Majolica in the Movies: Secret Ceremony

Since the month is October with Halloween around the corner, television and cable stations are pulling out every strange and spooky movie in their library. Naturally, a film that fits both of those qualities is bound to appear on the airwaves—the 1968 film Secret Ceremony. With an unlikely cast that includes Elizabeth Taylor, Mia Farrow and Robert Mitchum, the story concerns a woman of means, in this case a prostitute, and an odd girl who bears a strong resemblance to her deceased daughter, Mia Farrow. Fitting into this peculiar relationship is the young girl’s estranged step-father, played by Robert Mitchum.

The plot of this bizarre British film is more peculiar than we really need to discuss here. What caught my eye however, was a large jardiniere on a table in the living room of the prostitute’s mansion containing a cactus plant much too small for its container—a floral Massier jardiniere.

Image from the film Secret Ceremony

Similar, if not identical, to the jardiniere shown below, the form is unmistakably Delphin Massier.

Massier majolica floral jardiniere 

Unfortunately—or not—this was the only piece of majolica in the film, but it makes its appearance early in the story so one doesn’t need to subject oneself to the entirety of this odd movie to catch it. Of course, if movies of this nature appeal to you, feel free to indulge. As for myself, I turned the channel to something a little less strange, the 1932 movie Freaks!

To view the movie trailer go here.