Riot’s Movie Reviews: The Dig
Based on the book published in 2007 and the true story of the 1939 excavation, The Dig tells the story of a Suffolk landowner’s historical archeological discovery, unearthed shortly before the impending wave of destruction brought on by World War II. Directed by Simon Stone, The Dig is a well-written evaluation of legacy and what it means to the human condition, using multiple storylines and characters to probe how the past, present, and future is experienced. While the pace of the film arguably becomes its biggest downfall, the strong performances of the deceptively expanding cast and the beautifully shot scenes of the English countryside are paired with an emotionally moving soundtrack that leaves a big impact on its audience.
The film initially centers in on Edith Pretty (Carey Mulligan) an upper-class landowner that is determined to have what seems to be large burial mounds at her home excavated. She attempts to hire for the dig a self-taught but seemingly qualified Basil Brown (Ralph Fiennes), who initially denies the job due to wanting better wages. The socially awkward Basil, stuck between standing firm for what he is worth and his desire to do the intriguing job, is let off the hook when Edith agrees to pay him more. Ignoring the request of Edith to start his dig at the largest burial mound (because she has a good feeling about it), Basil immediately gets to work on a smaller one, which inadvertently and nearly leads to his demise. Caught in a cave in at his original site, Basil is rescued by Edith and the various servants she has around the house. Throughout this process, Edith and Basil have to deal with the oppressive, over-the-shoulder presence of the more “esteemed” archeologists and museum owners, who initially try to not only drive Basil away from the project (by belittling his skills yet simultaneously showing their need for them on another project) but then also try to muscle him out of it when the second excavation attempt shows much more promising results. Meanwhile, Basil continues to build relationships with Edith, her outer space-addicted son Robert (Archie Barns), and Rory Lomax (Johnny Flynn), Edith’s cousin. For Edith, the stresses of being a widow, dealing with bureaucracy taking over her project, and a pre-existing heart condition, become too much of a toll, often leaving her clutching at her chest, struggling to breathe or even walk. A brief set of doctor visits reveals that she is dealing with a terminal heart condition that will inevitably leave her only child without both his parents.
As the story progresses and word of Basil’s find makes it to the British Museum, the scale of characters involved in the story also expands. Archeologist Charles Phillips (Ken Stott) brings along a small team to assist with the dig, including the unhappily married pair of Stuart and Peggy Piggot (Ben Chapman and Lily James). Plotlines at this point begin to diverge away from Edith and Basil as the threat of oncoming war with Germany edges closer. While Edith’s fortitude to keep Basil on the job and ensure he gets credit for it is central to the plot, the story spends much of its second half knee-deep in the love stories that surround the Piggot’s doomed marriage. There are multiple, unsubtle hints that Stuart Piggot is a homosexual and is clearly attracted to a fellow archeologist in their group. Peggy, initially trying everything she can to not only be shown respect in the archeology field but also keep her marriage intact, eventually falls for Rory Lomax, who is enlisted for service in the Royal Air Force. As the historical significance of the dig gains prominence (partially due to Peggy’s skill in locating the first tangible evidence of treasure) the group’s excitement over the find is tempered by the looming presence of the war. Once all the pomp and circumstance of the archeological treasure is rolled out to the public, the individual stories each start to find their conclusions. The distance between the Piggots comes to a head and the couple part ways, allowing Peggy and Rory a chance to have one night of passion before he is called up to service in the British Air Force. Edith forcibly ends the claim battle between two museums, committing the treasure to the British Museum with the stipulation that Basil gets credit for the find. And Basil arranges for Edith to share a night with her son in the excavated burial site, symbolically bringing her story to an end and highlighting the “royalty” in the way she carried herself through life. The film ends with a montage of Basil re-burying the site, coupled with captioned notes stating that Basil in fact did not receive credit for the dig until very recently.
Admittedly, I am no historian buff. So when I see movies that are presented as “based on true events” I am not prone to dig too far into the histories behind them. Much like the last historically based drama I watched (The Imitation Game) I went into this film with the same attitude of merely wanting to enjoy what was being presented at face value. As I’ve already seen other reviews which negatively speak against The Dig for its diversions from historical truths, I would caution my readers about going down that rabbit hole, with this film and any future ones. Complaining about these diversions would be a waste of time.
While the pace of the film made it difficult at times to hold my undevoted attention, the cinematography and acting performances were enough to leave a real impact post-viewing. The calm and often tense music fit well into the progress of the story, highlighting the persistently growing intensity of an essential “race against the clock” storyline. Not only are these characters dealing with the impending war but also Edith’s condition as she tries to desperately hold on to having her goals fulfilled before she passes on. The strongest theme of the film as I saw it, was how different generations deal with the idea of legacy, dreams, and living in general. Edith’s child Robert, is shown throughout as space-obsessed, eyes to the sky and possessed by the unknown. In dealing with his mother’s impending death, we are told the story of a boy that is forced to grow up too quickly, yet still dreams of the future and all the possibilities that it will bring. Representing the middle generation, the love story between Peggy and Rory is deeply rooted in the present. While both are shown to be essential in uncovering the treasures of the past, their focus on living and loving in the moment allows them to sacrifice the past and future as priority. Rory’s being called up to war and all the dangers that come with it also reminds us that tomorrow isn’t promised, so sometimes we should just live for today. Finally, Edith and Basil’s story emphasizes the meaning behind legacy and what we leave for the next generations. It wouldn’t be a gamble to say that we all worry about how we will be remembered. What inevitably happens to Basil (since he initially didn’t receive the credit which he deserved) should remind us all that those legacies, when assaulted by other malevolent factors and even time itself, can be fickle. It’s not wrong to dream about the future. It’s not wrong to live in the moment. And it’s certainly not wrong to want to leave a lasting legacy. It is up to each of us to take the time and evaluate what it all means to ourselves and act accordingly in a way that ensures goals can be accomplished in whatever manner we deem proper. For myself, I think Master Oogway had an apt summation on the matter when he says: “Yesterday is history, tomorrow is a mystery, but today is a gift. That is why it’s called the present.”
Riot’s Rating: 8.5/10: I imagine that I would have enjoyed this film much more in an actual theater due to its beautiful scenery and lovely music. Alas, that isn’t possible (stupid Covid) but I would certainly recommend this film to anyone that was interested.
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