Christmas is coming early this year! Fackham Hall is Damian’s gift to us, arriving at the movie theaters in the US and Canada (limited) on December 5, and in the UK on December 12! I’m typically first in line to catch Damian’s movies on opening day, but with a surgery coming up, I’m not sure when I’ll get the doctor’s green light to go to the movie theater. And, of course, there’s the extra dilemma—will it even open near me here in North Carolina, or should I be in New York to see it? Either way, I promise a full review as soon as I see the film! (Update 11/12/2025: Yes, this is a nationwide release, and Fackham Hall is coming to cinemas in North Carolina as well. Yay!)
In the meantime, wouldn’t it be fun to dive into the trailer? Did you know there’s a red band version with cheekier jokes and a green band one that’s kid-friendly? I didn’t! The trailer is the perfect sneak peek into the world of the Davenports, and I can’t wait to share my observations of the trailer with you. Please come join me in a first visit to Fackham Hall…
The British are well known for their fancy, dramatic period TV shows — the latest being Downton Abbey (I think the original such drama was Upstairs, Downstairs which everybody watched in Turkey when I was a kid). Fackham Hall is here to give us, the viewers, a funny take on those kinds of shows.
The movie takes place in the once-glamorous but currently falling-apart mansion of Fackham Hall. And yes, I have to mention the title—Fackham Hall, which, in the movie’s screenwriter Jimmy Carr’s words “if you say in a posh English accent it might be misconstrued”… Hahaha… which totally sets the tone for a story full of scandal, mischief, and chaos behind those grand doors. The story follows the rich Davenport family and their servants as their secrets, scandals, and wild dreams come to light in funny, over-the-top ways. The movie uses all the classic “upstairs-downstairs” themes — secret love, class struggles, and fights over money — with a clever, silly, and hilarious twist to them. Even the mansion’s welcome sign joins in the joke: “Incestus ad infinitum” – a reference to the continuous family inbreeding with the cousin marrying and all.
Behind the scenes, Fackham Hall brings together a top-notch team of British talent. The film is directed by Jim O’Hanlon, known for his sharp storytelling and work across both film and television. It’s produced by Kris Thykier, Danny Perkins, and Mila Cottray under Mews Films and Two & Two Pictures, with a focus on bold, high-quality British comedies. The screenplay comes from comedian Jimmy Carr, making his feature writing debut, co-written with his brother Patrick Carr and the Dawson Brothers, who are known for their clever, fast-paced humor. As reported by The Knowledge Online, the team aims to take everything audiences love about traditional British period dramas — the big houses, secret romances, and stiff British manners — and turn it upside down with comedy and wit. The goal, according to the production team, is to deliver a film that both celebrates and mocks with the British upper class and culture, bringing some fresh air to a beloved genre.
The cast of Fackham Hall is a total treat. Damian Lewis leads the pack as Lord Davenport, bringing his signature charm, mischief, and that perfectly raised eyebrow along for the ride. Around him is a crew of talented young actors: Ben Radcliffe plays Eric Noone, a smooth-talking troublemaker; Thomasin McKenzie is Rose Davenport, the sharp and independent-minded daughter, while Emma Laird is Poppy Davenport, more of a typical high-society daughter – well-mannered, polished, and deeply aware of family expectations. Katherine Waterston adds elegance and sly humor as Lady Davenport; and Tom Felton portrays Archibald, the family’s scheming rival. It’s also a nice surprise to see the brilliant Anna Maxwell Martin, who co-starred with Damian in A Spy Among Friends, as the Housekeeper at Fackham Hall.
Meet Lord and Lady Davenport, and their daughters, Poppy and Rose. The family’s lifestyle is lavish on the surface but chaotic and ridiculous beneath. Since it’s spoof comedy, the normal rules of aristocratic lives are being twisted: servants might have more outrageous roles such as Lord Davenport’s valet holding his teacup for him, shooting his rifle for him, and even picking his nose!
