Allelujah (12) Close-Up Film Review
Cast: Jennifer Saunders, David Bradley, Russell Tovey, Derek Jacobi
Review by Carol Allen
The story is set in the geriatric ward of a small Yorkshire hospital threatened with closure under the Tory government’s “centres of excellence” health centralisation policy. As part of its efforts to save the Bethlehem Hospital – the “Beth” as it is known – the staff have called in a local tv news crew to interview the patients Since 2018, when the play was first produced, the NHS has of course deteriorated even more dramatically and though the action is set in the pre-Covid era, there is an awareness of this decline in the film’s treatment.
The story, particularly in its depiction of the elderly patients, comes over as much darker and more realistic than Bennett’s original play Most of the jolly songs and dances in that stage version, which reminded us and them of their youth have gone, in favour of a few rehearsals of a choir to celebrate an award ceremony for Nurse Gilchrist (Jennifer Saunders), who rules the ward with a rod of iron. As a result the supporting characters make less impact and from their overall state of deterioration one is left with the impression that Gilchrist is right in her warning – “Don’t leave it too late (to die)!”
The main characters though come over strongly and there are a several different stories to unpick, Glichrist’s for one. Saunders shines as the apparently tough professional, who is obsessed with running a “dry ward” –incontinence severely disapproved of. She also has a softer side which we see in poignant moments with young Dr Valentine (Bally Gill) and dying former coal miner Joe Colman (David Bradley).
And she has a secret, which in the theatre was revealed at the end of the first act, colouring our understanding of the rest of the story but here is revealed as a last act, rather melodramatic “rabbit out of the hat” moment.
As well as Saunders and Bradley, there is another first class characterisation from Russell Tovey as Colin Colman, the man from the ministry dealing with the proposed closure, who also happens to be the former miner’s son. The scenes between Tovey and Bradley, whose character disapproves not only of his son’s career choice but the fact that he is gay, are terrific.
Among the other elderly patients Derek Jacobi as retired schoolmaster Ambrose has both poignant and comic moments in his wry observations and efforts to avoid the female patient who has her romantic eye on him, while among the smaller roles Lorraine Ashbourne and Gerard Horan make an impression as the repugnant couple who’ve swindled her mum (Julia McKenzie) out of her house.
The political message is sometimes hammered home rather clumsily, as in scene where Colin is seen to change sides in an impassioned outburst at a meeting with his minister and particularly in a rather tacked on feeling epilogue dealing with the effect of Covid on the elderly. This ends with a final speech to camera from Dr Valentine, which does rather reek of author’s message.
Overall though the film is very enjoyable with some fun cameos from the older actors and three very strong performances at the centre. And if it overstates its message a bit too stridently at times, it can be forgiven. That message does after all make a very valid point.
BLU-RAY & DVD ELEMENTS
“ALLELUJAH” DVD and Blu-ray contain the following special features:
Digital Download: 17th April, 2023
Blu-ray and DVD Street Date: 29th May, 2023
DVD:
Aspect Ratio: 16×9 2.35:1
Master Audio: English 5.1; 2.0 Audio Descriptive Service
Language: English
Hearing Impaired: English
Subtitles: English
Extra Content: Alan Bennett Featurette; NHS Tribute Featurette, Original Theatrical Trailer
BD:
1080p High Definition 16×9 2.35:1 DTS-HD
Master Audio: English 5.1; 2.0 Audio Descriptive Service
Language: English
Hearing Impaired: English
Subtitles: English
Extra Content: Alan Bennett Featurette; NHS Tribute Featurette, Original Theatrical Trailer
