A Sense of History

"A sense of history" is a short film about upper class life in Britain. Broadbent is the 23rd Earl of Leete who takes us for a tour around his vast domain and telling us the incredible history of his family heritage. During the walk, this very banal and typical British landowner appears like an eccentric and psychopath person able to do anything to keep his material position. The film was directed by Mike Leigh in 1992. Known for his sensitive and satirical talent, he is one of the best English movie directors. He makes a lot of success such as "Secrets and Lies" which won numerous awards, including the "Palme d'Or" at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival. The script was written by Jim Broadbent, the main actor in the film. "A sens of history" is the first time that Mike Leigh has directed for another writer. Though a mixture of tragedy and comedy, the film seems to convey the message than an obsession with power and material goods will leave you without emotion and devoid of humanity. What seems to be, at the first view, a boring documentary about high society in the 20th century, becomes a dark comedy when the main character reveals us suspicious things he did in his life. Are all the British landowners as lunatic and homicidal as Broadbent?... This film will be appreciated by people besotted with typical British black humor who like parodies.

Brendan summed it up nicely but it doesn't stress how funny this short really is.

This is a must see short film that you will never forget and be forever quoting.

All I can add is to persevere through the seemingly boring long opening of a documentary on a British aristocrat land owner talking about the values of family tradition, increasing ones land, and finding a fine wife; before you know it you will find that this is no ordinary Earl (or is he!?!?)

Jim Broadbent at his best!

I saw this film several years ago, and since then have been trying to find a way to see it again.

One of the most unforgettable and brilliant pieces of work I have ever seen.

I enjoyed it so much I still tell people about it. I have been trying to find how to get hold of it through several telephone calls and internet investigations only to be told it was unobtainable.

Ingeniously crafted with Jim Broadbent entrapping me perfectly in his web. I kept thinking I was watching a legitimate documentary only to to see it eventually unfold into an incredibly funny and clever comedy. As it started to wind down to the end I could feel myself tensing up as if somehow I could stop it from finishing.

BRAVO! BRAVO! BRAVO! But please guys, don't withhold this from the world.

I got suckered into this film on BravoTV believing I was looking at a documentary, then soon it's real nature began to show itself. Extremely well written, acted, directed, and crafted as well as a BBC documentary. If one only watched the cinematography, this film is remarkably beautiful. I thoroughly enjoyed this film and count it with "The Secret Cinema", "Karma Cafe", "The Music Box" and "Duck Amok" as my favorite short films. Needless to say, I didn't rest until I found it's repeat broadcast on Bravo's schedule. This film made me aware of the towering talent of Jim Broadbent. His performances in "Iris", "Little Voice" and "Moulin Rouge" have all been treats and I'll never again miss a Broadbent film.

A Sense of History is a brilliantly funny short.

Purporting to be a documentary on a member of the British landed gentry, the 23rd Earl of Leete himself tells his august (and not so) family's story, stretching back to the Norman conquest.

A Sense of History mimics a peculiarly English documentary style with beautiful subtlety- the camera angles and movement as the Earl shows the viewer his estate, his Attenborough-like aristocratic tones and speech mannerisms, his smoothly flowing dialogue in contrast to and yet in effective tandem with numerous cuts to various parts of his woodland estate significant to his story. Even the Earl's encounter with one of his awkwardly deferential workers reinforces a particular sense of reported social reality.

At the introduction, with the Earl walking through a ruined arch and in an oh-so BBC tone talking about how he has always had a "sense of history" (exit right Earl, focus moves up to arch, cue title, trumpet intro music), it's difficult to tell that you are not watching a genuine documentary.

Without giving away the story, the audience is gradually made aware that all is not what it seems. This is achieved so cleverly and artfully, employing all the conventions of the "serious English documentary" that every successive cut to a new morsel of narration and revelation adds cumulatively to audience enjoyment without requiring an unbelievable climax. The tag after the credits puts the finishing touch on a truly marvellous short film. See it if you can.