Uncovered (film)
1994 film
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Uncovered is a 1994 British thriller film starring Kate Beckinsale.[1] Beckinsale plays an art expert who faces danger after discovering a clue to a 500-year-old murder mystery in a Flemish painting.[2][1] Directed by Jim McBride, the film is based on a novel by Arturo Pérez-Reverte called The Flanders Panel.[3][4]
Jim McBride
Michael Hirst
Jack Baran
by Arturo Pérez-Reverte
Jack Baran
| Uncovered | |
|---|---|
Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jim McBride |
| Screenplay by | Arturo Pérez-Reverte (novel) Jim McBride Michael Hirst Jack Baran |
| Based on | The Flanders Panel by Arturo Pérez-Reverte |
| Produced by | Enrique Posner Jack Baran |
| Starring | Kate Beckinsale John Wood Sinéad Cusack Paudge Behan Art Malik |
| Cinematography | Affonso Beato |
| Edited by | Eva Gardos |
| Music by | Philippe Sarde |
Production companies | Ciby UK Barnholtz Entertainment |
| Distributed by | Ciby 2000 |
Release dates |
|
Running time | 112 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
Plot
Julia, an art restorer living in Barcelona, Spain, discovers a painted-over message on a 1471 Flemish masterpiece called La partida de ajedrez (The Chess Game) reading "Qvis Necavit Eqvitem", written in Latin (English: "Who killed the knight?").
With the help of her old friend and father-figure, the flamboyantly homosexual César, who lives at Casa Batlló, and Domenec, a local chess genius Julia found in Park Güell, Julia works to uncover the mystery of a 500-year-old murder. At the same time, however, Julia faces danger of her own, as several people helping her along her search are also murdered.
Cast
- Kate Beckinsale as Julia
- John Wood as César
- Sinéad Cusack as Menchu
- Paudge Behan as Domenec
- Art Malik as Álvaro
- Helen McCrory as Lola
- Michael Gough as Don Manuel
- Peter Wingfield as Max
- Anthony Milner as Inspector
- James Villiers as Montegrifo
Reception
Noting that the cast of Uncovered was "an amazing array of BBC regulars", the Reno Gazette-Journal argued that the film "plays in a very over-acted character", but called out Irish actor Paudge Behan as its "bright spot".[5] Video Store Magazine called the film "a clever thriller that blends seemingly unfilmable subjects – art restoration, chess playing – into an intriguing whodunit", saying "Beckinsale is charming and lovely".[1]
