Customer Reviews

The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill [VHS]

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(20)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

"All this fuss...over what? Is it a hill, is it a mountain? Perhaps it wouldn't matter anywhere else, but this is Wales."

So what happens in this epic story about the Englishman who went up a hill but came down a mountain? On Sunday, 17 June 1917, cartographers/retired army officers Reginald Anson and George Garrad come to a Welsh village to measure Ffynnon Garw to determine whether it's a hill or a mountain. Their presence causes anxiety among the villagers, who are on pins and needles when they hear the British standard of a mountain defined as anything over 1,000 feet. The Britons stay at the inn of the cheeky Morgan the Goat (as opposed to Morgan the Sheep?), intending to leave after their task is completed. However, guess what height Ffynnon Garw is less than?

The villagers put things in motion with two objectives: one, to make sure their beloved Ffynnon Garw becomes a mountain, and two, to extend the Britons' stay, such as something involving two pounds of sugar and a gas tank, and a knife. The first objective forms the action of the movie, villagers moving dirt from their gardens bucket by bucket, tray by tray, through toil, sweat, and sacrifice, and placing them...guess where? And excuses for delay? The war--take note of the date listed above.

There's also a conflict between the religiously fervent Reverend Jones and Morgan, as the latter doesn't go to church and plies alcohol. When Jones asks Morgan, "Have you no shame?" Morgan flippantly pats himself down and says "No, can't think where I left it" and walks off, leaving Jones fuming.

During the movie, we see that the younger Anson is more sympathetic and humble to the villagers, while the stout and older Garrod is more logical, arrogant, and looks down on the Welsh. A typical British attitude during the period of Empire there. Anson is also taken by Betty, a maid who comes to help Morgan tend bar and also to charm the cartographers. It all goes back to Anglo-Welsh relations. The Welsh have had a rough time of it all, like the Irish. Those who survive the trenches of France return to labour only to die for coal. Sad times indeed for the Welsh.

The whole point of the movie is not just the standard height set for a mountain, but Welsh pride, of national identity. For the Welsh, all they have for monuments are mountains, no pyramids or temples. And if Ffynonn Garw isn't a mountain, then Anson might as well redraw the map and put the Welsh in England. After all, as Morgan tells Betty, "Maps are the undergarments of a country, they give shape to continents." And what's in a measurement anyway? As Morgan says, "Do we call a short man a boy or a small cat a dog? No! This is a mountain, our mountain, and if it needs to be a thousand feet, then by God let's make it a thousand feet!�E In other words, it's all relative.

The concept of telling the village people with identical surnames by their occupation or personality is ingenious and charming, so we can tell the difference between Williams the Petroleum from Williams the Deaf. Some are more telling, as in the case of Johnny Shellshock. And there are the Thomas Twps: Thomas Twp and his brother Thomas Twp 2. As one of them says, "we've no learning than most, so people say we're twp, but we're not twp as to not know that we're twp." Right, that makes sense.

All the leads are splendid, particularly Colm Meaney as Morgan the Goat and Kenneth Griffith as the strict but passionate Reverend Jones. And Hugh Grant (Anson) has another charming leading lady, Tara Fitzgerald (Betty), who ranks up there with Andie McDowell (Four Weddings) and Martine McCutcheon (Love Actually). She really has a winning smile and saucy brogue that makes her character lovable. And darn if Ian Hart keeps popping up, be it Harry Potter, Michael Collins, and now here, as Johnny Shellshock.

A wonderful little movie with a wonderful Celtic score, as the ideas and themes that emerge make this more than a one-joke movie. And for you boyos, this was written by Hamlow_the_Writer_Who_Went_Up_A_Paragraph_But_Climbed_Down_A_Review.

This unassuming film takes place during World War I in a Welsh village when two English cartographers, Anson (Hugh Grant) and the more senior Garrad (Ian McNeice), arrive as part of the war effort to map the Welsh countryside. The villagers are jubilant that they are finally going to be noticed since they have what they call "the first mountain in Wales" within their boundaries. Unfortunately, to qualify as a mountain in the eyes of the British government, the peak must be 1000 feet high and, of course, this one falls just short, much to the outrage and sorrow of the townspeople. To have their mountain reclassified as a hill threatens their regional pride and identity. Naturally, they stubbornly set out to do something about it. In a town with so few surnames that people are designated by profession or personality - Williams the Petroleum or Evans the End of the World - the town has its surprising divisions that first must be bridged.

The charm of this film lies in its gentle good humor and the coziness of the small Welsh community it evokes. Everything about this film is simple - the premise, the characters, the conflict, the resolution - and this lack of complexity allows the determination of its characters to shine through in a way that a more boisterous film would not. Hugh Grant plays his usual awkwardly charming character, fitting for the role but occasionally annoying. Colm Meaney is wonderful as innkeeper Morgan the Goat, and Kenneth Griffith turns in a remarkable performance as Morgan's foil, the elderly but feisty Rev. Jones. Tara Fitzgerald is radiant as the love interest Betty. Ian Hart as Johnny Shellshocked nicely underplays his part as the young man returned from the war with emotional scars.

Indie film aficionados and Hugh Grant fans will probably like this movie more than the average American viewer will. This quiet exploration of the huge emotional difference wrought by a few feet will delight those seeking a feel-good movie without commercial flashiness. Stay away if you are looking for a hilarious romantic comedy because, chances are, you won't find it here.

This movie is a labor of love, as is its topic. This true story, well acted and beautifully filmed, initially stopped me with its music as I surfed past a television broadcast. Within minutes, I was entranced, equally by the fine character acting as by the familiar faces of Hugh Grant and Colm Meaney. In the first 10 minutes, I cancelled all other plans for that evening, and spent my first commercial break calling friends to tell them it was on, then spent my remaining commercial breaks surfing to find it on video.

