The Hide (2008)

On the windswept Suffolk mudflats creaks a bird-hide, inside which hovers Roy Tunt, a prematurely aged, mildly obsessive-compulsive birder. With one more sighting - the elusive sociable ... See full summary »

Director:

Marek Losey

Writers:

Tim Whitnall (screenplay), Tim Whitnall (play)

Stars:

Alex Macqueen, Phil Campbell, Laura Hopwood

2 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Alex Macqueen	...	Roy Tunt (as Alex MacQueen)
Phil Campbell	...	Dave John (as Philip Campbell)
Laura Hopwood	...	Pumpkin (voice)
Howard Ward	...	D.I. Weston (voice)
Fred Perry	...	Dennis (voice)

Storyline

On the windswept Suffolk mudflats creaks a bird-hide, inside which hovers Roy Tunt, a prematurely aged, mildly obsessive-compulsive birder. With one more sighting - the elusive sociable plover - he will have 'twitched' the entire British List. Tunt has his shortwave radio, packed-lunch and a portrait of his ex-wife Sandra for company. Suddenly, in the midst of a conversation with Sandra's portrait, the hide door blows open and a bedraggled stranger - unshaven, edgy and bloodied introduces himself as Dave John, a fugitive from the storm. After a tense introduction, the two men discover that they have a good deal in common, sharing sandwiches, tea and personal exchanges which are frank, poignant and often funny. As the two men begin to form a close bond news of a police manhunt sets them both on edge driving their fragile relationship to a tragic conclusion.

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Plot Keywords:

fugitive | storm | stranger | plover | bird | 

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Genres:

Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 June 2009 (UK)

Also Known As:

Sır

Filming Locations:

Elmley Marshes, Sheerness, Isle of Sheppey, Kent, England, UK

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,313

Company Credits

Production Co:

Poisson Rouge Pictures, Solution Films Limited

Technical Specs

Runtime:

82 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

The Last Days of May
Written and Performed by Sister Bliss

User Reviews

Catch this pigeon

When Sandra left him, he slept under his model railway; the bedroom held too many memories. Now Roy Tunt ("not a twitcher, an ornithologist") is holed up in his hide, binoculars in one hand, chicken-paste sandwiches in the other, waiting to tick off a sighting of the elusive Sociable Plover, a bird that hides among others. When a mysterious stranger (Campbell) shows up, with a tattooed neck and a gun under his coat, everything changes.

The Hide is directed by Marek Losey, grandson of Joseph, purveyor of elegant, chilly, often bleakly funny psychodramas like The Servant. On this evidence, the fruit has barely tumbled from the bough. Reprising his role from the stageplay, MacQueen is especially brilliant as the fusty Tunt – something like a shaved real-ale drinker, with all the beer irrigated out of him. It's stagey, sure. But which also guarantees some exceptional characterisation and dialogue.