Savage House: Movie Review

Cast: Richard E Grant, Claire Foy, Robert Bathurst, Bel Powley
Director: Peter Glanz

To say that Savage House has one thing on its mind is to understate it - but where it lacks on its story commentary front, what it does have in its arsenal is two excessively watchable performances in the shape of its leads, Richard E Grant and Claire Foy.

They play the Savages, a pair of married grotesques in 18th Century Britain, who are about to fall on rack and ruin, thanks to Sir Chauncey (Grant) and his profligacy for over-spending and garish ways. With his wife Lady Savage (Foy) willing to submit to his every whim thanks to her dwindling fortune, the pair finds themselves gifted the chance to host the Duke and Duchess of Devonshire.

Given Sir Chauncey's desire for social climbing, he sees this as a signal to potentially ruin the family for social standing, pushing for every possible frippery to ensure the visit is a success. But it could be their ruin.

There's a kind of ghastly pall that hangs over Savage House, an occasionally ribald romp of a period piece that doesn't exactly do much with its premise, but has a lot of fun going there.

It's chiefly due to Grant's flamboyant OTT performance as he debauches his way through life and the coffers of the estate. His double act with Foy, whose character doesn't emerge faultless either, makes for an endearing - and enduring - waltz through a scabrous way of life.

But Glanz, who wrote and directed the film, stops short of overly satirising events, preferring to sympathise with the leads, rather than condemn them. It's an intriguing paradigm which hits Savage House, even if it doesn't rock the foundations - it's like the film wishes to condemn them, but can't quite bring itself to do so - and there's little commentary other than how galling the social climbing classes can be.

There are some nice touches of dialogue throughout, despite a reliance on voiceover and chapters to break the film up. When asked why Lady Savage stays with her husband, she remarks that she chose him because she thought it would be fun, despite knowing and because of his ambition. It's touches like this the script could have benefited from more of, rather than just Grant commanding the screen.

Blessed with an abrasive vim and vigour, Savage House gallivants along at a pace that's enough to paper over its cracks and is raucous enough to make you glad these Savages aren't your neighbours.