The Undertaker

In gentle, stylish, 1950s-based British dramatic-thriller "The Undertaker" quietly professional titular Manchester undertaker Paul McGann is pressured by local mobster Roger Barclay to discretely dispose of dead bodies... despite the concern of the likes of Tara Fitzgerald & Lily Frazer, and the interest of copper Sean Gilder. Michael Wright's debut as director is excellent, eliciting terrific performances while shooting in a striking, original, ethereal manner... but the screenplay (his second) doesn't match that level, being TOO sedate before failing to deliver the necessary bite in its final punch. It's an engaging, good-looking film - but one that ultimately comes up short.

In a dark northwestern town in England sometime in the 1950s or 60s, Paul McGann plays a silent brooding undertaker, scarred by the death of his brother at the hands of local Gangster Finlay (Roger Barclay) and mourning the loss of the love of his life. As Finlay's brutal business ambitions result in a series of killings by his henchmen Arthur is pressured into disposing of the bodies by burying them with the naturally deceased. This underhand deal begins to eat away at Arthur who realises he's getting into deep trouble as the police in the shape of Kelly (Sean Gilder) start to take an interest.

This is a stark, but sometimes darkly humorous, character study, that really focusses on McGann's captivating performance as Arthur, as he deals with the pressure by trying to continue with business as usual even as his respectable facade and his mental state is crumbling.

The film is shot through with a gothic shadowy grime that shifts from virtually monochrome to lurid reds in Finlay's hellish nightclub 'The Chessboard Club' where silent songbird Vic (Tara Fitzgerald) focuses on philosophy rather than belting out caberet numbers. Lily Frazer is Arthur's mortuary assistant who having signed up for the job can't stomach the questionable morals of Arthur's new lucrative side line.

This is a thoroughly enjoyable, dark, strange gothic crime thriller, with odd twists and turns and a unique look that creates its own deeply claustrophobic world on the screen.

A noir tour de force directed by Michael Wright The Premise, Script, extraordinary set Design, Photography, Casting and performances, Foley, sound design, music the pace, the pathos, the menace ... are all exemplary It's a gripping and evocative watch. It has an intoxicating and hypnotic atmosphere, and the strong narrative grips throughout.

So rare to see a production in the modern day embracing the true art of film making, with nearly all the devices shot in camera. True creative endeavour .

Add to that Incredible performances from all cast.

I haven't stopped thinking about it since I watched it yesterday.

Full disclosure I'm a big fan of Paul McGann. From Withnail and I, Monocled Mutineer to Dr Who and beyond, he is one of Englands most underrated and underused talents. I'd watch him making a cup of tea and in this film that's exactly what he does. The whole film has a tea stained quality to it, 'a nicotine stained fly blown lung' to quote his character, Marwood in Withnail and I. He is beautifully reserved as The Undertaker, 'I just bury people' is his mantra delivered with such a simple throw away bespectacled look that underscores the duplicity underneath. He really shines in this film. As Paul has said in interview he did this film because it's the sort of film he'd go and see and that sums him up. Cult film actor who does the most riskiest of films others turn down. I love him and the sparkle he brings to any production. A real star.

The Undertaker is a solid noir crime thriller with a dash of dark humour. The film has a really strong visual look with great production design and lighting as the camera prowls around the grubby northern town the film is set in. It's claustrophobic and then some. Paul McGann is compelling as he plays Arthur a drab and depressed local funeral director who's mourning his lot in life, but is approached by local hoodlum Finlay who's got a plan, in fact an offer Arthur can't refuse. He needs Arthur to bury a few extra bodies on the quiet when he's doing his normal business, in reward for some extra cash. Arthur agrees but his moral choice (the character's name is even 'Morel') leads him down the wrong path despite warnings from both Tara Fitzgeral'd's as a nightclub siren, and Lily Frazer's character who works part time at the undertaker's shop.

The Undertaker is a modern day (albeit 1960s set) morality tale about making the right choices while it counts.