Shadows on the Wall

Pressure

dir Anthony Maras
scr David Haig, Anthony Maras
prd Tim Bevan, Eric Fellner, Cass Marks, Lucas Webb
with Andrew Scott, Brendan Fraser, Kerry Condon, Chris Messina, Damian Lewis, Tamsin Topolski, Jojo Macari, Con O'Neill, Alexander Hanson, Robert Portal, Joshua Hill, Toby Williams
release US 29.May.26,
UK 11.Sep.26
26/UK StudioCanal 1h40

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Based on David Haig's stage play, this film recounts a fascinating true story tracing the momentous behind-the-scenes build-up to D-Day. Director Anthony Maras cleverly opens up the play to create a terrific sense of the situation's growing intensity, as well as the large number of people who needed to be absolutely sure before taking such bold action. And the first-rate actors make it all the more riveting.

In 1944 England, the Allied rehearsal for its invasion of Normandy is a tragedy. Now prickly Captain Stagg (Scott) arrives at headquarters determined to do his job as a meteorologist. General Eisenhower (Fraser) is preparing the largest seaborne assault in history, and the weather is the last wildcard. Stagg immediately locks horns with the loose arrogance of American weatherman Krick (Messina), and with little time to work sends his team out to gather data. And British Field Marshal Montgomery (Lewis) hopes to launch early. Certainly no one wants to delay for Stagg's seemingly imagined storm.

At the centre of this film about people in power is the fact that predicting the weather seems a bit boring, as Eisenhower's assistant Kay (Condon) observes. Of course she's the only person who sees the nuances of strong-willed men in an intensely strained situation. And the way this plays out is thrilling, running on a knife-edge through several perilous hours when the stakes couldn't have been much higher. So the impressively staged D-Day sequence carries real power.

This is such a solid cast that they are able to layer earthy real-life emotion into even the most strident dialog. And the offhanded moments feel bracingly honest. Scott is excellent as Stagg, who rigorously looks for facts, refusing to rely on luck like Messina's Hollywood-style Krick. But Stagg is also facing enormous personal issues. Fraser is terrific as the imposing leader who is privately haunted by earlier mistakes.

Aside from being a gripping account of a key moment in history, this is a knowing drama about men who struggle when raw facts contradict what they intend to do with sheer force of will. So finding the confidence to stand in the truth becomes the most heroic thing you can do, even when things look hopeless. This is one particularly involving story among many about intelligent man and woman who shifted the course of things. And at a time when leaders only want news that agrees with them, this message is needed more than ever.

themes, language, violence 19.Aug.26

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