Savage House

"Sir Chauncey" (Richard E. Grant) has risen from the pigsty to the elevated world of the landed gentry thanks to a marriage with the impoverished but titled "Lady Savage" (Claire Foy). Having somehow obtained for himself a knighthood, and supported by his ever loyal factotum "Halifax" (Jack Farthing) he lives the life of a gentleman amidst their ever decaying country pile. Then there's a knock at the door. It's a message from the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire. They are making their progress through the county and require board and lodgings for the night. Initially, she concludes that there is no way they can afford to host such luminaries, but he counters that they ought to beg, steal or borrow whatever they need in order to reassert themselves in the all important social order. Such a prestigious visit might also facilitate an advantageous marriage for their mouse-obsessed daughter "Fanny" (Kila Lord Cassidy) too. Reluctantly she agrees and with barely two weeks to go until D-Day they must get their house and their staff fit for purpose. "Sir Chauncey" is a bit of a rake as he chases the maid (Bel Powley) but what he doesn't know is that she is also loved up and conspiring with a butler who is also providing some more intimate services for his mistress whilst helping his boss double-sell various plots of land to the likes of "Mr. Black" (Pip Torrens). With disease rife, duplicity and treachery even more so and the local pheasant (with or without an 'h') population facing decimation this opportunity could prove to be the making of his dynasty, or just as likely, it's doom. There's a lovely rich score to this, the production is sumptuous and some of the dialogue is funny on occasion but the whole thing is just strung out too thinly as we stay only slightly on the right side of farce until a denouement that isn't really a shock to anyone on our side of the screen. Foy and Farthing are underused and though the whole film takes an entertaining enough pop at the ludicrousness of 18th century aristocratic existance and pomposity, I just felt a bit underwhelmed by this hybrid of a "Carry On" romp married to a period piece from Peter Greenaway.