The Dig (2021)
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A landowner hires a self-taught archaeologist to excavate mysterious burial mounds on her estate, leading to a monumental historical discovery.
The story
In 1939, Suffolk landowner Edith Pretty hires local self-taught archaeologist Basil Brown to tackle the large burial mounds at her rural estate in Sutton Hoo near Woodbridge. After negotiating his wages, Brown begins excavating the mounds with assistants from Pretty's estate. Despite being ignored by other archaeologists who believe the site is of lesser importance, Brown suspects the mounds could be Anglo-Saxon. As he works, he develops a bond with Edith and her young son, Robert, while navigating the challenges of the excavation and the approaching threat of the Second World War.
Full plot (contains spoilers)
In 1939, Edith Pretty hires Basil Brown to excavate burial mounds at Sutton Hoo. Brown, who left school at 12, believes the mounds are Anglo-Saxon. During the dig, a trench collapses on Brown, but he is rescued. He forms a bond with Edith and her son, Robert. As the excavation progresses, Brown discovers iron rivets from a ship, suggesting a royal burial. The discovery attracts attention from Charles Phillips, who takes over the site by order of the Office of Works. As WWII approaches, Phillips brings in a large team, including Stuart and Peggy Piggott, who prove the site is Anglo-Saxon. Brown is demoted but eventually resumes digging and finds a Merovingian Tremissis coin. Phillips wants to send the artifacts to the British Museum, but Edith asserts her rights as owner. Despite her declining health, Edith eventually decides to donate the treasure to the British Museum, requesting recognition for Brown. The film ends with the ship being re-buried. Post-credits text reveals the treasure was hidden in the London Underground during the war and Brown was only given full credit much later.
- First release year
- 2021
- Runtime (minutes)
- 112
- Production countries
- United Kingdom
- Original languages
- English
- Directors
- Simon Stone
- Writers
- Moira Buffini · screenplay
- Cast and characters
- Carey Mulligan · Edith Pretty; Ralph Fiennes · Basil Brown; Lily James · Peggy Piggott; Johnny Flynn · Rory Lomax; Ben Chaplin · Stuart Piggott; Ken Stott · Charles Phillips; Archie Barnes · Robert Pretty; Monica Dolan · May Brown
- Genres
- drama
- Themes
- historical discovery; friendship; persistence of the past; legacy
- Tone and mood
- serious; intellectually committed; emotionally piercing; melancholy; whimsy
- Premise and plot tags
- archaeology; historical drama; based on a novel; WWII
- Source material / true-story basis
- The Dig by John Preston (2007)
- Reception
- The film received positive reviews from critics, with a 73/100 on Metacritic and an 88% on Rotten Tomatoes. It was described as a serious and emotionally piercing period drama, though some critics found it slow-paced.
- Reported review scores
- Rotten Tomatoes · score: 7.20 · scale: 10 · review count: 153; Metacritic · score: 73 · scale: 100 · review count: 35; The Times · score: 5 · scale: 5; The Guardian · score: 3 · scale: 5
- Awards and nominations
- British Academy Film Awards · Best Film · Nominated; British Academy Film Awards · Outstanding British Film · Nominated; British Academy Film Awards · Director · Nominated; British Academy Film Awards · Leading Actor · Nominated; British Academy Film Awards · Cinematography · Nominated; British Academy Film Awards · Adapted Screenplay · Nominated
- Production trivia
- The project began in 2006 when producer Ellie Wood read the manuscript ahead of its 2007 publication.; Nicole Kidman was originally in negotiations to star but was replaced by Carey Mulligan.; The film's production team conducted research at the British Museum in its Sutton Hoo archive and gallery.
Film metadata comes from the open sources listed in Credits & Contact. Catalogue details may be incomplete.
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