The Shooting Party

Dir: Alan Bridges

1985

****

The Shooting Party is a thoughtful look at the British class system seen through a weekend of competitive pheasant shooting. There are the Shooters, the Beaters, the activists and of course the pheasants themselves. It's a beautifully written film the script being sharp as a knife but also subtle in its delivery. It's a very well thought out metaphor which reaches it's brilliant but poignant climax with the start of the 1st World War where we learn that while every man might not be born equal, they do die so. The performances are of the highest quality from greats such as Edward Fox, Rupert Frazer, Cheryl Campbell, Gordon Jackson, the wonderful John Gielgud and the great James Mason, in what what turn out to be his last performance.