The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford: Where does Scotland’s history disappear to in favour of tourist entertainment? (Film review) 4 stars

Meet Kenneth McKay. You might hear him being referred to as a ‘sad, old man’ or a ‘local lunatic’ but I’ll let you make up your own mind. Kenneth is a recently widowed tour guide who found comfort and meaning in learning he’s got noble blood, or more accurately, is (very) distantly related to a (questionably) notable Enlightenment figure Sir Douglas Weatherford. While Kenneth spends his days dressing up as the dubious Weatherford for poor tourists who probably regret stepping foot in Aberloch, the arrival of a big-budget fantasy TV show creates a chain of events that ultimately drive the unexpectedly insane plot as well as Kenneth to strange places indeed.

The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford is a feature debut directed by Edinburgh-native Seán Dunn and a much-needed commentary on not one but few aspects lacking true representation in cinema: Scotland, loneliness, grief, terrifyingly fast Disneyfication of whole areas and towns, and, maybe most importantly, growing old. 

On surface, it could be seen as a light-hearted story of an old man who single handedly fights a lost battle with the modern world in order to preserve a legacy of his ancestor. At least that’s what Sir Douglas would have us think, so beautifully represented by the committed and hilarious voice of Jonathan Hyde. Of course, there’s so much more to Kenneth’s spiral than being the last hope of the long dead man who absolutely nobody cares about. 

Peter Mullan soaks up the role of Kenneth, instantly becoming the only person one could imagine capable of faithfully portraying the role. Moving from a man coping with grief in his own way, who the audience feels sorry for, he quickly becomes a worryingly obsessive shadow who steps into his own world full of sword battles, imaginary arguments and betrayal.

This takes us back to referring to Kenneth as a sad old man and a local lunatic. Dunn and Mullan masterfully blend the awkward humour of what is easily seen on the surface: a funny old man who lost his plot and harasses a TV crew he holds responsible for the fall of his beloved ancestor. But there is so much more to unpack amongst the vast landscapes of hills and moors of a not-so fictional world of Aberloch.

At a Q&A after the film, Dunn talked about visiting Greyfriars Kirk with his wife, unaware that it was famed for inspiring a number of Harry Potter character names. He mentioned how the very popular grave of Thomas Riddell (Tom Riddle in Harry Potter) inspired the idea for the film. There was an actual man, a respected lawyer with a life of his own, now completely erased by fantasy.

There’s quite a beautiful statement delivered by Mullan about just this: what happens to actual people when we decide to monetise stories that use someone’s home as a backdrop rather than central hero? Where does history disappear to, in favour of touristic entertainment? You might miss this thoughtful moment due to circumstances (no spoilers) but pay attention and you’ll find the film is full of important messages behind Kenneth’s downfall into a bit of madness.

While Scotland continuously inspires as a filming location and background to stories, The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford echoes calls for and delivers on a desperate need for stories made here, by and about real people.

The Fall of Sir Douglas Weatherford is in UK cinemas from 12th June