The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain

Starring:Hugh Grant, Tara Fitzgerald, Colm Meaney, Ian McNeice, Ian Hart, Kenneth Griffith, Tudor Vaughan, Hugh Vaughan, Robert Pugh, Robert Blythe, Garfield Morgan, Lisa Palfrey, Dafydd Wyn Roberts, Ieuan Rhys, Anwen Williams, David Lloyd Meredith, Fraser Cains, Jack Walters (II), Harry Kretchmer, Howell Evans
Director: Christopher Monger
Studio: Miramax
Product Type: DVD

Description

Comedy favorite Hugh Grant (BRIDGET JONES'S DIARY) stars as a young man who offends an entire town by declaring their mountain -- a prized landmark -- to be a "hill." But soon he finds the eccentric locals, led by a witty innkeeper (Colm Meaney -- STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION) will stop at nothing to defend their honor! While the townspeople rally around their "mountain," a fiery young woman (Tara Fitzgerald -- SIRENS) charms the puzzled out-of-towner into seeing things their way! You'll be elevated by laughter as the hilarious townspeople rise to the occasion -- and the bewildered visitor stumbles into love when he least expects it!

Customer Reviews:

"SCIENCE IS DISPASSIONATE".....but not to a WELSHMAN!.......2007-06-06

In 1917 English cartographer Reginald Anson (Hugh Grant) comes to South Wales to measure the famous border mountain Ffynnon Carw for His Majesty's Royal Map. There is one criteria for a mountain to be labeled such: it must exceed a height of 1000 feet; if below that it is considered a hill. The mountain is the pride of all Welshman as it has protected them from all invaders throughout the centuries thereby preserving "ancient Britain." When the measurement comes in at 984 feet the Welshmen become totally unhinged. Their pride has been challenged, their very core has been shaken and they set out on a plan to add twenty additional feet to pass the Royal test!

Ivor Mongor had written a delightful short story by the same laboriously long title. The result has been Christopher Mongor stretching that simple story into a 100 minute screenplay that feels every bit stretched as the hill was in order to meet a criteria to film a movie! Love interests and subplots about the Great War have been added in order to fill out the time, but the result is a movie, that though very charming and clever, should have remained a "hill" instead of making it a "mountain." The conclusion of the story is inevitable, but getting there is as tedious as every bucket of dirt that the townspeople lug up Ffynnon Carw. Even Stephen Endelman's delightful musical themes lose their Celtic charm and effect as they are heard and reheard time and again as if he too was "stretching!"

Visually, the film is quite appealing as we are allowed to focus time and again on the majestic countryside of Wales. The colours and textures used are extremely vivid and pleasing to the senses; but one grows impatient with all of the "filler" material that drags out what was originally a very precise and well crafted little gem of a story.Lop off twenty minutes, get rid of nonessential characters and tell the original story and perhaps this film would ultimately "rise" to the occasion!

The Englishman Who Went Up A Hill But Came Down A Mountain.......2007-02-24

This is not Hugh Grant's best, but for anyone who has been to Wales, or know any Welsh personally, it is a great enjoyment. The Welsh are proud of who they are, their heritage, beautiful country and ingenuity. There is not much they would more prefer than autonomy from England, so they love to "get over" on the English. With that in mind ... ENJOY!

Delightful.......2006-12-17

This is a happy, feel-good movie, set in Wales, based on a true story. Quite enjoyable.

Uplifting the Audience Right Along with the Mountain.......2006-10-31

There are several movies that focus on the coming together of a British village to accomplish something that benefits them all. This one has the unique advantage of educating the audience in the nuances of Welsh naming conventions! A fine cast and a well-written story set in the rolling green countryside of Wales round out the overall pleasures of the film. Anyone who confesses to being a smidgen of an Anglophile, and even those who don't, will enjoy this film.

The Englishman who went up a hill but came down a mountain.......2006-06-05

The Englishman who went up a hill but came down a mountain is a lengthy last name, far more lengthy than many. The story revolves around two gentleman who after serving in Her Magesty's in the first world war are sent to Wales to survey as cartographers.

Well the story takes a twist when they arrive in a small town to take the height of what to the town is a mountain and more than that the town's pride. According to the the first calculations it would seem that the mountain is not actually a mountain at all, but a hill.

No big deal, right? Wrong! The town has always been sure that it has sat in view of a Welsh mountain. I won't ruin the film and give more about the plot than that, but the film is a good one. Hugh Grant gives a nice performance in this lesser known production and the enchanting Tara Fitzgerald supports gracefully.

The film develops the characters in a story that most anyone can relate to. The real twist is that it's a true story explained in the end if you watch throught the credits.

DVD:

DVD List

DVD

DVD

Derrida

Phil Cool - Cool It : Video

Kolobos

DVD: Boogiepop Phantom - Boxed Set (Evolutions 1-4)

Forest Warrior