The Garden 1991

Drama

Box Office

$5K

Runtime

92 min

Language

English

Directed by

Derek Jarman

Made by

Zeitgeist Films

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Plot Summary

Read the complete plot summary and ending explained for The Garden (1991). From turning points to emotional moments, uncover what really happened and why it matters.

In late 1970s England, we meet Jack, a self-absorbed 15-year-old boy navigating the complexities of life in a post-war prefab home alongside his family: his parents, older sister Julie, younger sister Sue, and little brother Tom. Tragedy strikes when Jack’s father suffers a fatal heart attack while they work on the garden path, sending shockwaves through the household. Just a few months later, Jack’s mother becomes seriously ill and bedridden, forcing Jack and Julie into unexpected roles as the family’s primary caregivers.

Initially, their relationship is fraught with conflict due to Jack’s youthful selfishness. However, as they cope with their dire circumstances, an unsettling bond begins to form between the two siblings, leading Jack to develop an inappropriate crush on Julie. With their mother fading and eventually passing away, the siblings face a shocking dilemma. To avoid separation from one another and being placed into foster care, they make the morally questionable decision to conceal her death, entombing her body in a makeshift sarcophagus in the basement using leftover cement from the father’s supply.

Without adult supervision, life unravels for Jack, Julie, and their siblings. While Jack grapples with maturation, he neglects personal hygiene, and Sue withdraws into herself, relying on her diary for solace. Julie, on the other hand, begins a relationship with an older man named Derek, stirring feelings of jealousy in Jack. Amidst the chaos, young Tom attempts to explore his identity through cross-dressing and ultimately regresses into childlike dependency.

When Derek starts to suspect something amiss due to a foul odor from the basement, Jack fabricates a story, claiming the cement holds a deceased dog. Unfortunately, Tom reveals the truth about their mother’s remains after Derek’s inquiry. The tension escalates when Julie reassures Jack that her relationship with Derek lacks intimacy and that they are both living in a peculiar reality.

As they discuss their precarious future, their embrace hints at a deeper emotional connection. However, Derek stumbles upon them in a compromising situation, horrified by their incestuous relationship. Yet, Jack and Julie dismiss Derek’s disgust, believing their bond to be normal in light of their shared trauma. In a profound climax, the sound of Derek dismantling the sarcophagus resonates throughout the house as Jack and Julie find solace in each other, falling asleep as police lights ominously flicker in the background. This surreal existence of love, loss, and decay captures the dark complexities of growing up in an unstable environment.

Timeline

Follow the complete movie timeline of The Garden (1991) with every major event in chronological order. Great for understanding complex plots and story progression.

Introduction to Jack's Family

In late 1970s England, we are introduced to Jack, a self-absorbed 15-year-old boy. He navigates life in a post-war prefab home with his family, consisting of his parents and three siblings: Julie, Sue, and Tom.

Late 1970s England

Tragic Loss of Father

Jack's life is turned upside down when his father suffers a fatal heart attack while they are working on the garden path. This sudden tragedy sends shockwaves through the entire household, leaving the family to grapple with grief and loss.

Shortly after Jack's introduction Garden Path

Mother's Illness

Just months after the father's death, Jack's mother becomes seriously ill and becomes bedridden. This forces Jack and his sister Julie to step up as the family's primary caregivers, further complicating their young lives.

A few months later Family Home

Conflict Between Siblings

Initially, Jack and Julie's relationship is fraught with conflict due to Jack's selfishness. They struggle to manage their responsibilities and emotions while caring for their incapacitated mother, leading to increased tension in the household.

During Mother's illness

Development of Unsettling Bond

As they cope with their dire situation, an unsettling bond begins to form between Jack and Julie. Jack finds himself developing an inappropriate crush on his older sister, which complicates their already strained relationship.

During the mother's illness

Mother's Death

Eventually, their mother passes away, leaving Jack and Julie to face a shocking dilemma. Fearful of being separated and placed into foster care, they decide to conceal her death from the outside world.

After Mother's health declines Family Home

Concealment of the Body

Jack and Julie go to extreme lengths to hide their mother's death, using leftover cement to entomb her in a makeshift sarcophagus in the basement. This morally questionable decision further entangles them in their shared darkness.

Basement

Life Without Supervision

With no adult supervision, life unravels for Jack, Julie, and their siblings. Jack struggles with maturity and personal hygiene, while Sue withdraws into herself, finding refuge in her diary.

After mother's death Family Home

Julie’s Relationship with Derek

Amidst the chaos, Julie enters into a relationship with an older man named Derek. Jack experiences jealousy as he grapples with his complex feelings for Julie, further straining their already complicated sibling bond.

Tom's Exploration of Identity

Jack's younger brother, Tom, begins exploring his identity through cross-dressing. As he regresses into childlike dependency, his behavior adds another layer of tension to the family's volatile situation.

