This is a terrific film which I found really gripping because of its story of the unequal fight between a group of peasants and local landowners. So few films seem to portray inequality and the fight for justice that The Inheritors seemed to me like a breath of fresh air. I thought the story was simply but beautifully told, the scene at the communal meal where the characters assert their right to the ownership of the farm against the wishes of the brutal foreman is understated and powerful. The way they are shown standing up to his bullying against the backdrop of the place set as usual for the now dead owner is keenly observed and uplifting. The film looks superb, its rural setting is very authentic, and the performances of the actors catch well the growing confidence and political awareness of the peasants, always laced with elements of self-doubt. There is a tragic core to the film and a melancholy tone but it is never dull or depressing, the characters seem too busy with trying to make good their chance of a better life.
Review of The Inheritors
