The Dig is an exceptional film about a wealthy widow who hires an amateur archaeologist to excavate burial mounds in East Anglia, England. The movie is based on the book The Dig by John Preston whose aunt, Peggy Piggott, partook in the dig.
Although the story is based on a real event, Preston took artistic liberties with some events and characters.
The acting is superb and the cinematography is outstanding. The pace isn’t fast, but the film never drags. It takes place the summer of 1939, right before England enters World War II, providing a tense background to the main story. The theme explores the uncertainty of England’s future while uncovering their past.
Another theme revolves around death. Many died in World War I and now England is faced with entering another world war. Moreover, the two main characters also both face death, each in their own unique way.
The center of the story is the friendship that develops between the ailing widow, Edith Pretty (played by Carey Mulligan) and the archaeologist, Basil Brown, (played by Ralph Fiennes). Both characters have a fascination with evacuation.
Edith’s young son shares his mother’s enthusiasm and spends his free time helping in the dig. He and Brown form a strong bond as the story unfolds. Edith’s cousin also comes to help with the dig and becomes part of a love story subplot.
When Brown’s excavation reveals an amazing find, word spreads about the site’s great significance. Then museums step in and hire a Cambridge University archeologist to oversee the dig. Tensions mount when Brown finds his discovery is no longer under his control.
One of the best parts of a movie like this is that it’s based on a true event. A person can travel to the British museum and see what was found on this archeology dig. The movie makes history come alive through this insightful, uplifting story.
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