THE DIG

UK, 2021, 112 minutes, Colour.
Cary Mulligan, Ralph Fiennes, Lily James, Johnny Flynn, Archie Barnes, Ken Stott, Ben Chaplin, Eamon Farren, Monica Dolan.
Directed by Simon Stone.

The Dig looks at a piece of British heritage, a reminder of what is buried beneath the soil of Britain, its historical heritage. It is presented in the context of World War II looming, discussions about the war, the voice of Chamberlain, the air force training overhead, the outbreak in September 1939.

The setting is Suffolk, Sutton Hoo. A property with a number of high mounds owned by an aristocratic woman, Edith Pretty. She has had a long interest in archaeology and wants to know what might lie beneath the mounds. She makes a proposal to a local excavator, Basil Brown, an expert in the soils of Suffolk, employed by the Museum of Ipswich in its diggings.

It can be noted that British society as late as 1939 was very much an upstairs-downstairs society, aristocratic people working with the lower classes but not inviting them to meals… Wealthy people with a range of servants. And, the film highlights professional and academic snobbery with a clash between Ipswich Museum and the British Museum, the British Museum assuming authority and status.

The film is blessed with a strong cast, Ralph Fiennes as Basil Brown, an earnestness and integrity, not professionally trained but a man who had studied his experiences and published books. He goes to work wearing a coat and tie, removing the coat for work but always wearing his tie. He is employed by Edith Pretty, Cary Mulligan, somewhat matronly after her tour-de-force performance as Promising Young Woman. The film develops each character, their interactions, always respectful, on the dig as well as Basil’s becoming something of a father-guidance-figure for Robert Pretty, Edith’s young son.

It is worth noting that the treatment of characters and themes is very British, old-style, genteel in manner whatever the turmoil, with such vocabulary as “are you feeling poorly?�, “I was undeterred by the difficulties�, and exclamations of surprise go as far as “Blast!�.

Ken Stott as Phillips brings his British Museum minions and wants to take over the excavation site, not acknowledging Basil’s work, getting him to carry wheelbarrows of soil because he is considered an excavator. Phillips brings in his own staff and experts. But, ultimately, it is Basil’s discovery, beyond what they thought they were digging for, digging into Anglo-Saxon? history.

Once Basil has been relegated to carrying the soil, the screenplay focuses on the assistants, particularly an expert, Piggott (a rather stiff Ben Chaplin) and his young wife, Peggy (Lily James always attractive). There is a tension in the marriage, Piggott more interested in being with one of his fellow workers than with his wife. A complication comes when Edith Pretty’s cousin, Rory (dapper Johnny Flynn) comes to help, and finds that his major job is taking photos of everyone at the dig and their work. His also involved when a trainee flyer crashes nearby and he leads the rescue.

In a sense, with the introduction of these characters and themes, the main development of the film and its characters seems to be relegated to the side. While dramatic interactions are always interesting, they tend to distract from the central theme and lessens its impact.

There is final information about what happened to the historical artefacts and treasure, kept in the Underground during the war, bequeathed to the British Museum, no acknowledgement of the work of Basil Brown until more recently when the exhibits name both Edith and Basil.

British heritage.


1. A true story? The excavations in Suffolk, 1939, Sutton Hoo, the success, the ship, the treasure, Ipswich Museum, the British Museum? The aftermath, the gift of the British Museum, the display?

2. The re-creation of the period, the countryside, the fields and the mounds, the river, the town, the mansion and interiors, houses and huts, the excavations? The visit to London, the train, the city, doctor’s office? The musical score?

3. Social status at the time, upstairs and downstairs attitudes, the lady of the house, the servants, the lower classes? Professional and academic snobbery?

4. The prospect of war, listening to broadcasts, isolation, air force training, the prospect of air warfare, people being called up, the scenes of Edith in the car and the troops? Rory and his being called up? The discussion about Hitler, the Nazis? Chamberlain, his speech about the war? The trainee pilot and his crashing? Atmosphere of war?

5. Edith Pretty, owning the land, her interest in archaeology, the mounds, her care for her father, marrying her husband, his death, Robert and her caring for him? The servants in the house, her lifestyle, dressing, manners? Her approach to Basil Brown? Her intuitions about the mound, discussions with him, the proposal, payment, his acceptance?

6. Basil Brown, proud of his grandfather and father, personal integrity, knowing the soils of Suffolk, his work for Ipswich, the mediaeval ruins? The discussions with Edith, the salary, his agreement? The help of the servants and collaborating with them? Robert and his interest, his talking with Robert, the telescope? His way of speaking, his manner, coat and tie to work, taking of the code, still wearing the time? The initial diggings, urging Edith of the danger, the collapse of the soil on him, the desperate digging him out?

7. Basil, his relationship with his wife, her being at home, away for the week, her writing a letter every day, her coming to visit, his not having read the letters? The role of rather formal but loving relationship between them? Her visit to the site? His visit home? Her encouragement?

8. Ipswich, the directors, their demands on Basil, coming to plead with him? Their pleading with Edith?

9. The continued excavations, the gradual discovery of the ship? Anglo- Saxon? The news, Phillips and the British Museum authorities coming, their demands, Edith and her decisions, Phillips humiliating Basil, excavator, carrying the soil? Not giving Basil credit? Phillips and his bumptious manner? Brailsford and Piggott, their expertise, working together? The friendship – and more? Peggy Piggott being invited, her expertise, their all working together?

10. Rory Lomax, the cousin, signing up for the air force, his coming to help, bond with Robert, his taking the photos? The encounter with Peggy, the attraction? His staying in the tent in the grounds? The buildup with Peggy, observing her tension with her husband? The sexual encounter? The death of the trainee pilot, Rory rescuing the body? His being
called up, in uniform?

11. Peggy, devotion to her husband, his formal behaviour, the episode with the bath, the marriage, her feeling alienated, on the dig site, her work, the discoveries, watching her husband, his work, with Brailsford, going off with him? Peggy and her response to Rory, the hesitation, the sexual encounter? Her separation from her husband? His formal acceptance?

12. The continued excavations, Basil carrying the soil, Edith making a demand, credit for his work, Peggy discovering the Anglo-Saxon? coin? Basil feeling unwanted, leaving, Robert cycling to find him, to persuade him to come back, Robert received by Basil’s wife, Edith arriving, the discussion, Basil returning?

13. Edith and Phillips and their interactions? Edith and her ill-health, her collapses, Robert’s his concern and blaming himself for his responsibility, Robert being encouraged by Basil? Edith owning the property, death on the property and inquests, her decisions, press conference, her inviting people to come to the town, to view the excavation, her speech and acknowledgement of Basil? Basil’s wife, the people, the toast? The museums and the pressure, Edith warding off Ipswich? Yet her final decision to bequeath everything to the British Museum?

14. The aftermath, Basil and his team, their work together over the excavations, their personalities, putting the branches over the excavation?

15. The final information, the material hidden in the Underground, exposition in the British Museum, Edith’s death, no acknowledgement of Basil? More recent years, the museum and the names of Edith and Basil on the exhibit?

16. The piece of British heritage? Reticent British filmmaking? The touch of the genteel no matter what the situations?