The Dig

2021, UK, directed by Simon Stone

A very enjoyable, if historically questionable, account of the Sutton Hoo dig in the late 1930s, as the war approached. The film looks absolutely lovely -- no accident, I think, that it's something of a celebration of the green and pleasant land as darker shadows gather -- though occasionally the framing suggests director Simon Stone is reaching for a more artistic statement than his material allows. There's melodrama to spare; it feels as though writer Moira Buffini and Stone didn't have full confidence in their central, fascinating, story. As a result, unfortunately, some parts of the script badly misconstrue the historical record (especially ironic in that part of the point  is to correct the fact that excavator Basil Brown, nicely played by a weatherbeaten Ralph Fiennes, didn't receive his due when the treasures from Sutton Hoo were first put on display).