| Fackham Hall | |
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 Theatrical release poster | |
| Directed by | Jim O'Hanlon |
| Written by |
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| Produced by |
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| Starring | |
| Cinematography | Philipp Blaubach |
| Edited by | Colin Fair |
| Music by | David Arnold Oli Julian |
Production companies |
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| Distributed by |
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Release dates |
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Running time | 97 minutes[1] |
| Countries |
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| Language | English |
| Box office | $2 million[2][3] |
Fackham Hall is a 2025 period satirical comedy film set in 1930s England.[4] It is directed by Jim O'Hanlon and co-written by Jimmy Carr, Patrick Carr, and the Dawson Brothers.[5] The film stars Thomasin McKenzie, Ben Radcliffe, Katherine Waterston, Emma Laird, Tom Goodman-Hill, Anna Maxwell Martin, Sue Johnston, Tom Felton, and Damian Lewis.
Fackham Hall was released in the United States by Bleecker Street on December 5, 2025, and in the United Kingdom by Entertainment Film Distributors on December 12, 2025.
Plot
The Davenports have been owners of Fackham Hall for generations, but patriarch Lord Davenport has no surviving male heir. The Davenports' daughter Poppy is due to marry their cousin, Archibald, which will keep the Hall in the family. Thief and orphan Eric Noone is given a message to bring to Lord Davenport, but when he arrives he is presumed to be an applicant for an open hall boy position and takes the job, forgetting about the letter. At the wedding between Poppy and Archibald, the vicar displays a habit of poorly timing the punctuation in his sermons. Suddenly, Poppy flees the church, declaring her love for local manure salesman Lionel. Lady Davenport pushes her other daughter Rose to marry Archibald, but Rose is repulsed by his chauvinistic manner. She is instead attracted to Eric, who she had previously met after running into him with a car, and the two spend the night together.
In the morning, Lord Davenport is discovered dead. Inspector Watt arrives, and determines that it is likely a member of the assembled wedding guests in the house who committed the crime. Eric is accused after he is discovered to have robbed Lord Davenport's desk, but he refuses to use Rose as his alibi and shame her. He is arrested and thrown in jail, while Rose reluctantly agrees to marry Archibald to save Fackham Hall.
In jail, Eric rediscovers the letter previously given to him and reads it, learning that he is actually the long-lost child of Lord Davenport's brother, thus a cousin of the Davenports and the rightful heir to Fackham Hall. He escapes confinement, intending to head to the church to stop Rose's marriage to Archibald, but is stopped by Mrs. McAllister, Fackham Hall's housekeeper, who reveals that she framed Eric for the murder. She was having an affair with Lord Davenport, and during an argument about him firing his manservant/illegitimate son and replacing him with Eric, Lord Davenport had accidentally been stabbed, shot, poisoned, and strangled. Inspector Watt overhears the confession and arrests Mrs. McAllister, and Eric reveals his true parentage. Though Archibald attempts to shoot his long-lost brother, he misses and is taken away, and Eric and Rose marry instead.
The epilogue reveals that Archibald tried to commit suicide by shooting himself in the head, but missed; Poppy, breaking family tradition, married her second cousin after rejecting 22 different grooms; Lady Davenport spent the rest of her life campaigning for the repealing of women's right to vote; the vicar died in a bunker in Berlin in April 1945; Eric and Rose went on honeymoon in Blackpool; and Lord Davenport remained dead.
