I'll admit it up front. I'm a huge fan of screwball comedies (1930's rom-coms like
Bringing up Baby). I'm also a bit of a sucker for a good, straightforward love story. And like anyone who's given Wodehouse the good ole' whatsit ("I believe the term is 'honest try,'" my inner Jeeves politely intones), I'm a sucker for any story set in the world of irresponsible pre-WWII English middle-high culture.
But Pedigrew is, in fact, all of those and more. The script is brilliant, and if it slows its insanely breathless pace in the second half, it's actually for a really good reason. There's a real tone of darkness hovering around the edges, which doesn't deflate the fun but rather grounds the glittering, highly wrought world in the sort of genuine emotion that makes romantic comedies worth their while. Everything is pretty, the swing music (and other exclusively period compositions) keeps the party going, but it's all just a fragile connection of smoke and mirrors waiting for Nazi bombs to blow it apart. And when, in all the madness, some characters find a few glimmers of love and hope, it's just all that more beautiful.
Also, the ending may seem a bit disappointing at first (and is certain to offend any feminist tendencies), but in retrospect may be the most truly honest moment in the film. The last shot makes the point beautifully--as Pettigrew dissappears into the background, two armed British soldiers march towards their departing train. Young love is beautiful, and well worth making movies about, but it's the willingness to take a chance and throw one's lot in with another (however imperfectly) that makes life worth living in the shadow of death.
This humble screwball comedy may possibly end up as the greatest film of 2008.
