h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

In The Bleak Midwinter 1995

Funny how things link up. Seven days ago I watched Joss Whedon’s ‘Much Ado’ filmed in black and white with a bunch of his friends just after he had completed his latest blockbuster movie.

Today I watch ‘In The Bleak Midwinter’ a film written and directed by Kenneth Branagh in black and white, featuring a bunch of his friends at the moment he was in preproduction for his blockbusting four hour ‘Hamlet’.

A group of unknown actors put on a performance of Hamlet at Christmas, in an old church in the village where the director/lead grew up. A disparate band of theatrical clichés are brought together and succeed against the odds. Some people hate this movie, a lot more seem to love it.

Description of the film may get complicated as I will be referencing Branagh’s Hamlet, ‘In the Bleak MW’ and the Midwinter ‘Hamlet, possibly all at the same time. Anyone who stays with it until the end will get chocolate.

Mike Maloney stars as Joe Harper, a 33 year old actor who has decided that if he doesn’t play Hamlet now, he never will. In the background there is the possibility that he might get a contract for a Science Fiction movie trilogy. Mike would follow up this Hamlet with playing Laertes in the Branagh movie.

He arranges some auditions. First up is Henry Wakefield played by Richard Briers who would take on the role of Polonius in the big movie. Here he will be playing Claudius, Hamlet’s uncle. He is regarded as the only really experienced Shakespearian actor amongst them but he later admits he has never played the Bard. ‘In my day, love, there were two theatres, the classical and the commercial, and they didn’t want suburban oiks like me in their theatre.’

It gets easier from here if slightly more bizarre. Next on the casting list is Terry DuBois, (John Sessions) who is up for the part of Gertrude. He pitches it thus ‘Look darling it’s Christmas, who else are you going to get? I’m clean, I’m conscientious, and I travel with my own tits’

Then there is Tom Newman played by Nicholas Farrell, method actor, action man, health freak, ‘Hamlet isn't just Hamlet. Oh no, no, no. Oh, no. Hamlet is me. Hamlet is Bosnia. Hamlet is this desk. Hamlet is the air. Hamlet is my grandmother. Hamlet is everything you ever though about sex, about geology...
Joe Harper: Geology?
Tom Newman: In a very loose sense, of course.

Julia Sawalha plays Nina who plays Ophelia. She has just lost her husband, a fighter pilot, in a freak mid air collision whilst on a training flight. She also has poor eyesight because she refuses to wear glasses. Cue for lots of short sighted jokes.

Mark Hadfield plays Vernon Spatch ex child star struggling to find a purpose in adult life. ‘All I wanted was to be needed’ he says as he rescues the project by doing all the practical stuff that the others don’t even consider, like advertising posters, selling tickets, and providing programmes and intermission ice creams. He plays a number of roles including Polonius with a false nose. ‘It’s like Cyrano de Bergerac, you’ll see it will work’

And the final actor, Carnforth Greville the man of a thousand faces, which all look exactly the same except for the colour of the wigs. Played by Gerard Horan, he is a man racked by guilt because of the sacrifices his parent’s made to put him through drama school. As a result he boosts his courage with a drink or two. He is always popping down to the ‘post office’ in the village. He returns one day to tell Joe that there is message for him from the landlord. ‘A landlord in a post office? It’s the new re organisation of the service’ says Carnforth.

There are some great jokes, good jokes schoolboy humour jokes, bad jokes, and a lot of theatrical in-jokes. Tears and laughter, a happy ending, and almost everybody pairs up with someone at the end, apart from Terry, who is compensated by being reconciled with his son after twenty years. He explains to Henry ‘My first and only time with a girl. Bull’s-eye. I was already half way and just about to run off and join the circus.’

Through all the laughter there is a darker edge, ‘we are all depressed,’ says Nina. When they pull into the village at the beginning of the film they pass the sign with the Village name ‘Hope’. “I think it's a sign!" "Yes, a road sign, love.” Lots of follow ups on this with people abandoning hope. But in the end, sticking together, persisting, as Pink Floyd memorably put it ‘Hanging on in quiet desperation is the English way’, they eventually triumph.

In case you didn’t notice I love this movie. Don’t bother pointing out all the flaws, yes I know that Henry Wakefield cannot possibly play Claudius and the Player King at the same time. Recently we discussed feel good movies. This is one of mine. It’s a spirit lifter, a good laugh, and a good weep.

And here's your chocolate. Well done.

*takes notes*

And grabs some

Aw, I can't have any as I stopped reading when I realised I want to see this film. I've just added it to my LoveFilm list but unfortunately according to them it's not currently released so I'll have to wait.

Deb

I forgot to point out that I plan to come back once I've seen it to read your take. Then I'll have lots of !

Deb

[Amy P]

I know I've seen this, but I can't remember when. I'm having the anyway.

Your review has made me *want* to see this, badly.

Runs off to search for it.