British history in film. For the most part, it is usually about posh people or famous wars, the stories of the common man don’t stack up quite as much compared to famous figures. Every so often however, you get to see a movie that is a little closer to home, more relatable, more Mike Leigh. His movies have come to define who the real British are and how extraordinary characters come from nothing, to change everything. His latest film Peterloo certainly starts out with his usual flare, but over its 154-minute run, the messages seem to dampen the strength of the characters. Let me explain…
*SPOILER ALERT*
Peterloo is the name given to a horrifying event that took place in Manchester 200 years ago. The population of Britain had grown poor and resentful of Parliament and the Crown, neither of which were representing them in any reasonable way. The biggest problem for them, was the Corn Laws, that added huge tax to imported food, raising prices and for those in huge urban and industrial areas like Manchester, it was becoming a huge problem. The people of Manchester, led by radical Henry Hunt (Rory Kinnear) decided to act, and spread their demands throughout the land, and soon, the people organised a massive march and gathering at St. Peter’s Field; more than 60,000 turned up. However, in an attempt to arrest Henry Hunt, the armed forces only angered the people and killed 15 peaceful protestors, and injured 700 more. The film pretty much follows this whole endeavour, whilst exploring the life of a family led by Nellie (Maxime Peake) and her son Joshua (Pearce Quigley), a veteran of the Napoleonic wars.
Whilst this story is packed full of historical authenticity and fantastic northern dialogue, it doesn’t seem to do very much in trying to focus on the characters that seem to be at the heart of the story. For the most part, you just seem to see them in passing; the way the narrative has been constructed seems to be just bouncing from one radical speech to the next, without much attention to the characters. This is a film where the political agenda seems to take president over the characters, which is a shame, because the story sets them up as really likeable and passionate people. It is clear that Director Mike Leigh knows what he is doing; he was brought up in Manchester, he knows the city and its history, and knows how to bring this story to life. He handles the facts and the events no problem, but has seemed to have strayed away from the characters that he loves. However, in the last act, when the massacre takes place, everything is so overwhelming and so brutal, that you can almost forgive him for these short-comings; that moment when you see it happen, that is something that will linger in your mind for a long time.
But if I can get back to the characters, their performances are actually very good. Rory Kinnear has one hell of a job; for him, this almost Shakespearean role of Henry Hunt is one of his best, whenever he speaks, he commands the screen with every syllable. The supporting performances of Maxime Peake and Pearce Quigley are also highly commendable; both from Manchester, they do the city proud in showing true love and authenticity to what civilian life was like back then. Even the other end of the scale is amazingly acted; Tim McInnerny as the Prince Regent is surprisingly original, and certainly a very far cry from his friend, Hugh Laurie’s performance as him in Blackadder the Third (1987). All of these performances are fantastic, but over the course of the film, they never really get to show their full strength.
The film seems to be more interested in how the movement and ideas of the people was perpetuating in the country and that is fine for aiding in historical accuracy and authenticity, but it seems to go against what Mike Leigh’s films like to focus on; the dynamics and progression of characters. The result is a film which is for the most part, quite limp in its delivery of drama, but the final act, when you see blood, sweat and tears fly, you forget all of what came before.
It is a truly harrowing spectacle and certainly one of the most brutal and intense scenes of 2018. There is nothing to distract you from that scene, not even music, because there isn’t any playing at that point. Composer Gary Yershon has provided the music for Mike Leigh’s films for the last 10 years and for this project, he has gone for a style that is very similar to what he did for Mr. Turner (2014). It isn’t very dramatic, neither is it very detailed, in some scenes, you barely notice it, but that is precisely the point. The music is here to support the period, using old woodwinds and strings to help the audience connect further with the time. However, it doesn’t seem to connect well with the events of the story; it may be authentic, but that lack of drama means it struggles to help explain what is going on.
It may seem a little undernourished the music, but actually, when you are watching the film, what you are concentrating on more, is what is being said, and what you really notice in this film, is the look. Mike Leigh and his production designer Suzie Davies have clearly done their homework in making the period look and feel as real as possible. They haven’t gone overboard in trying to recreate the clear distinctions between the rich and the poor; for the most part, the city of Manchester looks amazing. Sprawling markets in the centre of town, small but clean homes maintained by house-proud wives, small pubs lit by candles with a small and cosy aesthetic, to some extent, it really doesn’t seem that different to modern day Manchester; a really nice and characterful city.
But this is all just one part of this visual mastery, the other is the cinematography. Dick Pope has worked with Mike Leigh for 28 years now, one of the longest director-cinematographer collaborations in the world, and over that time, his work has gotten better and better with every film they’ve done together. In Peterloo, this trend clearly shows. Even though it has been shot digitally, it feels gritty and claustrophobic and the heat you see in the summer sunshine bleeds into every frame. This doesn’t have the pseudo-documentary feel to bring the events to life; the camera moves more stabilised, slowly, it feels like a solid piece of British cinema, and I like that a lot.
From the looks of the buildings to the costumes of the characters, you get the sense that Mike Leigh is trying his best to get the audience as close as possible to the populous. He may very well manage that, but he struggles to get us close to the characters.
Overall, this is a Mike Leigh film, but it isn’t his strongest work. If it felt just a bit more focused on those truly magnificent performances, then it would’ve been another knockout. However, in the midst of all this, I do like this film; it is fantastically well made and it still manages to stay in touch to what Mike Leigh’s films are all about, and for that, I would recommend this to anyone who is a fan.
I give this film a 7/10.
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