THE HISTORY OF MR POLLY
UK, 2007, 90 minutes, Colour.
Lee Evans, Anne- Marie Duff, Julie Graham, Richard Coyle.
Directed by Gillies Mac Kinnon.
The History of Mr Polly is an adaptation of the novel by H.G. Wells (akin to his novel Kipps) about young men in 19th century England, trying to work, facing difficult decisions about their life and employment, about relationships.
Mr Polly had been filmed in 1949 with John Mills and for a television series in 1980 with Andrew Sachs (Manuel of Fawlty Towers). This time the protagonist is Lee Evans who had achieved fame in film with Funny Bones and The Mousehunt. He was also the initial star of The Producers on the London stage.
In support is Anne- Marie Duff as his wife and Julie Graham as Nancy Potter with whom he finds home and love.
The film is interesting in its re-creation of 19th century Kent. It focuses on manners and style, on the prospects of marriage, on middle-class commerce. It also focuses on Mr Polly as an idealist, a dreamer, who marries a young woman whom he thinks loves him but who turns out to be quite demanding, even a harridan. The crisis leads him to consider suicide but he simply walks away and finds another life.
The film was directed by Gillies Mac Kinnon who made some notable films in different genres including Some Faces, Regeneration, Hideous Kinky. The novel was adapted by Adrian Hodges, writer of many television series including Lorna Doone, Charles II.
1.The popularity of H.G. Wells? His novels? Screen adaptations? His novels about young men and their crises?
2.The title, the tone, Mr Polly as a significant figure, significant enough to have a history? His sad history, childhood, adulthood, parents, marriage, failure of his shop, failure of his marriage, walking out and finding a new life?
3.The Kent settings, the countryside, the towns, the shops? The 19th century costumes and décor? The musical score?
4.The initial focus on Mr Polly contemplating suicide, the return to that scene later? The focus of suicide, the meaning of life, questions?
5.Mr Polly’s childhood, as a little boy, looking at the stars, his father? His father’s advice, severity? His death? Being laid out, the executor of the will, his coming into some fortune, the funeral itself, the cousins and the relatives all coming? The effect on him? His seeing Miriam?
6.Mr Polly and the buying of the shop, his riding his bike, seeing the schoolgirl on the school wall, talking with her, infatuation, her friends and her giggling, his falling off the wall?
7.The Larkins family, Mr Polly going to visit them, the discussions with Miriam? About marriage, the shop? The proposal? The wedding? His buying the shop without consulting her, her criticisms, the walk along the beach and her wanting to turn back, her becoming shrewish? The lack of custom? The man next door always bending over and unpacking? Mr Polly’s challenge of him? The years passing, the growing exasperation, nothing happening in his life? Miriam and her criticisms? Going to church? His decision to burn the shop, putting the petrol, setting it alight? Mr Rumbold’s mother and her being trapped, his going to rescue her? His becoming a hero? Getting the insurance money?
8.His contemplation of suicide, his walking away? His finding Nancy Potter, congenial, her daughter? Jim and his harsh attitudes, bullying? Mr Polly and his settling down, the work, the threats by Jim, the confrontation, the gun, the shooting? Jim on the beach – and disappearing?
9.Mr Polly and his worry about Miriam, leaving Nancy, her wanting him to come back and not walk out, his visiting the shop, Annie Larkins and her chatter, seeing Miriam, finding that she was successful with the teahouse, with money, his satisfying himself that she was alright, his return?
10.A future for Mr Polly? Audiences identifying with him, his hopes and dreams, ambitions, sense of failure, frustrations, a bad decision in marriage – but hope?
