An archaeologist embarks on the historically important excavation of Sutton Hoo in 1938.
Pam says:
Don’t let the title, “The Dig,” scare you away. It’s a riveting artistic period piece that will surprise and enthrall you as you discover a well-buried treasure which is exactly what this film is about. Carey Mulligan stars as Edith Pretty, a young mother to Robert (Archie Barnes) and a widow, a result of WWII, who feels beckoned by her land’s century’s old mounds of earth to dig deeply. Edith hires a knowledgeable man, Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes), who may not have a formal degree in archaeology but knows the area’s land better than anyone. Together, this odd pair forge not only a deep friendship, but unearth the secrets from the past.
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Chuck says:
In 1939, a magnificent discovery was made on the estate Edith Pretty in Sutton Hoo, a small town near the eastern coast of England. A massive ship that dated back to the 6h century was unearthed, its structure completely intact. Even more fascinating was the burial chamber it had on board that not only contained a person of great import but money, food, art and other comforts that were to be used in the next life. These objects were deemed priceless but arguably more valuable was the historic perspective it provided regarding English culture and the ancestors who had inhabited the country.
Simon Stone’s “The Dig” is the story of this archeological event, the people who spearheaded and those unexpectedly affected by it. Taking place just before England’s entry into World War II, the film embraces the notion that in discovering our past, our hold on the present and hopes for the future become stronger, a sense of pride and nationalism springing up among the populace of this tiny corner of the country, a reflection of what will be necessary to survive the coming nightmare.
Pretty (Carey Mulligan) has always suspected something was beneath the massive mounds on her estate, which shes had to oversee since the death of her husband some ten years prior. Her precocious son Robert (Archie Barnes) keeps her occupied yet her curiosity about her land and what it may contain gets the best of her. She hires a local archeologist, Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes) to investigate for her. An amateur digger whose father taught him how to study his surroundings and investigate all it might tell him, he takes to the task of excavating the mounds himself. After a near fatal accident in which one of his tunnels collapses on him, he hires an assistant or two, their progress slow and steady. That is, until they begin to uncover…something. They’re not quite sure exactly what they’ve stumbled upon but its far larger than they anticipated. Word gets out and before you know it, officials from the British Museum of Natural History show up to take over the dig and bask in the spotlight of the find.
The slow reveal of the ancient ship is fascinating as Stone paces the film masterfully so that we come to share Brown and his cohort’s enthusiasm for their discovery. However, it’s what the characters uncover in themselves that drives the film. Pretty is forced to discover unknown reserves of strength when she’s diagnosed with a condition that may prove fatal, while Robert must do the same over the prospect of being left an orphan. Meanwhile, Brown must overcome his sense of insecurity or he’ll be pushed to the wayside, destined not to receive due credit for a discovery that is truly his own.
A love story between Peggy (Lily James), a rookie archeologist, and Pretty’s nephew Rory (Johnny Flynn), who’s about to run off and join the RAF, runs the risk of being an unnecessary distraction from the main narrative. However, it effectively underscores the theme as they two must reinvent themselves, as she must find the nerve to separate from her closeted husband (Ben Chaplin), while the would-be pilot is forced to make an emotional commitment.
Much like the earth its characters contend with, “The Dig” contains many layers, each proving to be more revealing than the last, the whole creating a fascinating story of people who are forced to contend with their own histories while on the verge of making it themselves. Emotionally satisfying and engaging from start to finish, this quiet, surprising film stays with you long after the end credits roll.
