Fackham Hall – A Rapid-Fire, Witty Downton Abbey Spoof Which Is Refreshingly Ephemeral.
Perhaps the feeling of an ending era pervading: subsequent to a lengthy span of inactivity, the comedic send-up is making a comeback. The recent season observed the re-emergence of this lighthearted genre, which, at its best, lampoons the grandiosity of excessively solemn genres with a flood of exaggerated stereotypes, physical comedy, and dumb-brilliant double entendres.
Frivolous times, so it goes, beget deliberately shallow, joke-dense, welcome light entertainment.
The Newest Addition in This Silly Resurgence
The latest of these silly send-ups arrives as Fackham Hall, a parody of Downton Abbey that needles the easily mockable self-importance of opulent UK historical series. The screenplay comes from UK-Irish comic Jimmy Carr and directed by Jim O'Hanlon, the movie finds ample of source material to work with and exploits every bit of it.
From a ridiculous beginning all the way to its outrageous finale, this entertaining aristocratic caper fills every one of its hour and a half with jokes and bits that vary from the juvenile all the way to the genuinely funny.
A Mimicry of The Gentry and Staff
Similar to Downton, Fackham Hall presents a spoof of very self-important rich people and excessively servile help. The plot centers on the incompetent Lord Davenport (brought to life by an enjoyably affected Damian Lewis) and his book-averse wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). After losing their four sons in various tragic accidents, their hopes now rest on finding matches for their two girls.
The junior daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has achieved the dynastic aim of a promise to marry the right kinsman, Archibald (a wonderfully unctuous Tom Felton). Yet after she backs out, the onus falls upon the unmarried elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), described as a "dried-up husk already and and possesses unladylike beliefs about women's independence.
The Film's Comedy Lands Most Effectively
The film is significantly more successful when joking about the suffocating norms placed on early 20th-century ladies – a subject typically treated for earnest storytelling. The stereotype of idealized womanhood supplies the best punching bags.
The storyline, as befitting an intentionally ridiculous parody, takes a back seat to the bits. The writer delivers them arriving at a consistently comedic clip. Included is a killing, a farcical probe, and a star-crossed attraction featuring the roguish thief Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.
The Constraints of Frivolous Amusement
Everything is in the spirit of playful comedy, but that very quality imposes restrictions. The amplified silliness inherent to parody may tire over time, and the mileage in this instance diminishes at the intersection of sketch and a full-length film.
After a while, audiences could long to go back to the world of (at least a modicum of) coherence. Nevertheless, it's necessary to respect a sincere commitment to the artform. If we're going to distract ourselves unto oblivion, it's preferable to laugh at it.
