A Month in the Country (1987)

Five centuries ago a mural was created in a country church in the north of England and then hidden under layers of white paint. Looking at it again will be a distraction, the Rev. Mr. Keach... See full summary »

Director:

Pat O'Connor

Writers:

J.L. Carr (novel), Simon Gray

Stars:

Colin Firth, Kenneth Branagh, John Atkinsons

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Colin Firth	...	Birkin
John Atkinsons	...	Old Man on Train
Jim Carter	...	Ellerbeck
Patrick Malahide	...	Reverend Keach
Kenneth Branagh	...	James Moon
Richard Vernon	...	Colonel Hebron
Tim Barker	...	Mossop
Vicki Arundale	...	Kathy
Martin O'Neil	...	Edgar
Natasha Richardson	...	Alice Keach
Tony Haygarth	...	Douthwaite
Eileen O'Brien	...	Mrs. Ellerbeck
Elizabeth Anson	...	Lucy Sykes
Barbara Marten	...	Mrs. Sykes
Ken Kitson	...	Mr. Sykes (as Kenneth Kitson)

Storyline

Five centuries ago a mural was created in a country church in the north of England and then hidden under layers of white paint. Looking at it again will be a distraction, the Rev. Mr. Keach tells WWI veteran Tom Birken who will spend a month in the country restoring the mural. Another veteran, James Moon, is looking for the grave of an ancestor of the patroness of the church who fought in the Crusades. The rector's wife, Alice, comes to see the mural and later visits Birken's bell tower abode, bringing a basket of apples. Will she open the book in which he has pressed the yellow rose she gave him earlier?

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Plot Keywords:

mural | church | rose | shell shock | homosexual | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

4 December 1987 (Ireland)

Also Known As:

En månad på landet

Filming Locations:

Pickering, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Box Office

Gross USA:

$443,524

Company Credits

Production Co:

Channel Four Films, Euston Films, PfH Ltd.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

96 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Film historian Nick Redman mentions in his commentary included in the BFI edition of the film that ,at the time of its original release, this was said to be a film "starring two nobodies".

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Goofs

According to Alice Keach, her roses are the variety Sarah Van Fleet. However, the film is set in 1920 and Sarah Van Fleet roses were not introduced until 1926.

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Quotes

Reverend Keach: [addressing the congregation at mass] Now we hear the words of Jesus to lead us and encourage us in prayer. "Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father. Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. For I was enhung'red and ye gave me meat, I was thirsty and ye gave me drink, I was a stranger and ye took me in, naked and ye clothed me, I was sick and ye visited me, I was in prison...
Birkin: [...]

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Connections

Featured in Siskel & Ebert: Breakthrough Stars of 1990 (1990)

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Soundtracks

Roses of Picardy
(uncredited)
Music by Haydn Wood

User Reviews

A quiet, moving and intelligent film

As the person responsible for persuading Channel 4 to release this film on DVD for the first time I obviously hold a candle for this film. I knew the author of the novel, Carr, and spent a long time finding a print and the right holders. I didn't see it until the first showing for a decade, at my own book's launch, and I was stunned by how good, and how close to the book, it was. It is very quiet and very English. You will either fall in love with it, or miss the point and get bored. I doubt there is much middle ground. Kenneth Branagh is very proud of the film and Colin Firth rates it as one of his best ever performances. You should find more about my finding of the film on my bradwan site.