The Ploughman's Lunch (1983)

The Ploughman’s Lunch: Directed by Richard Eyre. With Jonathan Pryce, William Maxwell, Paul Jesson, Andy Rashleigh. James Penfield (Jonathan Pryce) has made a career out of journalism. Now bankrupt, he finds himself with a group of other writers in the middle of the dispute-ridden British homeland at the time of the Falklands War.

“I am a huge fan of Richard Eyreu0026#39;s work on stage and think he did a masterful job running the National Theatre for all those years. However, both the movies he has directed that I have seen (this one and Iris) are flawed. I think his style of directing might not suit film. There are several passages of the film that neither progress argument, nor develop characters nor set atmosphere effectively.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eI am also a big fan of Ian McEwanu0026#39;s writing. This story is full of interesting material. Some of it could come across better – especially the double crossing in the various love interests and the echo of the Suez crisis therein. This might come down to the screenplay or perhaps the directing again.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eBut stick with it.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThe scene in the pub during which Frank Finlay explains to Jonathan Pryce the origins of the ploughmanu0026#39;s lunch is superb. The ghastly hermetically sealed cheese chunks on their plates providing a visual to Finlayu0026#39;s words.u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eWe live in a society where we constantly reinvent the past in our attempts to shape the future as we want it. This is a key lesson in the film on all its many levels – the several love interests, Pryceu0026#39;s dereliction of family duty, the Falklands War and the Suez Crisis. u003cbr/u003eu003cbr/u003eThis is a fascinating piece. All the characters are ghastly, especially Jonathan Pryceu0026#39;s well-crafted central character. The standard of acting is consistently high. Despite the flaws, it is well worth seeing.”