A Look at Fackham Hall – This Fast-Paced, Funny Parody of Downton Abbey Which Is Pleasantly Throwaway.
It could be the notion of an ending era around us: following a long period of inactivity, the parody is staging a resurgence. This summer observed the rebirth of this lighthearted genre, which, when done well, skewers the self-importance of pompously earnest dramas with a barrage of exaggerated stereotypes, physical comedy, and ridiculously smart wordplay.
Unserious periods, it seems, create an appetite for deliberately shallow, joke-dense, pleasantly insubstantial amusement.
The Latest Addition in This Goofy Wave
The most recent of these goofy parodies arrives as Fackham Hall, a parody of Downton Abbey that needles the easily mockable pretensions of wealthy British period dramas. The screenplay comes from British-Irish comedian Jimmy Carr and overseen by Jim O'Hanlon, the feature has plenty of source material to draw from and uses all of it.
From a ludicrous start all the way to its outrageous finale, this amusing aristocratic caper packs every one of its runtime with gags and sketches ranging from the puerile to the truly humorous.
A Send-Up of The Gentry and Staff
Similar to Downton, Fackham Hall delivers a caricature of overly dignified aristocrats and excessively servile staff. The plot revolves around the hapless Lord Davenport (played by an enjoyably affected Damian Lewis) and his book-averse wife, Lady Davenport (Katherine Waterston). After losing their children in various calamitous events, their hopes are pinned on marrying off their two girls.
The younger daughter, Poppy (Emma Laird), has achieved the dynastic aim of betrothal to the appropriate kinsman, Archibald (a perfectly smarmy Tom Felton). Yet once she pulls out, the onus transfers to the unmarried elder sister, Rose (Thomasin McKenzie), described as a "dried-up husk at 23 and who harbors radically progressive notions concerning women's independence.
Where the Laughs Succeeds
The spoof achieves greater effect when joking about the stifling expectations imposed on early 20th-century females – a topic typically treated for earnest storytelling. The trope of respectable, enviable femininity supplies the most fertile punching bags.
The plot, as befitting a purposefully absurd parody, takes a back seat to the gags. The co-writer keeps them maintaining a consistently comedic rate. The film features a killing, a bungled inquiry, and an illicit love affair between the charming pickpocket Eric Noone (Ben Radcliffe) and Rose.
Limitations and Lighthearted Fun
It's all in the spirit of playful comedy, but that very quality imposes restrictions. The amplified foolishness characteristic of the genre might grate quickly, and the entertainment value on this particular variety runs out somewhere between a skit and feature.
After a while, you might wish to return to stories with (very slight) logic. But, it's necessary to admire a sincere commitment to the artform. If we're going to amuse ourselves to death, let's at least find the humor in it.
