The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford Review
Peter Mullan stars in this touching new drama...
It is a funny thing, memory. Tales from our ancestors are passed down every day. But with each rendition, how much of it remains the truth? And how much of it becomes a jumble? We will never really know. I believe it is less important to focus on this and more important to continue to share the stories we hear and the legends and histories that are most important to us.
Writer and director Sean Dunn brings the idea of our history to life in The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford. Yet the film becomes more than just memories, but who wishes to remember. It studies the idea of grief and how one can find themselves on the brink of collapse, not being taken seriously in what can only be perceived as their time of need.
Arberloch is a Scottish village with a single historical figure many have long forgotten. Eighteenth-century inventor Sir Douglas Weatherford’s legacy is fading. No locals recall the man of many talents and achievements, apart from one Kenneth (Peter Mullan). Yet, unfortunately for Kenneth, as a grieving tour guide, he runs into trouble in his devotion to preserving this legacy. When a fantasy series chooses Arberloch as its filming location, Kenneth’s attempts are further disrupted as the town falls further into the idea of fan culture. Leaving Kenneth on his own to defend Weatherford, he begins to fall into a state of madness and delirium, leaving all to wonder how it will end.
Thanks to Mullan as Kenneth, honestly, Dunn’s protagonist is easy to empathise with and for. As his devotion takes him down a slippery slope, we might find ourselves tense and uncomfortable, but we are ultimately unable not to feel pity for the old man. Mullan finds a way to take Kenneth down this spiral into pure insanity as he chases away visitors, hunts the local celebrities, and even scares his family members. All this while making us feel sorry for him, too. There is a specific look in his eye that you cannot help but be pulled into.
Alongside Mullan, Dunn’s film is truly a love letter to the state of loneliness and grief we each feel differently. From one perspective, audiences can witness what happens when one person chooses to preserve a historical figure, no matter how others may perceive him. Amidst a Scottish landscape, which I cannot help but love, The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford holds just the right amount of tenderness and love amidst heartache and sorrow. Dunn knows just how to balance the elements and emotions in his touching tale of what we could call a Scottish hero.
To one’s surprise, the film was a comforting and touching watch. With no prior knowledge of what I would be getting myself into, I found myself reflecting on how much we judge one another and, of course, on the idea of memories. With the important and talented performance by Mullan, there is no way you cannot find yourself wanting to give Kenneth a big hug by the end. While yes, he makes some strange decisions, we all do, we can see they come from a place of great pain and sorrow.
There is beauty in it, and The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford is a touching watch, to say the least. Whether or not you are into Scottish lore and history, or simply want a film to connect to, give yourself a change of pace from recent blockbuster big pictures and try to find a way to watch and enjoy this small drama.
★★★
In cinemas from June 12th / Peter Mullan, Gayle Rankin, Sid Sagar, Lewis MacDougall, Jakob Oftebro, Oliver Maltman, Saskia Ashdown / Dir: Sean Dunn / MUBI / 15
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