The Hide is a low key British film directed by Marek Losey, grandson of the great Joseph Losey who directed such classics as The Go-Between, The Servant and Modesty Blaise. Adapted from the stage play The Sociable Plover, by Tim Whitnall, the film follows an ornithologist, Roy, whose day of bird watching is interrupted by a visit from a suspicious-looking stranger, David, who enters the hide to shelter from the rain.
The Hide Transfers From the Stage to the Screen
The film plays out as a small time thriller, with the shift of power between the two men arcing and diving like the flocks of birds outside. Conflict is unavoidable in a two-hander, and the actors handle the changing psychology superbly well, but it does, inevitably, feel a little stagy at times. It is always difficult to have an actor in a film soliloquise, because although an accepted modus operandi in theatre, in film it seems unreal. Despite this, Alex MacQueen, who plays Roy, attacks the opening dialogue with such gusto, it very nearly manages to convince. That might sound like a criticism, but it's actually praise. It's rare to see a person talking out loud, on their own, in a film, done as well as this. More often, directors resort to tricks such as voice overs to impart the internal monologue of a character. For The Hide that would surely let the audience in on too much information too quickly, so voice over was wisely avoided. Other visual tricks, such as occasional gruesome flashbacks, are employed instead to hint at the characters' mental states.
Dramatic Dialogue Makes The Hide an Actor's Dream
Most of the information required to piece together the unfolding drama comes from pure unadulterated dialogue. The Hide is a true actor's film, with long, character revealing conversations between the two leads acting as the source of all the dramatic tension. Roy (with his OCD like attention to detail - placing his bird watching equipment, notebooks, camera, binoculars, all just so) could have come across as a cardboard cut-out stereotype. But MacQueen imbues the gnome collecting twitcher and toy train enthusiast with just enough self-awareness to tip the scales in favour of reality. He is simply an eccentric. When David (played by Phil Campbell) turns up, Roy is intimidated by his visitor's tattoos, his swearing, his rough looks and general demeanor. But not enough to be able to stop himself from correcting David's grammar, and generally lecturing the young interloper about anything and everything. There's a distinct lack of self-censoring in Roy's conversation, which noticeably begins to get David's hackles up. As tensions rise in the hide, the two men are drawn into an ever-escalating game of cat and mouse.
Great Performances From Alex MacQueen and Phil Campbell
With just two characters, The Hide could never really be described as a hot-bed of suspense, but the clever dialogue and unrelenting atmosphere of discomfort is still gripping enough. The twists and turns of the plot remain interesting, despite being relatively easy to foretell, and the eerie music adds a further ethereal chill. The two actors are both superb, with Phil Campbell having previously only occupied supporting roles in TV series such as Casualty, and Alex MacQueen most recognisable from previously playing Julius Nicholson in The Thick of It. With the weight of the film resting on their shoulders, they both deliver outstanding performances. The whole look of The Hide is also worthy of praise, with both the bleak, windswept landscape, and the claustrophobic interior, captured quite beautifully.
A Low Budget Film Masterclass
The Hide should definitely be on the watch list for any budding British film directors. It stands as a masterclass in low budget film-making, and an education in how to write a taut, compelling script, bereft of budget straining scenes, that actually has a proper chance of attracting funding and getting made. Well worth checking out.
- The Hide
- Directed by: Marek Losey
- Starring: Alex MacQueen, Phil Campbell
- Written by: Tim Whitnall, based on his play The Sociable Plover
- Running Time: 82 minutes
