Fackham Hall – A Brisk, Humorous Downton Abbey Spoof Which Is Pleasantly Lightweight.
Perhaps the sense of an ending era around us: after years of quiet, the comedic send-up is making a resurgence. This summer saw the re-emergence of this lighthearted genre, which, when done well, skewers the pretensions of overly serious dramas with a barrage of heightened tropes, physical comedy, and ridiculously smart wordplay.
Frivolous periods, it seems, give rise to knowingly unserious, gag-packed, refreshingly shallow amusement.
The Latest Offering in This Silly Trend
The most recent of these goofy parodies is Fackham Hall, a takeoff on the British period drama that needles the very pokeable airs of opulent British period dramas. The screenplay comes from British-Irish comedian Jimmy Carr and overseen by Jim O'Hanlon, the movie has plenty of inspiration to mine and uses all of it.
Starting with a absurd opening and culminating in a ludicrous finish, this amusing aristocratic caper packs all of its 97 minutes with jokes and bits running the gamut from the puerile all the way to the genuinely funny.
A Pastiche of Aristocrats and Servants
Similar to Downton, Fackham Hall delivers a pastiche of overly dignified aristocrats and overly fawning staff. The narrative revolves around the incompetent Lord Davenport (brought to life by a wonderfully pretentious Damian Lewis) and his book-averse wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). After losing their four sons in various tragic accidents, their hopes fall upon securing unions for their offspring.
One daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has achieved the dynastic aim of betrothal to the right first cousin, Archibald (a perfectly smarmy Tom Felton). But when she backs out, the onus transfers to the unmarried elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), who is a "dried-up husk already and who harbors dangerously modern notions concerning women's independence.
The Film's Laughs Lands Most Effectively
The spoof achieves greater effect when satirizing the suffocating social constraints placed on Edwardian-era women – a topic often mined for earnest storytelling. The archetype of respectable, enviable femininity offers the richest punching bags.
The narrative thread, as befitting a deliberately silly spoof, is secondary to the jokes. Carr keeps them maintaining an amiably humorous clip. Included is a homicide, a farcical probe, and an illicit love affair featuring the roguish thief Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.
A Note on Pure Silliness
It's all in lighthearted fun, however, this approach comes with constraints. The dialed-up silliness characteristic of the genre might grate quickly, and the comic fuel on this particular variety expires in the space between a skit and a full-length film.
After a while, you might wish to return to the world of (at least a modicum of) reason. But, you have to applaud a genuine dedication to the artform. Given that we are to entertain ourselves unto oblivion, let's at least see the funny side.
