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Savage House

You might be forgiven for taking Richard E. Grant for granted, but he has never been reduced to the status of a bum. He plays Sir Chauncey Savage, a feckless gadabout who is desperate to attain a higher level in society. Claire Foy plays Lady Savage, the actual weight behind Savage House, as it's her name that Chauncey adopted, him being from a lower class.

The nub of the film is that during a smallpox outbreak, the couple are asked to host the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire, offering a prime opportunity to advance their standing and thus, riches. Meanwhile, two of the meagre house retinue, Reginald and Dorothy (Jack Farthing and Bel Powley) are plotting something.

Writer/director Peter Glanz positions the film as a cautionary tale of attempting to climb the social ladder, but it's somewhat unsure of it's target - is it society as a whole, or the likeable buffoon on the bottom rung? It often feels like it's cutting into The Favourite cake and coming up with a lighter, less illustrious slice.

It also suffers from end-loading in that it takes a while to set things up, and then the final 15 minutes seems to cascade unnaturally into a spiral of disaster. Perhaps it's the clunky narrative by Toast of London alumnus, Robert Bathurst ("this happened, and this, and this too") that doesn't work, it gives the feeling of rushing to finish.

As Chauncey, Grant conjures memories of his greatest roles, reminding us that he's still got the blustering comedy chops, and Foy is a good foil for him, holding her own as the slightly more sensible of the pair. The servant roles were oddly written. It was hard to tell if they were an audience surrogate or focus of sympathy, of just more rotters affected by this deplorable British class system.

Still, with all the quibbles, it's enjoyable fare, helped no end by Grant and Foy. They actually make a believable couple.

Savage House is showing at the British Film Festival around the country - in Perth you can catch it at the Luna and Palace cinemas.

See also:

Another period piece, though somewhat later in history, is Robert Altman's Gosford Park (2001), and there aren't many better films than Bruce Robinson's Withnail & I (1987). Both star Richard E. Grant.

Comments

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