The Stalls of Barchester (1971) Online

The Stalls of Barchester(1971) Lawrence Gordon Clark

One Dr. Black is commissioned to catalogue the finer points of Barchester Cathedral Library and report back on the more interesting entries. Black struggles however to find anything of remote interest, finding the books in bad condition or just interminably dull. He enlists the assistance of librarian, in the hope that he may direct him towards more interesting tomes. Together they find little of interest, but stumble on the unread diaries of one Archdeacon Haynes, the former head of the diocese. The librarian informs Black of the strange circumstances of Haynes's death, theses facts and a quick browse through his writings immediately strike a chord with Black. Initially he finds the entries to be about the mundane clerical workings of the diocese and also on his ambitions to succeed the incumbent Archdeacon Pulterney, who it would seem was going to live for ever before he himself also died in odd circumstances after a fall down the stairs. But what really rises Black's interest is Black's writing on the strange happenings within the cathedral and his home after he did take over. Haynes's becomes aware of peculiar events, noises and whispering voices, that seem to have no solid basis in reality. He questions his own sanity, analyses his family's mental history and quickly denies the possibility that he is going mad. But when his fears rise after some hellish visions, he must again question what the reasons for it are.

The Stalls of Barchester was the first in the BBC's series of Ghost Stories for Christmas and after the success of Jonathan Miller's Whistle and I'll Come to You (1968), the makers again took inspiration from the works of M.R.James. I must admit that I found this film a less well defined adaptation than later films in the series, while it certainly holds your interest, there is a distinct lack of scares. Sure it has its creepy moments, ghostly whispers, doors opening by themselves, even some evil looking cats, but one very unsettling ghostly hand apart, it lacked the fear factor I craved. The cause of this may be one of two things, either this is too faithful a literary adaptation or Clark hadn't developed a style for adapting James' work. Either way the viewer never really comes to terms with Haynes's fears, he remains rather aloof and his fears are given so little time on screen, that some viewers may lose interest or worse still just not care. Another reason maybe the fact that the story telling is done through a third party, namely Dr Black (usually a successful ploy in other James's works), but here perhaps less so. Still though the premise remains intriguing and the film on the whole retains interest throughout, there's even time for some wry black humour concerning Archdeacon Pulterney, whose clutches to life becomes a continuing annoyance to Haynes. A youthful Hardy is excellent in the role, despite the aforementioned aloofness of the character. Clark for his part created a fine debut film, slightly flawed perhaps, but still brimming with good ideas, that would develop even more throughout his directorial career.

I am an enormous fan of the BBC's Ghost Stories For Christmas but this is by far my favourite. It manages to pull off the seemingly impossible feet of being both very scary and also very amusing. Personally I love the antiquarian setting of this and most other M R James stories because it makes the following supernatural happenings all the more unexpected coming as they do into a world that deals with fact. The Stalls of Barchester has a wonderfully light touch as can be seen in how it illustrates the continued survival of the aged Archdeacon (much to his ambitious subordinate's chagrin) by the decreasing number of guests at his birthday drinks. The reason why this short film remains so scary is because right up until the last moment it's 'ghosts' come only in the form of noises and the odd movement out of the corner of the eye and have thus not aged at all. I cannot really do justice to the beauty of this programme's photography and production design and I urge everyone to see it and then write to the BBC and demand it's release on DVD.

While cataloguing the library of Barchester cathedral, Dr Black comes across the personal diary of Archdeacon Haynes among the rather lacklustre and poorly maintained books. Black reads about how Haynes rose to the position of Archdeacon when his predecessor, the elderly Pulteney, took a fatal fall in his home. The diary tells of admin and clerical responsibilities but gradually the personal musings of Haynes about noises, feelings and other impressions that Haynes starts to have about his new home.

As well as many other strengths, BBC4 recently also provided an opportunity to dip back into some old versions of ghost stories made back in the seventies, adapting the writing of MR James. Of what I have seen of the series, The Stalls of Barchester is pretty good despite not being as creepy as I would have liked. The story itself offers creepy moments without ever totally revealing itself and in this regard I did find it quite engaging, however the delivery doesn't work to the favour of these moments. The story is told in retrospect via the reading of Dr Black and this technique does rather distance the viewer from the material because, instead of being with Haynes, we are actually with Black. This doesn't matter too much when the Haynes scenes are longer and run together but Black does fragment the telling and, despite bookending the story, Black is mostly remote from it.

