The brief synopsis of THINK OF ENGLAND, a story based on rumours the UK government commissioned pornography to boost World War II troop morale, reads a little like something boldly pitched as a modern incarnation of bawdy CARRY ON humour. Inviting a Glasgow Film Festival audience, of all people, to “Lie back and think of England” seems bolder still. Although the film has a sense of humour, what emerges from writer-director Richard Hawkins is an altogether more considered and serious take on what war demands of people, and the exploitative tactics which governments can wield to make those demands.
Captain Clune (John McCrea) sits on a deckchair on a windswept island beach, clearly anticipating the arrival of other people via a military boat that sweeps into the bay. On board is a small collection of civilians and a soldier who have been tasked with filming a sexually explicit film. Corporal Evans (Jack Bandeira) and aspiring actress Holly (Natalie Quarry) are to play the lead roles, directed by Jewish German refugee Max Meyer (Ben Bela Böhm) and a skeleton crew of Agnes (Ronni Ancona) and Clifford (Ollie Maddigan). The leverage held over each member of the group by the UK military and government, and their desperation to be free of it, is what brings them here to reluctantly embrace the task.
THINK OF ENGLAND begins somewhat clunkily, with the character introductions playing out like a roll call. The film is much more interested in the interplay between the characters, and rushes to that stage rather than letting it develop organically. Fortunately, the ensemble dynamics are compelling enough that the hurried introduction is forgotten as the characters’ differing challenges become apparent. Just about every role in THINK OF ENGLAND has an interesting shade that says something about British society or how war warps a state’s understanding of duty of care for its people.
“Just about every role in THINK OF ENGLAND has an interesting shade that says something about British society or how war warps a state’s understanding of duty of care for its people.”
The individuals on the island are being exploited in the name of propaganda. Their perceived weakness may be sexuality, challenges to authority, precarious humanitarian status, incarceration, or mental health, but such heedless coercion begets more mistreatment. This is swiftly established when the cast begins filming. The film has been fairly reserved in tone to this stage, but the scene is tense and tempers fray. A sudden burst of violence when Corporal Evans snaps brings the same to the film: the visuals smash in close to Holly, the editing is frenetic, and the bewilderment which gave way to tension finally transforms into menace. When the film revisits the scenario in an otherwise calmer fashion later, the same editing makes for an intriguing echo of how the mental violence persists.
“…the supposedly indecent conduct committed to film makes it clear that policing of morality by the state is to hold influence and power over those who transgress, not to uphold some moral order.”
THINK OF ENGLAND is also a film that understands deeply the power of the moving image. Hawkins takes multiple opportunities to contrast the fictional movie against another famous piece of propaganda cinema, Laurence Olivier’s HENRY V, which was desired by Winston Churchill to encourage soldiers “once more unto the breach”. The film shot in THINK OF ENGLAND appeals to much more base instincts, but is all the more interesting for elucidating the grubbier tactics for extracting what is needed from citizens. Clune says “no latitude will be granted” if they fail in their task, knowing his sexuality is being held over his head. However, the supposedly indecent conduct committed to film makes it clear that policing of morality by the state is to hold influence and power over those who transgress, not to uphold some moral order. The lack of care shown both by and towards Corporal Evans develops another avenue of maltreatment. His presence introduces a complex idea that in commodifying him, the endeavour exposes others to a more dangerous and violent exploitation beyond simple coercion.
THINK OF ENGLAND is an intelligent film, even if it doesn’t quite have the elegance to initiate and conclude its story with the same impact that its central scenes develop. Much like the introduction, a concluding parade of fictional character biographies feels like a hurried way to tie up some of the themes the film explores with patience for the rest of its runtime. In particular, information about Corporal Evans would have explicitly deepened the character in a way a post-text aside cannot.
THINK OF ENGLAND starts by evoking the idea of indecency with a wry grin, but what it ends up producing is something more reflective. Rather than ignoring a power imbalance, the film thinks deeply on the use of power and how it undermines solidarity.