A charming pickpocket (Ben Radcliffe) is hired at Fackham Hall as the new “hall boy” which seems to be the lowest ranking male domestic servant, responsible for a wide range of menial tasks for very little pay. And he forms a romantic bond with the younger daughter of the family (Thomasin Mackenzie) as Lord and Lady Davenport are busy dealing with the wedding of their elder daughter Poppy, who, in her father’s words, “after courting for a long time, finally found the right cousin” 🙂
Oh, and we need to talk about Damian’s hair! As Lord Davenport in Fackham Hall, he rocks a slick side-parted Edwardian style—but with a twist, a huge curly twist 🙂 The curls on the sides are huge, almost like little horns – an over-the-top take on the fancy hairstyles rich men used to have in the early twentieth century.
Back to Poppy finding the right cousin to marry. If you know your history, or if you have seen TV shows like Downton Abbey, you should be familiar with the old inheritance rules in England. Under old inheritance laws, estates could only pass to a male heir. Daughters couldn’t inherit the house; and their “job,” was to marry someone who could keep the property (and the family name) afloat. In other words, marriage was often less about love and more about real estate strategy — marry the right man, or watch your childhood home go to a distant cousin named Archibald 🙂
We don’t see how it happens in the trailer but as far as I understand from another trailer shared on Instagram, the marriage plans for Poppy and Archibald end up in an epic failure… which leaves Rose as the only daughter who has to marry Archibald so that the family can go on living in Fackham Hall. We also see Archibald telling Rose that she’s the most beautiful Davenport sister currently available 🙂
Lady Davenport has some serious talk with Rose.
“If we are to remain in Fackham Hall, you must wed Archibald. Let’s be realistic. Your father is not going to live forever.”
Life at Fackham Hall takes a dramatic turn when Lord Davenport is found dead in the library with a knife in the middle of his chest. Now we have an absurd whodunit in our hands.
And I’m still laughing about the scene in the trailer in which Detective Watt, complete with over-the-top fake Hercule Poirot moustache, arrives at the door…
….regarding the murder of Lord Davenport – only to hear from Cyril the butler (I love Tim McMullan as Atticus Pünd in Magpie Murders series!):
“I’m afraid you’re too late. Somedbody’s already done it.”
Completely dry delivery. God, I love British humour!
Hmmm… and Lady Davenport, though she passes out upon seeing her husband’s dead body, doesn’t seem all that upset about his death. After the funeral, we see her tossing flowers as if she were a bride — and, a group of women dressed in black rush to catch them. Hahaha. I love this kind of wicked humor.
Meanwhile, a romance blossoms between the hall boy Eric and Rose. And look what happens when Eric tears up the two sisters’ picture to keep the right half 🙂
So the tone of the blossoming romance isn’t just romantic — it has comedy, farce and chaos. And tensions rise back when Eric turns out to be the prime suspect in Lord Davenport’s murder.
Now what?!?!
I guess we’ll have to wait for the movie to find out… But I agree with Detective Watt that the murderer is in the room!
Oh, and one big reminder! I grew up on Airplane! and The Naked Gun. If you did too, you already know the deal — it’s never just about what’s going on front and center. There is of course a lot of physical comedy going on in Fackham Hall, but you have to keep an eye on the background, because that’s where half the jokes are hiding. Every time you watch, you’ll spot something new and ridiculous that you missed before.
Fackham Hall gates having “Insectus ad Infinitum” written on them and Eric tearing the two sisters’ picture to keep Rose’s picture were two that I mentioned earlier. And here are just a few other goofy little things I caught from the trailer…
…add to this, the memorial plaques in the Church with names Willie Stroker and (most probably) Fanny Stroker – literally some of the most unfortunate names in the human history. Hahaha. And I’m sure the movie’s packed with way more such stuff!
We at Fan Fun with Damian Lewis have been saying it for years — Damian needs to do more comedy! No one delivers a witty remark or a knowing look quite like he does — with just the right amount of cheekiness. We’ve seen glimpses of his comic brilliance before, both on screen and off (his deadpan delivery in real life is next-level). But now, with Fackham Hall, he finally gets to dive in completely. Honestly, we cannot wait for everyone to see (or remember) just how funny Damian Lewis really is.
However, since Lord Davenport turns out to be the murder victim in Fackham Hall, we’re already preparing ourselves mentally for the “gone too soon” moment — and we’re not ready to lose Damian that quickly! Here’s hoping the film gives us some hilarious flashbacks so we can see more of his comic brilliance on big screen. We’ll take anything that keeps him on screen a little longer — because we must be realistic, one dose of Damian is never enough!
