A few minutes into this film I became interested in it's origin. Lo and behold it dates back over a decade before the Great war. A somewhat simpler time to the century following that conflict.
This story is a novelization of an earlier short story perhaps a decade it's junior. I feel this an important fact to remember. Darwin is but a few years in the past and Orwell decades in the future...
A simpler time. (Perhaps I give the era less respect than I should?)
It seems to me the original author enjoyed writing while wearing rose glasses. Certainly he enjoyed himself and the place in which his stories are portrayed...
But to the film you dolt, this is IMDB!!!
The film reflects it's origin. Ben Hur it is not. Nor does it want or intend to be. This is light entertainment. It does indeed call to mind actual people and events that can and do happen. It is not as unrealistic as some in this later age may think.
Bottom line. If you are relaxed, happen to simply wish to be entertained with a simple tale involving enjoyable characters, you may enjoy this. If however you expect the earth to shake and experience a life changing revelation, this is not for you.
I enjoyed it, was mildly surprised at times, and happy for the characters.
The cast is great. Bruce Dern is in it!!!
More like a play than a film in many ways.
Nice.