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The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister

The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister

Drama · Romance · TV Movie · 2010

A lesbian in the 1800s who keeps a detailed account of her life written in coded diaries attempts to live independently while juggling an affair with a married woman.

Movie details

The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister

2010 Drama · Romance · TV Movie 1h 30m

Critical arithmetic

One number, for now.

TMDB

6.5 / 10

Community rating

A lesbian in the 1800s who keeps a detailed account of her life written in coded diaries attempts to live independently while juggling an affair with a married woman.

CriticWise case file

What this film says about your taste.

Not a recommendation score. A measure of how closely the film’s taste signals resemble yours.

The archetype split

Who fights over The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister?

The split comes from the same five-axis model used by the test, not audience ratings or review sentiment.

Taste neighbourhood

Nearby on the taste map.

TMDB supplies the candidates. CriticWise reorders them by craft, strangeness, prestige, emotion, and pace.

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Names above the title

The people responsible.

Directed by

James Kent

Written by

Jane English

Maxine Peake

Maxine Peake

Anne Lister

Anna Madeley

Anna Madeley

Mariana Belcombe

Susan Lynch

Susan Lynch

Isabella Norcliffe

Christine Bottomley

Christine Bottomley

Ann Walker

Gemma Jones

Gemma Jones

Aunt Lister

Alan David

Alan David

Uncle Lister

Richenda Carey

Richenda Carey

Mrs Priestley

Court is in session

Put The Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister on trial.

Two incompatible taste archetypes. One film. Read the arguments, then issue a completely binding cultural ruling.

The defence The Sentimental Softie

“Sincerity is not manipulation.”

The film risks embarrassment to make emotion communal, and that openness is harder than fashionable detachment.

The prosecution The Cool Ironist

“The strings are showing.”

Every cue tells you exactly what to feel and when, leaving sentiment to do the work character should have done.