The construction of the Haynes scenes is good though and the film does produce some genuinely creepy moments with minimal effects. Not brilliant perhaps, but still nicely creepy – just a shame the rest of the delivery doesn't support it. The acting is solid in the key role; Hardy convinces in his increasing bewilderment and inability to accept what he is experiencing. Bennett, Barlow and others all fill in around him. Swift and Leighton are fine but the script keeping them away from the main story means their performances do likewise.

At heart this is a nice little ghost story with some effective chills but the structure and manner of delivery does rather prevent the viewer getting lost in it and also breaks up the flow. Worth seeing but there are much better similar films shown on BBC4 recently.

As Christmas approaches, this series is always a must watch, and The Stalls of Barchester is a great start to a fantastic series. This one feels like a delicious starter for a few episodes which soon follow. I've always considered this a classy production, glorious production values, a wonderful setting and a truly reliable cast. Psychological fears in this one as opposed to out and out scares, but the focus more so here is on the story.

It's wonderfully gothic, even though it's set inside a Cathedral, with wonderful carvings and tales of a hanging tree. Robert Hardy is excellent as the tortured Archdeacon Haynes, there are fine performances all round.

Subtle horror that's definitely worth your time. m 8/10

The second M.R. James adaptation I have set up for this Halloween marathon emerges a marked improvement on the cerebral and rather uneventful WHISTLE AND I'LL COME TO YOU (1968). The horror is still subtly deployed throughout, but it creates the right kind of frisson and a distinct aura of unease (thanks largely to the remote wintry locale, also incorporating the obligatory vast mansion) for this intrinsically low-key and character-driven piece. The setting is a school run by the Church – and, apparently, James had himself toyed with the idea of taking the cloth (and would actually become a teacher, among whose pupils was a certain Christopher Lee!); it involves jealousy and machinations among the staff, particularly when the current Dean 'refuses' to relinquish his position to the ambitious Robert Hardy (later of Hammer's DEMONS OF THE MIND [1972]). After he resorts to murder to obtain his wish, however, he begins to be haunted by the old man – via whispering disembodied voices and manifestations as either a black cat or a caped figure bearing a ghoulish hand with creepy talons! The predictable (but still effective) ironic climax, then, sees Hardy expiring in the exact same fashion as the fate he had planned for his doddering predecessor.

Fun to see this. A Warning to the Curious and Lost Hearts were the masterpieces of the series. This entry is dour and a little plodding but has a palpable tension and dread. It boasts a memorable shock a good five years before DePalma's Carrie, although my memory of it was a little different. It will still make you jump and your blood run cold. 'Stalls' was the series finding its feet. The structure, with two lots of voice-overs is somewhat awkward and unwieldy. The academic inquiry is dry and your attention may wander, forcing you to backtrack. It is the antecedent of The Treasure Of Abbott Thomas, which was similarly scholarly, although not ruinously. It is M R James approach and you can take it or leave it.

The first in in the series of ghost stories that the BBC would run on Christmas Eves and which would quickly become a tradition is a subtle, quietly chilling adaptation of an M.R. James story. Personally I find this particular story (which was also read by Christopher Lee in the recent 2000 miniseries) slightly stuffy; however, this excellent adaptation turns this around completely to make a horror-filled and generally frightening little tale.

Clive Swift (who would reprise his role of curious scholar Doctor Black in the next year's A WARNING TO THE CURIOUS) is the film's narrator, as it is he who uncovers the diary of the Archdeacon and he alone who believes the supernatural events it contains. Swift is excellent and convincing in his turn as the mild-mannered, friendly scholar who digs into things that maybe he shouldn't (it's often obvious that James' narrators are thinly-disguised versions of the author himself). Robert Hardy plays the foolhardy deacon, ruined by his ambition to become the Archdeacon. Hardy successfully convinces us that his character, Haynes, really is going out of his mind with worry and fear.

The horror mainly comes from subtle things like noises on the landing (shades of THE HAUNTING here), a huge black cat that appears and disappears without notice, and the eerie, grinning faces of gargoyles in the churchyard. I did like the inclusion of a cloaked skeleton which appears occasionally to great spooky effect and pops up in the nerve-shattering ending. Although quite slow to begin with, the quality acting and characterisation slowly hooks you into the tale and forces you to watch until the ending, no matter how horrific it may become. There's also an epilogue which is magnificently creepy in its own subtle way. Although not as unrelentingly scary as A WARNING TO THE CURIOUS (my favourite of the series, incidentally), THE STALLS OF BARCHESTER still packs a number of chills and jumps into its running time and is worth seeking out for classic horror fans.

