The 2005 dark British comedy Keeping Mum, originally known as “Trunk,” could have been titled “A Chip Off the Old Block.” I decided to rewatch this in honour of the passing of Dame Maggie Smith on September 27. It is just about my favourite character of hers and her work here is beyond superb.
I am deviating from my regular template for this short labour of love.
Please read on.
The Cast
Dame Maggie Smith – Grace Hawkins
Rowan Atkinson is The Reverend Walter Goodfellow
Kristin Scott Thomas – Is Walter’s wife Gloria.
Patrick Swayze is Lance.
Tamsin Egerton is Holly Goodfellow.
Toby Parkes is Petey Goodfellow.
Liz Smith is Mrs. Parker flower committee busybody.
Emilia Fox is Rosie “Grace” Jones. (Emilia is from the Fox acting dynasty.)
James Booth is Mr Brown. The neighbour with the noisy dog. *Mr Booth died four months before the film’s first release. This was his final film. Booth is well known to audiences around the world as Pvt. Hook in Zulu (1964).*
The story
A pregnant Rosie Jones murders her husband and his mistress. She is placed in a prison for the criminally insane. Years later she is released. Rosie now goes by the name of Gracie and she visits her daughter; Holly.
Once she is there with her daughter, Gracie learns that the family structure is crumbling. Her offspring is cheating on her vicar husband. Her granddaughter Holly is shagging the most unsuitable blokes ever and Petey is horribly bullied by his schoolmates.
Gracie lends a hand to these disastrous proceedings.
By the film’s end we wonder which Jones family member is a chip off the old block. Gloria or Holly?
Behind the scenes
Director Niall Johnson co-writes this one. He teams up with Richard Russo. This darkly comic film is pure gold from the very first frame.
Cornwall is the principle location for Keeping Mum. *My favourite place in the world.* Keeping Mum is an England that does not really exist any longer.
If it ever really existed at all outside of cinemas.
Not quite Ealing in texture or feel but definitely not too far out. For instance this is more Agatha Christie with giggles versus Midsomer Murders with dark comedy as a background.
*This was the film that made me appreciate the comic talents of Dame Maggie Smith. It also allowed me the privilege of falling in love with Kristin Scott Thomas all over again. The camera loves this actor full stop.
It works
Maggie Smith as Gracie is a treat. The ever smiling, ever cheerful housekeeper, “Cup of tea?” Perfectly capable of killing her fellow man without qualm. Patrick Swayze as Lance is another treat. All capped teeth, fake tan and barely concealed libedo, Swayze kills it. He is the deplorable, lecherous golf pro. He cheerfully cuckolds Walther with the same enthusiasm as his lecherous take on Holly.
Rowan Atkinson vastly playing against type is marvelous here. Egerton, whom I first saw in the 2007 homage film St Trinian’s first, knocks it out of the park here with her nubile nympho portrayal.
Everyone here gives their all. Emilia Fox, in what can be seen as an intrical cameo, to Liz Smith as the annoying flower lady. They all feel a complete part of the film. Every actor is a delight to watch. The script gives us layered characters and we can appreciate the effort here.
The tale is a delight. Smith’s madly murderous Gracie who kills to protect her family is the star.
But.
The writing turns this into a tour de force ensemble piece where Maggie Smith sits at the top of this crew adding so much to Keeping Mum and its story.
The verdict
This is a full 5 star effort. *I would gladly give this a star rating that surpasses the available 5 star limit.* It is streaming on Tubi at the moment but I would recommend buying the DVD. For those who enjoy it, the film’s commentary is splendid and worth “watching.”
RIP Dame Maggie Smith. You were one of a kind and I, for one, will miss you. This retro review may soon be joined by another one: The Secret Garden (1993) where her character is the polar opposite of Gracie.
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