Secret Nation is a 1992 political thriller written by Edward Riche, directed by Mike Jones and starring Cathy Jones.
The film tells the story of Frieda Vokey, a graduate history student working to complete her history thesis on confederation. She returns to her home in Newfoundland to investigate evidence that Newfoundland’s 1949 entry into Canada was a conspiracy. Following the death of a politician, whose papers contain evidence, she begins to believe that the referendum results were faked, with British spies helping the cause.
Secret Nation was produced for nearly $2 million by the National Film Board of Canada, with $1.8 million provided by First Choice and the CBC. The film was invited to New York City’s Museum of Modern Art, and screened as part of the This Film is From Canada Series.
Plot
The film opens with the death of the elderly and wealthy Leo Cryptus (Denys Ferry), the Chief Returning Officer for the 1948 Newfoundland referendums on whetherh to return to responsible government, become a province of Canada, or remain under direct rule from London. The film then shifts to Montreal, introducing Frieda Vokey, a graduate student of McGill University completing her doctoral thesis on Newfoundland's 1949 entry into confederation titled “the decline of the sovereign Newfoundland state”. After academic advisors in Montreal ask if her thesis is "some kind of 'Newfie' joke?" because they don't understand it, she returns to her hometown of St. John’s, Newfoundland to conduct primary research on the topic.
Frieda is greeted by her mother, Oona (Mary Walsh), with whom she strikes up a womanly conversation. Upon arrival to her home, Frieda is welcomed by her brother Chris (Rick Mercer) and Frieda begins a heated discussion with her father, Lester, a private advisor to Premier Valentine Aylward (Andy Jones) about seeing Joey Smallwood (Kevin Noble) before his death.
While paying her respects for the Cryptus family, Frieda is introduced to Michael Cryptus (Géza Kovács), son of Leo Cryptus. Frieda is then warned by Dr. Furey (Brian Hennessey) that Newfoundland is not the best place to study Newfoundland history because the people here are still very involved with Newfoundland history.
Frieda intends on meeting a local Newfoundland journalist, Daniel Maddox (Ron Hynes), about discussing her thesis. Upon this meeting, Dan suggests that Frieda come to his home for dinner and further discussion. Following dinner, Frieda and Dan have an intimate encounter, after which, while he is sleeping, she sneaks into his office. She finds classified information regarding records of cheques sent to the British that were declined, and also letters sent to Dan declining his request for more information about the apparent conspiracy surrounding Newfoundland’s joining of confederation. Dan then awakens to find Frieda has left his home, and that his belongings have been searched. Both Frieda and Dan are later involved in an interview over the radio, in which Frieda discusses her findings discovered in Dan’s office. Frieda continues her investigation, after the interview, meeting with Michael, believing he has the information she is looking for regarding his father and the confederation conspiracy. Michael informs Frieda he knows nothing of this and becomes worried that his father was a political monster.
Frieda’s father later decides to help bringing her to an archive containing information on confederation. Frieda questions her father about British spies who helped the apparent scam. Her father states that he has no knowledge on that situation. Frieda then meets with Mr. Joey Smallwood at the hospital, she extensively questions him but he is not willing to speak to her because of his illness.