Movies of similar beauty, heart, and soul include Waking Ned Devine, Fairy Tale: A True Story, Shakespeare in Love, and The Secret of Roan Inish. I'm now buying a copy to give my mother as a gift, and look forward to watching it on our home theater system. A movie of the people, with quiet in-jokes between English and Welsh that seem to elude the Ugly AmeriMalkin.

Spend a couple of hours with the people of Wales, and feel your heart expand with the love and care and fun of this fine film. There aren't enough of such gems available!

There are already great reviews giving previews of the movie so I'll not do that again.
My son is 15 and my husband and I are in our 40's. We both adore this movie. You must sit back and take the time to see (and enjoy) the humor, share in the pain(s), the quirkiness, the light romance and be a part of this village of people who will use a number of means to turn their hill into a mountain. Did I mention that the movie is based on a true story? This is one of those movies that the more times you watch it, the more things you see and catch...ahhh. Give it a chance, you may be happily surprised. We've rewatched it a couple of times a year since it first came out and truly enjoy it each and every time. I think now we sit in anticipation of what's to come.
I'm already grinning just from thinking of the sugar and the train. It's time to watch it again.

Hugh Grant stars as the hapless surveyer who has the dubious fortune of determining if mountains truly are. When he discovers that a town's prized landmark falls a bit short, he's coerced by a local lovely into re-measuring. What he doesn't know is the whole town is going to build a mountain while he's otherwise occupied. This is a laugh a minute film and definitely one to be bought and kept for a day when you need cheering.

Yes, it is a simple, uncomplicated story. Yes, they could have developed the relationship between Hugh Grant and Tara Fitzgerald a little more. But despite its minor faults, this is one of my very favorite movies. It's a wonderful story that could easily have remained just a local legend, but I'm glad it didn't. I found the interactions between the Englishmen and the Welsh villagers hilarious, as well as the continuing sabotage of the Englishmens' attempts to leave the village. I thought the storyline about "Johnny shell-shocked" added just the right amount of depth without being overdone. And the end of the movie was quite satisfying, as far as I'm concerned. Maybe I'm just an old sap, but I enjoy this story. And I love that they show the actual mountain/hill at the end, along with the children of the people represented in the film. If you want to watch a movie that presents an engaging story without unnecessary embellishment, this is a good choice.

This was a very pleasant surprise, a nice movie with one of the simplest "plots" you'll ever see yet one that was fun to watch develop.

There are no nasty characters. They aren't all goody-goodies, either, but they're all interesting people to watch. The story is simply about a pair of cartographers (map makers) who measure a "hill" in Wales and much to the displeasure of the locals, it isn't tall enough to be considered a mountain, which is what the townsfolk always considered it. So, the locals work together to build it up so it will qualify to be officially labeled a mountain. Sounds simple and even stupid, but it isn't. Along the way, a romance buds between Hugh Grant and Tara Fitzgerald. There also is some nice cinematography in here.

Some might find it boring but I didn't. There was just something about this, a charm that made me feel good as I watched it and had me smiling even more by the end. This is a "sleeper," a movie you might pass up..... but don't.

This film is in my DVD collection. Did it have a lot of special effects on the DVD vs. VHS? No. But it does have the perfect picture of a DVD and the Perfect storyline of a Perfect British (Welsh) comedy. This film was absolutely spiritual on so many levels. Not only did it touch upon the typical "Why Work Stinks" theme, but it touches upon Love, Friendship, Loyalty, and working in unison toward a greater cause than the mere cause of self. I am neither eloquent of words, nor even spelling, but I do know, as a married man, what moves me and what stirs my spirit towards greatness, and this film inspires both. If you are an Historian of WWI, a lover of Britain, or even a lover of the human condition, then this film belongs...no, DEMANDS...to be in your collection. The spirit of community manifests itself in this film. Being that I am a member of the modern era, the spirt shown here is but a DREAM of what we should be. At once the movie is hopeful for what is about to unfold, and sad; at the thought of what we have lost since the simple times of WW I. I would encourage every serious comedy AND drama lover to add this DVD to their collection. I would stake my honor upon the fact that this delightful film is for everyone. What does it take to enlighten you? Love? Honor? Respect? Humor? Dignity? This film has all AND MORE. No one can experience this film and walk away unaffected unless your heart is a cold piece of unfeeling ice. My advice for all macho men watching this with their wives? Keep a tissue handy in the dark to wipe away that sad or happy tear without your significant other seeing your humanity.

Like the viewer in chicago, I found that once I watched the first few minutes, I was anxious to find out more about the inhabitants of the village and how they would react to the outsiders! I also smiled all the way through this delightful movie!

I first heard about this movie in the review section of the local paper when it first came out. It got the reviewers highest rating, which sent up the first red flag for me, because 95% of the time, if he rates it 5 stars, and it isn't action-adventure, it is usually heinous by my measure. I therefore did not see it in the theater. Big Mistake. While it does not lose too much in the translation to small screen, (At least I don't think it would), it kept me from knowing this wonderful movie for a year. I finally saw it on video, and was instantly captivated. If you can understand what is being said (no mean feat sometimes, the accents can throw you for a loop), this understated little gem will instantly sweep you off your feet. Especially engaging was Colm Meany (Of Star Trek:The Next Generation and Star Trek:Deep Space Nine fame, as Morgan The Goat (The village has a lot of people living there with the same first name, so the villigers identify certain people by their occupation, or other things describing them (your guess as to why they call Morgan "the goat", he runs the motel in town)). He, and the preacher were the two standouts in the movie. SEE IT is all I can say, and I can't say it with enough passion.