[yasr_overall_rating]
The fascinating inside story of Lord Edward Montagu, one of England’s most controversial and iconic aristocrats.
“Lord Montagu,” directed by Luke Korem, presents a fascinating, though slightly biased, view of a man who single-handedly saved his family’s estate, put an entire nation in touch with its automotive tradition, and survived persecution and imprisonment for his sexual orientation to become a world renowned celebrity and philanthropist. Korem directs the documentary in the British fashion, staid and quiet, interspersing interviews from key figures surrounding the Baron’s story with archival footage and supported by an interesting score. Veteran actor Oliver Tobias provides a brilliantly understated baritone narration taken from readings of Lord Montagu’s autobiography. I’d be surprised if it didn’t show up on national PBS at some point in the next year or two.
As the film opens, the audience understands the force that drives the young lord. His own father died at age 62 and left 2 ½ year old Edward the estate in trust. He found in his life a gap having not known his father except by reputation and family stories. His father’s legacy remained a great one, however, as he’d accomplished a great many achievements in varied fields of industry, not the least of which was working to promote and pioneer motor cars when they were still a very new machine, and not popular at all. Edward spent his childhood making appearances and representing the family at state functions, all the while constantly reminded of the importance his position would someday be. This responsibility, combined with his intense desire to honor his father’s legacy by matching it or exceeding it, carried him through some dark days.
Like much of the world, Great Britain once persecuted homosexuals, men most viciously, through shame and imprisonment. In a series of events reminiscent of the tragedy surrounding Alan Turing, Lord Montague was subjected to two separate trials on the basis of his sexual preference (though he actually lived as a bisexual and not a pure homosexual). His first trial was the result of accusations of improper conduct leveled at him by two boy scouts who’d taken a swim with a few other men and him. The accusations proved laughably false, and his trial ended in full acquittal. The local magistracy never let up in their investigations. A year later, Lord Montagu, disgraced, was convicted and imprisoned on charges relating to his relationships with other men. He spent six months in prison and was released for good behavior.
Here, the documentary falters a bit, and we see the influence of the Co-Producer the Honorable Ralph Montagu, Lord Montague’s son and heir, on the story. The family itself chooses not to speak about the trial and the events surrounding it. The interviews that show up in the film are strictly friends and sympathetic figures who give sympathy and little detail. I’m not surprised by this. When the heir to the estate co-produces the film, certain compromises will show up in its content. The real disservice to the audience, though, is that the film fails to show how Lord Montagu’s second trial built a wave of public support and empathy for him and, consequently, for homosexuals in general. The zeitgeist in Britain turned against the authorities and by 1967, all laws against homosexuality were stricken from the books. This trial pushed public sentiment far enough that the aristocracy had no choice but to listen and act accordingly. It has been a lasting change that the film addresses only in terms of the way Lord Montagu’s conviction hampered his ability to build an audience for the museum he’d created out of Palace House, the centerpiece of the Beaulieu Estate and its primary income generator.
The idea he comes up with to bolster attendance changes the state of Beaulieu, his family life, and, in many ways, British culture forever. He does something very simple to pay homage to his father and create a new hook for audiences—he places classic cars in the front foyer of the Palace House. From this moment forward, the film gains a subtle energy that changes the film from the study of an aristocrat to the study of an icon. That energy builds as its portrayal of Lord Montagu broadens and his personality, his ego, seem to expand with each successful event and step forward in the development of the attractions surrounding Palace House. His pride and joy, indeed the fulfillment of his dreams, became the National Motor Museum.
Even with its few flaws, “Lord Montagu” remains a compelling documentary, giving me a piece of British pop culture I knew little about. I’d have liked to have seen a more well-rounded set of interviews; not necessarily detractors, mind you, but historians and critics with objective opinions that could have provided more context. The trade off, though, is intimate access to the major players in the story itself. We get a real picture of the varied circles the Baron attached himself to as his friends range from stars such as Nick Mason of Pink Floyd to other members of the aristocracy to former staff members. In only eighty minutes, the film explains much more about Montague, British aristocracy, and even tabloid history than anything I’ve seen before.
Available on all major VOD platforms now
