The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society
(2018)
Director: Mike
Newell; Starring: Lily James, Michiel Huisman, Glen Powell, Jessica Brown
Findlay, Tom Courtenay, Penelope Wilton, Katherine Parkinson, Matthew Goode.
12A cert, 124
minutes.
The
name of the film is of an imaginary society established in occupied Guernsey as
a means of getting around the occupation curfew laws. Most of the film,
however, is set in 1946. Subsequently I was initially disappointed, expecting
tales of resistance to the Nazi occupation. The subject of resistance was
raised but it only played a small role in the film.
Resistance on the Channel Islands was not
on the same level as in occupied France, the Soviet Union or the Balkans. This
could be explained by large numbers of men of military age leaving islands when
war broke out. Also, the limited strategic importance of the islands may have
reduced their interest to the Special Operations Executive (SOE). This is not
to deny that resistance took place. Many islanders sheltered escaped slave
labourers, who were used to build fortifications, and at least seven islanders
died in concentration camps.
The film centres around Juliet Ashton,
played by Lily James (Downton Abbey, War
and Peace); a best-selling author who feels a degree of guilt about the
limited role she played in World War Two. Lily finds herself travelling to
Guernsey to discover more about this wartime reading and improvised food group.
In one scene she tastes piece of potato peel pie and discovers that it tastes
like, well – soil.
Lily discovers stories about wartime
resistance, collaboration and the confiscation of livestock during the
occupation; which explains why islanders were forced to live off food waste.
Severe hardship came after the Normandy landings when the islands were cut off
from both Britain and now liberated France.
Intertwined within the film is the story
of Lily’s relationship with her American fiancé; as well as a love interest between
her and Dawsey Adams, a Guernsey pig farmer/builder and a member of the
society.
The film contains elements of well thought
out symbolism; for instance, the Dakota transport plane landing on a beach
arguably represents the power of US imperialism in the post-war era, as well as
informing us that Guernsey did not have an airport at that time. Another scene
when her fiancé straps her into the seat of the aircraft tells us all we need
to know about her fiancé's over-bearing nature.
The film contains a star-studded cast
including Penelope Wilton and Jessica Brown-Finlay (both previously from Downton Abbey). Another criticism of
the film is that Ms Brown-Finlay’s role in the film is heavily underused, along
with stories of resistance. The Guardian
review for the film described it as “Downton Abbey subject to Nazi occupation”.
However, is it correct to judge the film by the cast’s previous roles? There
are numerous examples in both film and television of actors who have previously
worked together reappearing in another production. They are, after all, actors.
Tom Courtney, who has played numerous
roles since 1962, stars as the somewhat elderly post-master. The film also
contains scenes of humour as well as posing complex questions about life under
occupation. In the occupied Channel Islands women who had relationships with
members of the occupying forces were referred to as “jerrybags”. The film
raises the question – was it as simple as that?
Although I was initially disappointed with
the film, it did raise a number of thought provoking ideas. Namely the ability
of cinema to take us to times we will never be able to experience or relive; or
to take us to places we may never visit. This can be seen in well created
scenes of post-war Britain as well as Guernsey’s wonderful scenery.
It also contains an amusing scene of Tom
Courtney’s character throwing up over a German soldier’s jackboot. If you view
the film as a post-war coming of age drama, rather than simply about the
wartime occupation of the Channel Islands, you will be less disappointed.
No comments:
Post a Comment