DECLINE AND FALL

UK, 2017, 180 minutes, Colour.
Jack Whitehall, Stephen Graham, Douglas Hodge, David Suchet, Vincent Franklin, Eva Longoria, Matthew Beard, Hugo Beazley.
Directed by Guillem Morales.

Decline and Fall is one of Evelyn Waugh’s most popular novels, a look at Britain during the 1920s, a decade after the end of World War I, an age of flappers, the good life – pre-financial collapses of the 1930s and the Depression.

It was filmed in 1968 with the title Decline and Fall… Of a Birdwatcher with Robin Phillips and central role and quite an illustrious British supporting cast, including Donald Wolfit, Leo Mc Kern, Felix Aylmer.

This version was screened as a miniseries on BBC television. The director is Guillem Morales, Spanish director working in both Spain and England with a variety film and television series including Julia’s Eyes.

This is the story of a young Everyman, beginning at Oxford studying theology, bullied and stripped in a prank and sent down, finding occupation at an eccentric school in Wales run by Dr Fagan. Stand-up comedian and actor, Jack Whitehall, plays this Everyman, Paul Pennyfeather. Dr Fagan is played with finesse by David Suchet. There are eccentrics at the school including Philbrick, Stephen Graham, Grimes, David Hodge, and Prendergast, the would-be minister, Vincent Franklin. Dr Fagan relies on Paul to do all the teaching, coaching, and arranging the sports Day and dealing with the parents.

The mother of one of the boys, Margot (Eva Longoria), very wealthy, is looking for a husband. She takes a shine to Paul and invites him for the summer to her house and coach her son, Peter. At her mansion, he encounters the eccentric artist, Otto, and potential suitors for Margot’s hand, including a bumptious politician, Humphrey, who later becomes Home Secretary. Paul is caught up in the high life, is given a job by Margot without realising it involves white slavery and a visit to Marseille to check passports. He proposes to Margot.

A former friend who works for the League of Nations has been following Paul and arranges for his arrest, his trial for white slavery, and a sentence of seven years in prison. Paul finds Philbrick still in charge of many things in the prison, Grimes turning up then escaping by horseback, Prendergast as the chaplain. After a series of, for him, ghastly experiences, Margot arranges with the Home Secretary for him to be taken to a clinic for an appendix operation – Dr Fagan now runs the clinic, Peter has arranged everything including the payment of an alcoholic doctor who signed all the documents including a death certificate.

Paul goes back to Oxford, meets the same dons who sent him down and begins a theology course.

The film captures the flavour of Evelyn Waugh and his style incorporating much of the verbal wit from the novel.

1. The popularity of Evelyn Waugh novels? His novels and style, writing and wit? The 1920s? England?

2. The recreation of this world? Oxford, the school, in Wales? Society, mansions, artists? White slavery, Marseille? Restaurants? The courts, prison, the hard labour and rocks? The clinic? The range of settings, costumes and decor, the musical score?

3. Evelyn Waugh’s perspective, realistic, satiric, the touch of the witty spoof? Hijinks but wit?

4. Paul Pennyfeather as an Everyman? His story? And the title of the story? Studying theology at Oxford, serious, conversation with his friend? His being set upon, stripped? The authorities – and their wanting high fines? The bullies? His being called to account, sent down? The irony of his later application, the interview, the judgements, his not resembling his alleged cousin? A new life? And his being static rather than dynamic?

5. The School, in Wales, the railways? Phillbrick at reception, a view of the school? Dr Fagan and his manner, his daughters and their attitudes, the range of students, the presence of Grimes, Prendergast? The teaching load, the boys claiming to be Tangent? The chalk and the varnish? His name? Having to improvise, music, sport? Arranging the Sports Day? The races, the heats, the prizes? The arrival of the parents, being social with them? Arranging the food? Tangent in the accident, gangrene, amputation and his death? Peter, Margot, her style, Latin American background, wealth, husbands? Suspicions about her? Her taking a shine to Paul? The invitation for him to come for the summer, his prospects?

6. Grimes, drinking, gossip, his background, the marriage, sexual attraction to the chauffeur? His behaviour, discussion about Flossie, the engagement, Dr Fagan very happy? Preparation for the wedding? The ceremony? Grimes and his disappearance? Prendergast, his religious scruple, religious language, role in the school? Philbrick and his presence around the school? His reputation, thief, the police coming?

7. Margot’s house, modern, the design, Otto and his presence, Germanic, his ideas, the design of the house, his art and sexuality? Paul teaching Peter, the tuition? Peter liking him and supporting him? Paul and his relationship with Margot? The sexual attraction? His prim manner, breaking down? The party, the organisation, his being used by Margot, allowing himself to be used, the range of guests and their attitudes, Humphrey and his arrogance, the food? Otto and the relationship with the society wife and Paul using the newspaper article to expose him? Otto giving the tour of the house? Paul being pressurised to play the piano – and his improvising a modernist piece? Margot absent from the party? The issue of marrying? Peter’s approval? Margot offering Paul the job? The interviews with the girls? His going to Marseille for the passports and getting the girls on the ship? His friend, taking notes, spying? Preparation for the wedding? And the encounter with Grimes and his going to Rio?

8. Paul, the preparation for the wedding, the bachelor dinner, the bully as the best man? The police arriving? His not taking them seriously? The arrest, going to court? His being found guilty? Prison, his possessions, meeting Philbrick again, hard labour with the rocks, Prendergast as the chaplain? Grimes turning up, arrested, bigamy? His wanting to escape – and his holding the horse, riding away, being shot at, the marsh – and his surviving? The warden, progressive, his ideas and discussions, ordering Paul to have walking conversations about arts with the killer? The killer and his religious mania? Playing chess, fear? The talk with Prendergast? The killer and his saw for the woodwork, sawing off of Prendergast’s head, it falling down the stairs?

9. Margot, visits, Peter and his visits, Paul expecting Margot to wait for him? The prospect of her marrying the Home Secretary? As a means of getting him out? His appendix, going to the
clinic, meeting Dr Fagan, the alcoholic doctor, all the certificates signed, including the death certificate? Paul able to have a new life?

10. The world of Evelyn Waugh and his satire, comic characters, spoofs, but elegant wit?