This short 'ghost story' film still delights and intrigues me even after several viewings over the years. Wonderful creation of atmosphere,from the dark interior of the archdeacons house to the misty cathedral grounds.I agree that some may find it a little 'plodding'but this is not a slasher/effects movie and I think the build up of the macabre moments and outcome are to be savored and maybe the 'ghost stories' series strong point. I also enjoyed the subtle moments of humor in this story. All in all a very enjoyable winters afternoon or evening viewing.

Roy

A cleric goes a step too far to satisfy his career ambitions and finds himself the target of a ghostly revenge.

The story is framed by a scholarly investigation after the event, which some reviewers feel detracts from the immediacy of the story, and I think the problem is that the narrator has no connection with the plot. Otherwise the story is well told, with the protagonist forbiddingly aloof and the spookiness delivered subtly in shadowy sets with intimate little sound effects. Also a nice strand of humour runs through the early scenes, as the dogged old archdeacon clings to his position.

One flaw in the story is the loose end of the collaborator in the fatal deed - once the blackmail note was produced it had to become part of the plot, but was just left dangling.

'The Stalls of Barchester (1971)' was the first entry in BBC's wonderful "Ghost Story for Christmas" series, but unfortunately it fails to attain the dizzying heights of creepiness reached by 'A Warning to the Curious (1972)' and 'The Signalman (1976).' The short film was adapted from a tale by author M.R. James – who provided many of the "Ghost Stories for Christmas" – and was directed by Lawrence Gordon Clarke, who likewise helmed most of BBC's ghost-story adaptations. The story concerns Archdeacon Haynes (Robert Hardy), who inherits his title following the "accidental" death of his 92-year-old predecessor, whose demise Haynes had awaited rather impatiently. Though it's never explicitly spoken, we all know what evil the Archdeacon has orchestrated, and so punishment is gradual yet inevitable. The recording of the story that I watched (taped, I estimate, around 1999) had an interesting introduction from Christopher Lee, who briefly describes meeting M.R. James in 1935 at Eton College.

If I had to name one reason why 'The Stalls of Barchester' isn't quite as scary as its successors, it would be the storytelling structure. Though telling the story through Dr. Black's (Clive Swift) library research was likely staying faithful to James' original story (I haven't read it myself, but he constructed many of his ghost-stories as third-person tellings), it also disrupted the rhythm of the narrative at regular intervals, and removed the immediacy of Archdeacon Haynes' otherworldly experiences. Hardy, in the main role, was oddly distant and unidentifiable as a character, and so we don't particularly hang onto his every breath as we might otherwise have done. For what it's worth, I associated mostly closely with Dr. Black, and it's unfortunate that his part in the tale was merely that of a curious and belated observer. The first half of the film, merely a set-up completely devoid of the supernatural, was something of a chore to sit through, though the eventual pay-off provided adequate compensation in the form of creepy night-time happenings.

Perusing my previous review of 'A Warning to the Curious,' I was interested to recall that Clive Swift there reprised his role as Dr. Black, playing the holiday companion to Peter Vaughan's haunted treasure-hunter. The success of that M.R. James adaptation underlines my earlier point: by placing our narrator in the midst of the paranormal, and placing his own life on the line, there is a more immediate sense of threat that translates directly towards the viewer's insecurities. 'The Stalls of Barchester,' by its very structure, encourages detachment from its doomed subject, and Hardy's aloof portrayal only broadened this emotional gulf. Nevertheless, this Ghost Story for Christmas has enough creepy moments to warrant interest from fans of the series: a disembodied hand, gaunt and knotted, reaches for Haynes' shoulder; an unseen voice whisperingly requests permission to enter the bedroom; a shadow, swathed in darkness, retreats from the scene of a murder, a chilling hybrid of human and feline features. Sinners beware, for there are those who will always be able to recognise that blood on your hands.

I really didn't care for this, I love the rest of the M R James series, but this one had no tension, no terror, no dread. The effects were extremely fake. The way the story was told was boring and monotonous. To be perfectly honest I found it an embarrassment to be associated with the BBC's other great adaptations of M R James. The main character was so emotionless and flat that i was left not caring what was going to happen to him, (although he may have been meant to be played this way). Prehaps it just wasn't a good choice of story.

With some things you can say, "well it wasn't scary but I still enjoyed watching it", well not with this.