Cast
- Thomasin McKenzie as Rose Davenport
- Hayley Mills as Narrator/Rose Davenport
- Ben Radcliffe as Eric Noone/Nathaniel Davenport
- Damian Lewis as Humphrey, Lord Davenport
- Katherine Waterston as Prudence, Lady Davenport
- Emma Laird as Poppy Davenport
- Lizzie Hopley as Phyllis Davenport
- Tom Felton as Archibald Davenport
- Tom Goodman-Hill as Inspector Watt
- Anna Maxwell Martin as Mrs Edna McAllister
- Sue Johnston as Great Aunt Bonaparte
- Jason Done as J. R. R. Tolkien
- Tim McMullan as Cyril
- Ramon Tikaram as Darvesh Khalid
- John Thomson as Bill Bobaggins
- Ian Bartholomew as Austin Blaine
- Karen Henthorn as Sister Jude
- Jimmy Carr as Vicar
- Adam Woodward as Bert Chester
- Nathan McMullen as Alexander
- Erin Austen as Mary and Constance Bechdel
- Lily Knight as Fifi Valentine
- Magdalena Sverlander as Rose Seller
- Laurie Ogden as Patricia
- Paula Wharton as Mrs. Kitchen
- Gemma Wardle as Gladys
- Shaun Mason as Army Officer
Production
Fackham Hall is a parody of traditional period dramas like Downton Abbey (2010) and Gosford Park (2001).[6] Screenwriter Jimmy Carr said Fackham Hall was a mashup of period drama and comedy.[7]
Principal photography began in Yorkshire in November 2024 and was completed in late 2024.[5][8] Additional cast members announced were Damian Lewis, Ben Radcliffe, and Tom Felton.[9] Additional filming was done at Knowsley Hall in Liverpool, and Thornton Hough, Wirral.[10][11]
David Arnold was hired to compose two original songs and the score. Arnold is also receiving a "music by" credit in the film, while Oli Julian is credited as a "composer".[12]
Release
Fackham Hall was released in the United States by Bleecker Street on December 5, 2025,[13] and in the United Kingdom by Entertainment Film Distributors on December 12.
Critical reception
Metacritic review breakdown
On the review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, 76% of 50 critics' reviews are positive. The website's consensus reads: "With a gleefully affectionate tone, Fackham Hall barrels through a dizzying amount of story and nonstop gags, occasionally overwhelming itself but ultimately winning out through its fearless comic spirit."[14] Metacritic, which uses a weighted average, assigned the film a score of 54 out of 100, based on 11 critics, indicating "mixed or average" reviews.[15]
References
- ^ "Fackham Hall (15)". BBFC. 5 November 2025. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
- ^ "Fackham Hall- Box Office and Financial Information". The Numbers. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ "Fackham Hall (2025)". Box Office Mojo. Retrieved 17 December 2025.
- ^ D'Alessandro, Anthony (31 October 2025). "'Fackham Hall' Racks Up Record Trailer Traffic For Bleecker Street". Deadline Hollywood. Retrieved 1 November 2025.
- ^ a b Ritman, Alex (9 November 2024). "Damian Lewis, Ben Radcliffe and Tom Felton Join Spoof Comedy 'Fackham Hall' (EXCLUSIVE)". Deadline. Retrieved 9 November 2024.
- ^ Richardson, Jay (7 September 2023). "Jimmy Carr writes his first film, the Downton Abbey spoof Fackham Hall". British Comedy Guide. Retrieved 21 May 2024.
- ^ "Jimmy Carr writes his first film, the Downton Abbey spoof Fackham Hall". British Comedy Guide. 7 September 2023.
- ^ Calnan, Ellie (7 November 2024). "2024 film and high-end TV productions shooting in the UK and Ireland: latest updates". Screen Daily. Media Business Insight.
- ^ Ritman, Alex (7 November 2024). "Damian Lewis, Ben Radcliffe and Tom Felton Join Spoof Comedy Fackham Hall (Exclusive)". Variety. Penske Media Corporation.
- ^ Paton, Ryan; Bona, Emilia (22 January 2025). "Staff at venue used by film crew claim 'they've not been paid'". Liverpool Echo. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ "Fackham Hall (2025) Filming Locations: Where Was It Shot? - 4 Filming". 1 November 2025. Retrieved 6 November 2025.
- ^ Reporter, Film Music (4 December 2025). "Jim O'Hanlon's 'Fackham Hall' to Feature Music by David Arnold". Film Music Reporter. Retrieved 5 December 2025.
- ^ "Fackham Hall - Official Red Band Trailer". IGN. 29 October 2025.
- ^ "Fackham Hall". Rotten Tomatoes. Fandango Media. Retrieved 18 December 2025.
- ^ "Fackham Hall". Metacritic. Fandom, Inc. Retrieved 13 December 2025.
External links
- Fackham Hall at IMDb