Derek's Suspicion

Derek grows suspicious of the odor emanating from the basement, prompting Jack to fabricate a story, claiming that the cement entombs a deceased dog. This deception underscores the fragile reality the siblings are living in.

Basement

Tom Reveals the Truth

In a moment of vulnerability, young Tom reveals the truth about their mother's remains to Derek. This unexpected revelation heightens the already intense situation, exposing the dark secret that Jack and Julie have been hiding.

Confrontation with Derek

Derek discovers Jack and Julie in a compromising situation and is horrified by their incestuous relationship. Despite his disgust, Jack and Julie reject Derek's judgment, viewing their bond as normal given their traumatic circumstances.

Family Home

Climactic Tension

As the tension escalates, Derek violently dismantles the sarcophagus, symbolizing the breakdown of Jack and Julie's fragile world. Amid this chaos, Jack and Julie find solace in each other, culminating in a moment of profound intimacy.

Basement

Final Moments

The sound of Derek dismantling the sarcophagus echoes throughout the house as Jack and Julie fall asleep, wrapped in each other's embrace. Outside, police lights ominously flicker, signaling the inescapable consequences of their actions.

Family Home

Characters

Explore all characters from The Garden (1991). Get detailed profiles with their roles, arcs, and key relationships explained.

Jack

Jack is a self-absorbed 15-year-old navigating the turbulent waters of adolescence in the shadow of family tragedies. Initially characterized by his youthful selfishness, he experiences significant emotional growth as he coping with the loss of his parents. His deepening feelings for his sister juxtapose innocence with moral confusion, leaving him to grapple with the implications of their bond.

👦 Teenager 💔 Grief 😕 Conflicted

Julie

Julie, Jack's older sister, takes on the mantle of caregiver amid the family's collapse, displaying strength and resilience. However, her relationship with Derek and the growing bond with Jack lead her into moral ambiguity. Julie's character represents the complexity of familial love, as her struggles with independence and connection to Jack blur the lines of acceptable relationships.

👩‍👧‍👦 Caregiver 😔 Struggling 💔 Conflicted

Sue

Sue, the younger sister, retreats into herself during the family's crisis, using her diary as a sanctuary from the chaos that envelops her. Her character symbolizes the innocence lost and the emotional struggle when forced to navigate a tumultuous family landscape. As she witnesses the unfolding drama, Sue's dependency shifts, highlighting the varying ways children respond to trauma.

👧 Innocent 📖 Reflective 🌱 Vulnerable

Tom

Tom, the youngest sibling, embodies innocence and curiosity as he attempts to explore his identity during the family's turbulence. His journey into cross-dressing signifies a search for self in a chaotic environment. Ultimately, Tom's regression into childlike dependency underscores the profound impact of their shared trauma on the children.

👶 Curious 🎭 Explorative 💔 Dependent

Setting

Learn where and when The Garden (1991) takes place. Explore the film’s settings, era, and how they shape the narrative.

Time period

1970s

The late 1970s was a period marked by economic challenges and social change in England, particularly influenced by the remnants of World War II. This era witnessed shifts in family dynamics and societal norms, reflected in the uncertain lives of the characters as they face personal tragedies and moral dilemmas. The backdrop of this time adds depth to the film's exploration of grief and complicated relationships.

Location

England

The movie takes place in late 1970s England, characterized by post-war prefab housing. This environment often symbolizes the simplicity and struggles of working-class families, offering a backdrop that contrasts the family's internal chaos with the mundane surroundings of their home. The garden, a central element in the story, represents growth and decay, embodying the family's attempts to cultivate life amid tragedy.

🇬🇧 England 🏡 Home 🌿 Garden

Themes

Discover the main themes in The Garden (1991). Analyze the deeper meanings, emotional layers, and social commentary behind the film.

💔

Loss

Loss permeates the film, resonating through the family's experiences with death and the need to cope without parental guidance. The tragic passing of Jack's parents leads to a chain of emotional upheaval, forcing the siblings into roles they are unprepared for. This theme illustrates how trauma can shape relationships, leading to both binding and destructive connections.

🌪️

Chaos

Amidst the unfolding chaos, the siblings grapple with their responsibilities and the collapse of their family structure. The disarray of their lives, combined with isolation, propels them into a world where normalcy is redefined. This theme highlights the unintended consequences of their actions and the ways chaos can forge strange yet compelling bonds between individuals.

💞

Forbidden Love

The complex relationship between Jack and Julie embodies the theme of forbidden love, emerging from their shared trauma and isolation. Their inappropriate feelings develop as they seek solace in one another amidst grief, portraying a poignant reflection on how boundaries can blur under distressing circumstances. This theme challenges societal norms and reveals the intricate dynamics of love in its many forms.

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