EMPIRE OF LIGHT

UK, 2022, 115 minutes, Colour.

Olivia Coleman, Micheal Ward, Colin Firth, Toby Jones, Tom Brooke, Tanya Moodie, Crystal Clarke, Monica Dolan, Ron Cook.

Directed by Sam Mendes.

The title sounds very grand, the overtones of Empire, the overtones of light. And, writer-director, Sam Mendes does have a grand perspective on the world of cinema, of moviegoing, of audiences caught up with light, images and stories.

In fact, the Empire of the title is the old cinema on the seafront at the British resort, Margate. The film is set in Britain, 1981, more specifically, England, and most specifically, Margate. Older audiences will feel very much at home inside the Empire, the familiar foyer, the glass ticket box, the ushers, the grand staircase, buying popcorn and refreshments, the two cinema halls, old-style auditoriums, proscenium, curtains… Which might make younger audiences realise how much they missed out on in the past, acknowledging that some cinemas like this do still exist, but we live in the 21^st-century world of streaming.

Sam Mendes has been very successful as a theatre director, many awards, and then his film career, already an Oscar in 1999 for American Beauty, then a range of films including Road to Perdition, two James Bond films, Skyfall and Spectre, and his emerging his audiences in the World War I trenches on a day mission in 1917. So, for Mendes, there is the Empire of theatre, the Empire of cinema, Empire satellite.

So, while we relive those old moviegoing days (as well as a visit to the projection room, the vast 35mm projectors, and roof and wall covered with posters and photos), this is the story of a middle-aged woman, unmarried, nervy, needy, Hilary – and another fine performance from Olivia Coleman (who is proof that a woman in her 40s can emerge as a star, television and cinema, Oscar for The Favourite).

We do see Hilary at home, quiet and lonely, and a visit to the doctor and discussions about her health, her lithium program, yet her seeming to be continually depressed – and a harsh reason aggravating the depression, the cinema manager, played by Colin Firth, uses and abuses her sexually, casually. But, a young man, West Indian heritage, comes to work at the Empire, Stephen, played with charm by Micheal Ward. Hilary is wary but they become friends when he shows her how to tend a pigeon, caught in the vacant upstairs, former cinemas and restaurant space, the pigeon having broken its wing. The two of them bond, affectionate, sharing time together, she mentoring him, and a happy day bus excursion to Hastings to the beach.

But, while Hilary seems to be more cheerful with Stephen’s influence, enjoying herself going to a dance hall, she does have some outbursts, even against Stephen, railing against men making decisions for women.

There is quite a dramatic, climactic sequence when the Empire holds the premiere of Chariots of Fire, speech by the manager, high moment in his career, and Hilary, in evening dress, coming to the stage, reciting a poem by W. H. Auden about dancing, then, feeling embarrassed, confronted by the manager and her denouncing him publicly, his wife looking on, he shaming her about her mental health.

Along with the issues of mental illness, there are the racial issues of England in the late 1970s, early 1980s. Stephen is attacked in the street. There is a cavalcade of bikers coming into Margate followed by a large crowd of skinheads who attack the cinema, bash the staff, are brutal towards Stephen.

One reviewer referred to the scenario as muddled. Yes, there are many themes interwoven but not muddled, rather dramatised in their complexity.

So, cinema themes and the reality and what is the magic of cinema, Mendes naming quite a few of his favourites with glimpses of scenes from Stir Crazy (mixed race comedy with Gene Wilder and Richard Pryor) and a wonderful climax for ourselves and for Hilary as she watches Peter Sellers in Being There.

1. The title? The Margate cinema, the Empire? The world of cinema, in the cinemas, the light, the stories, and empire?
2. England, Margate, 1980-1981? The seafront, the outside of the cinema, the interiors, foyer stairs, auditoriums, projection room, the abandoned and old restaurant? Homes and flats, hospital? The trip to Hastings on the beach? The musical score?
3. The work of the director, writing and directing here, his own love of cinema, age 16 at the time of this story? His career on stage? Career in cinema, Oscar, James Bond, 1917…? Love for cinema, the titles chosen for the notices outside the Empire, the films screened, the clips from Stir Crazy, and the screening of Being There and its meanings for Hilary? The projection room, Norman and his stories, the range of posters and photos all over the wall, roof? The audience seeing this part of the empire through the eyes of Stephen?
4. Cinema going in 1981, the numbers, ticket sales, cues, food and popcorn, the range of patrons, friendly, Mr Cooper and his arrogance and racism? The range of the staff, Neil, sympathetic, intervening with Stephen and Hilary? Janine, her look? The other young men? Norman, his story, leaving his family, not seeing his son in London, his love for film, showing Stephen how to make the connections between reels? His screening Being There for Hilary?
5. Hilary’s story, her age, living alone, working at the cinema, the various jobs, from sales to cleaning up popcorn? Her interactions with the staff? Being called by Ellis to his office, the sexual encounters, then disregarding her? Visits to the doctor, the lithium treatment? The screenplay’s gradual revelation of her mental condition? Meeting Stephen, the episode with the pigeon and its broken wing, his tenderness? The attraction, the kiss? The relationship, their being together? The trip to Hastings, the sandcastles, her unexpected outburst against men’s control? Returned home? Her not coming to the cinema? Stephen and his influence for her betterment? The preview of Chariots of Fire, her speech, her reading of Auden’s poem, the dress, leaving, the confrontation with Ellis in the foyer, speaking bluntly, his wife discovering the truth? Her embarrassment and not coming to work? Ellis calling her schizophrenic?
6. Stephen story, background, hoping to study architecture, not getting in, jobs, coming to work at the cinema, meeting the staff, friendly, the racial situation in 1981, references to all the riots? His being attacked in the street by the skinheads, the police moving them on, the bikie Convention in Margate, the skinheads, bashing on the locked cinema doors, breaking the glass, coming in, the fights, bashing Stephen, being taken to hospital, the long time in recovery? His mother, the nurse? Her talking with Hilary and encouraging her? His gradual recovery, Hilary going into care, his meeting Ruby, meals at home, walking with her, the encounters with Hilary on the garden seat? His recovery, getting into architecture, Hilary happy for him, the gift of the book by Philip Larkin, the poem, Trees, “Afresh… Afresh… Afresh…?
7. Hilary, her age, prospects, the romantic touch, going to the dance hall, her initial awkwardness, later dancing happily? Socialising at the cinema? But the manifestations of her erratic behaviour, mental condition? At home, Stephen trying to help, social work, coming in, taking her away? Her months away? Her return, to the cinema, talking with Norman, Stephen having talked about films and how she should see them? The request to Norman? Alone watching Peter Sellers, tears, his character, on the spectrum, the “Holy Fool”? Hilary and her joy in watching the film, the story, identifying, in the Empire of light?
8. Stephen and his mother, her work as a nurse, wise, advice?
9. The staff at the cinema, Neil and his presence, observing, advice? Janine?
10. Ellis, the manager, cheating on his wife, his use and abuse of Hilary, saying his wife didn’t know, the premiere of Chariots of Fire, the preparations, the crowds, his speech, Hilary and the poem, his anger, confronting her, his wife? And his moving on?
11. The complexities of the themes, cinema and its role, storytelling, images and light, the world of the cinema auditorium, and the theme of love, deprivation of love, sex, abuse, mental conditions, and the racial situation and political situation of England, 1981?