An absorbing, visually rich thriller with a tightly-knit ensemble cast and a perfectly structured plot
Think of England explores the historical rumour that the English government commissioned the creation of three short adult films to boost the morale of servicemen on the frontlines. Far from the ‘Carry On’ images that this premise might conjure up, this is a tense thriller exploring deeply human questions of power and control, with the spectre of war looming large at all times. With a strong ensemble cast, immersive period setting, and stunning cinematography, the film explores how the violence of war extends far beyond the battlefield, leaving no one untouched.
The film follows six people sent to the Orkney islands to shoot these films; each of them have landed on the project with different hidden motivations, and with only a few days to film and no recourse to bring in additional help, tensions run high from the very start. The heart of the film is the cast’s powerful ensemble performance, with the relationships between each of the characters evolving rapidly as tensions fluctuate and negotiations shift the power dynamics.
Jack Bandeira is terrifyingly unpredictable as the traumatised Corporal Evans (the film project’s reluctant romantic lead), who often moves through the rest of the group as if he were a ghost. Natalie Quarry plays aspiring actress Holly Spurring, whose initial guardedness is broken down by both the constraints of the circumstances and by genuine human connection. Quarry’s artistry shines through even in silent moments, as her expressions betray an immense depth of internal conflict. John McCrea is brusque yet conflicted as Captain Clune, who has been placed at the head of this project; McCrea offers a poignant portrayal of a man caught between a rock and a hard place, while striving to assert his authority at the lead of a project he has not chosen. Ben Bela Böhm is captivating as the German film director Max Meyer, whose star-studded portfolio was intended to bring a certain level of taste and artistry to the project; Böhm balances tender moments with businesslike intensity, as his mind is torn between his past in Germany and what his future might hold. Ronni Ancona as Agnes Duprée, the project’s hair and makeup artist, offers tough love as she tries to keep the filming moving forward. Ollie Maddigan as the project’s young assistant Clifford brings many of the film’s lighter comic moments to life, sometimes with just a glance or reaction to the main action. Maddigan brings a vibrant earnestness to the character, whose protected innocence has sheltered him so far from the realities of war.
With these performances providing electric undercurrents in each scene, the film flows between comedy and horror between one breath and the next, as the mood on the island shifts on a dime. Writer and director Richard Hawkins shot the film in only twenty-one days of filming, with scenes filmed in a largely chronological order (according to actor Ollie Maddigan in a Q&A); this may have helped enhance how perfectly natural the unfolding dynamics feel as the tight-knit cast undergoes power struggles and startling revelations. Sarah Cunningham, director of photography, has imbued the film with a painterly quality of lighting and shot composition, with many strikingly beautiful scenes echoing the artistic drama of the Baroque era as they find the aesthetic beauty overlaying dark subject matter. The colour grading shifts naturally between vibrant domestic interiors on the project’s set, moody botanical tones on the island’s landscape, and moody shots of the surrounding waters. Nadia Dunn-Hill’s costume design and Alexis Arenas’s hair and makeup bring a beautifully period setting to life; this film is truly a feast for the eyes. Film buffs will also enjoy how the movie leans into the physicality of 1940’s film sets, letting the audience’s gaze rest on the process of setting up the film camera and recording equipment, and using the mechanics of film shooting to intensify the dynamics of the interpersonal tension on set.
This perfectly structured story is almost reminiscent of an Agatha Christie novel, in which the audience sees each character’s true motivations gradually revealed and their lives forever changed by just a few days in an isolated setting. It asks viewers to consider what it means to have any agency in an ostensibly rigid power structure, and what it means to give up power in order to achieve something more valuable. This film will leave you with songs, images, and emotions echoing in your mind–it’s powerful, heartbreaking, and immediately memorable.
This film was screened on 20 October as part of the Greenwich Film Festival, in advance of a broader UK release on 6 November.