A Look at Fackham Hall – A Rapid-Fire, Witty Parody of Downton Abbey That's Pleasantly Ephemeral.
Maybe the notion of an ending era pervading: after years of inactivity, the comedic send-up is staging a return. The recent season observed the revival of this unserious film style, which, when done well, skewers the self-importance of overly serious genres with a torrent of pitched clichés, visual jokes, and stupid-clever puns.
Frivolous periods, so it goes, beget self-awarely frivolous, laugh-filled, welcome light entertainment.
A Recent Offering in This Absurd Resurgence
The newest of these silly send-ups comes in the form of Fackham Hall, a takeoff on the British period drama that pokes fun at the very pokeable pretensions of opulent UK historical series. Co-written by British-Irish comedian Jimmy Carr and directed by Jim O'Hanlon, the film finds ample of inspiration to mine and uses all of it.
Starting with a ludicrous start and culminating in a preposterous conclusion, this entertaining upper-class adventure crams each of its hour and a half with gags and sketches that vary from the childish all the way to the truly humorous.
A Pastiche of The Gentry and Staff
In the vein of Downton, Fackham Hall offers a pastiche of overly dignified rich people and very obsequious staff. The plot revolves around the feckless Lord Davenport (brought to life by an enjoyably affected Damian Lewis) and his literature-hating wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). After losing their children in various tragic accidents, their plans fall upon marrying off their two girls.
The junior daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has secured the family goal of betrothal to the right first cousin, Archibald (a perfectly smarmy Tom Felton). But after she withdraws, the onus shifts to the unmarried elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), who is an old maid of a woman" and who harbors unladylike notions about a woman's own mind.
Where the Humor Lands Most Effectively
The film fares much better when satirizing the stifling norms forced upon early 20th-century females – an area frequently explored for earnest storytelling. The stereotype of respectable, enviable womanhood supplies the richest comic targets.
The narrative thread, as befitting a deliberately silly spoof, is of lesser importance to the bits. The writer delivers them coming at a consistently comedic pace. Included is a murder, an incompetent investigation, and a star-crossed attraction involving the charming thief Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.
The Constraints of Lighthearted Fun
Everything is for harmless amusement, however, this approach comes with constraints. The amplified silliness inherent to parody might grate after a while, and the mileage on this particular variety expires at the intersection of a skit and a full-length film.
Eventually, audiences could long to retreat to a realm of (very slight) reason. But, you have to applaud a genuine dedication to the artform. Given that we are to amuse ourselves unto oblivion, it's preferable to see the funny side.
