GeesonJudy GeesonJudith Amanda "Judy" Geeson is an English actor.-Early life:Geeson was born in Arundel, Sussex, England on 10 September 1948. She came from a middle class family; her father edited the National Coal Board magazine. Her sister, Sally Geeson, is also an actress and is known for her roles in British...
as Jacki - Martin PotterMartin Potter (actor)Martin Potter is a British actor.After the National Youth Theatre and repertory theatre in Guildford and Hampstead, Potter received his first role in British television at the age of 24 in the television drama The Bonegrinder written by Dennis Potter...
as Julian - Michael RedgraveMichael RedgraveSir Michael Scudamore Redgrave, CBE was an English stage and film actor, director, manager and author.-Youth and education:...
as James Harrington-Smith - Alexis KannerAlexis KannerAlexis Kanner was a French-born Anglo Canadian actor, most notable for appearing in the ground-breaking TV series The Prisoner....
as Clive Landseer - Mike Pratt as Rod Barstowe
- Marion Diamond as Denise Pryce-Fletcher
- Freddie JonesFreddie JonesFrederick Charles "Freddie" Jones is an English character actor.Jones was born in the town of Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Staffordshire, the son of Ida Elizabeth and Charles Edward Jones. He became an actor after ten years of working as a laboratory assistant with a firm making ceramic products,...
as David Curry - Peter JeffreyPeter JeffreyPeter Jeffrey was a British actor with many roles in television and film.Jeffrey was born in Bristol, the son of Florence Alice and Arthur Winfred Gilbert Jeffrey. He was educated at Harrow School and Pembroke College, Cambridge but had no formal training as an actor...
as Detective Inspector Kingsley - Terry ScullyTerry ScullyTerry Scully was a British theatre and television actor.After making his name in the theatre, from the 1960s onwards he became more known for TV work...
as Nigel Garfield - Daphne HeardDaphne HeardDaphne Heard was an English actress. She was born in Plymouth, Devon.She had a long and distinguished career on the stage, especially in classical roles, but was perhaps best known to the general public in latter years as "Mrs...
as Mrs. McLaren - Laurence Hardy as Minister
- Joseph FurstJoseph FurstJoseph Fürst was an Austrian international film and television actor known for his English language roles....
as Georgiu - Brian WildeBrian WildeBrian George Wilde was an English actor, best known for his roles in television comedy, including Mr Barrowclough in Porridge and "Foggy" Dewhurst in Last of the Summer Wine...
as Taxi Driver - Ricky Renée as Myra
- Barry ScottBarry ScottBarry Scott is an American DJ, author and voice artist.For over 25 years Barry Scott has hosted the radio show The Lost 45s, which features Top 40 charted records from the late 1960s to the late 1980s....
as Audrey
Production
The film was shot on location in LondonLondon
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
, providing, per producer Peter Snell and star Judy Geeson in an audio commentary recorded in 2009, a snapshot of the London club scene as it existed at the time. At the time of filming, Geeson had recently achieved star status for her role in the successful To Sir With Love with Sidney Poitier; Sir Michael Redgrave, conversely, was nearing the end of a celebrated career, as he had recently been diagnosed with the Parkinson's Disease
Parkinson's disease
Parkinson's disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system...
of which he would ultimately die; Redgrave would make only four more screen appearances following Gemini.
The film makes significant divergences from the book, which was highly experimental
Experimental literature
Experimental literature refers to written works - often novels or magazines - that place great emphasis on innovations regarding technique and style.-Early history:...
in nature and involved the use of dream and fantasy sequences written in the style of a Greek tragedy, during which Agamemnon comes to life and interacts with Jacki. Most notably, the film presents the story in chronological order, whereas the book takes place within the frame narrative of an amnesiac Jacki slowly piecing together the events leading up to Clive's death as she convalesces at James' house. The film also places added emphasis on the incestuous undercurrent between Jacki and Julian's relationship, while the book focuses more on Jacki's budding relationship with James and her conflicted feelings about Clive. At the climax, James phones the police, resulting in a strike team laying siege to Julian's hotel room and arresting him before he can harm Jacki. The story ends with Jacki breaking from a fantasy encounter with a wounded but recovering Agamemnon to find James checking in on her.
Soundtrack
The film soundtrack, with music and songs by Christopher GunningChristopher Gunning
Christopher Gunning is a British composer of concert works and music for films and television....
, is a particularly fine period piece with wistfully autumnal instrumentals, mod party background music and quirky but melancholic songs by the likes of The Peddlers
The Peddlers
The Peddlers were a British pop trio of the 1960s and 1970s.-History:The Peddlers formed in Manchester in April 1964, as a trio of Trevor Morais , Tab Martin and Roy Phillips The Peddlers were a British pop trio of the 1960s and 1970s.-History:The Peddlers formed in Manchester in April 1964, as a...
, Jackie Lee
Jackie Lee
Jackie Lee is an Irish popular music singer, who has recorded under various names.-Career:Lee was a musical child prodigy. She won a scholarship and trained as a soprano for four years...
and Peter Lee Stirling (aka Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone
Daniel Boone was an American pioneer, explorer, and frontiersman whose frontier exploits mad']'e him one of the first folk heroes of the United States. Boone is most famous for his exploration and settlement of what is now the Commonwealth of Kentucky, which was then beyond the western borders of...
). The original soundtrack issued in 1970 on DJM Records had become a sought after collector's item in recent years until it was reissued on CD by Harkit Records in 2005.