Absolution (1978) - Turner Classic Movies

Brief Synopsis

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At a Catholic public school, Benjamin Stanfield is tired of being the teacher's pet and decides to play a practical joke on his form master Father Goddard. In confession, Stanfield tells Goddard that he has accidentally murdered his friend Blakey and buried him in the forest. When Goddard investigates the matter, he finds a buried scarecrow. Goddard is outraged, but, due to the seal of confession, he knows he cannot expel Stanfield. Shortly after, Stanfield once again enters the confession booth, telling Goddard that what before was a practical joke, he has now made happen. In disbelief, Goddard once again goes to the forest to investigate the matter. This time, he discovers Blakey's dead body. The plot soon thickens as Stanfield's fellow student Arthur Dyson mysteriously disappears. In confession, Stanfield claims to have murdered him too. Outside of confession, he denies everything, leaving Goddard powerless. Confused by murders he is not allowed to talk about, Father Goddard starts to go mad. He eventually murders Stanfield with a spade, only to discover that his pet student never confessed to anything but the initial scarecrow prank. After that, another student, who is a great voice impersonator, decided to take a hideous revenge on Goddard, taking advantage of the confession booth where one whispers and cannot be seen.

Cast & Crew

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Anthony Page

Richard Burton

Dominic Guard

Dai Bradley

Billy Connolly

Andrew Keir

Film Details

MPAA Rating

Genre

Drama

Release Date

1978

Location

England, United Kingdom

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 36m

Sound

Mono

Color

Color (Technicolor)

Synopsis

Two Catholic boarding school students embark upon a carefully calculated campaign to drive their hated headmaster insane. The boys launch their scheme by cooking up the most bizarre and depraved of imaginary sins, then recite these infractions in the Confessional. This sadistic little game gets wildly out of hand, resulting in murder.

Director

Anthony Page

Cast

Richard Burton

Dominic Guard

Dai Bradley

Billy Connolly

Andrew Keir

Michael Parkhouse

Robin Soans

Preston Lockwood

Clive Gehle

Kevin Hart

Trevor Martin

Charles Rigby

Tim Short

Robert Addie

Michael Bell

Hilda Fenemore

Brian Glover

Julian Firth

Martin Stringer

Dan Meaden

James Ottaway

Brook Williams

Hilary Mason

Sharon Duce

Richard Willis

Jon Plowman

Michael Crompton

Martyn Hesford

Willoughby Gray

Philip Leake

Francis Fry

Richard Kates

Andrew Boxer

Crew

Ken Barker

Ron Berkeley

Alan Cluer

Executive Producer

Billy Connolly

John Coquillon

Director Of Photography

Anne Gainsford

Peter Handford

Denis Holt

Associate Producer

Richard Hoult

Assistant Director

Elliott Kastner

Liz Kerry

Production Assistant

Natasha Kroll

Production Designer

Sid Mason

Stanley Myers

Danny O'donovan

George Pappas

Executive Producer

Terry Parr

Clive Reed

Production Supervisor

Andrew Sanders

Assistant Art Director

Anthony Shaffer

Herbert Smith

Camera Operator

John Victor Smith

Freddie Williamson

Film Details

MPAA Rating

Genre

Drama

Release Date

1978

Location

England, United Kingdom

Technical Specs

Duration

1h 36m

Sound

Mono

Color

Color (Technicolor)

Quotes

Trivia

Miscellaneous Notes

Released in United States on Video September 15, 1988

Released in United States Winter February 12, 1988

Filmed in 1979.

Release delayed due to legal problems

Released in United States Winter February 12, 1988

Released in United States on Video September 15, 1988

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