A university professor, arrogantly believing he holds all the answers to life, the universe and everything, faces the ultimate horror during a vacation at a quiet coastal village in Norfolk when he encounters something beyond all rational explanation.
'Oh Whistle And I'll Come To You, My Lad' was my introduction to the world of M.R James through the medium of this wonderful t.v adaptation. It encapsulates perfectly the James mode of storytelling, and through the excellent directorship of Jonathan Miller, expertly brings to life the chilling short story written decades earlier.
Miller seems to grasp the author's approach to drama effortlessly. James belongs to the old school of literary macabre, where, like Lovecraft, the horror derives from what is unseen save for a few tantalising details. Much of the drama is down to the buildup of suspense and atmosphere and the audience is largely left to draw their own conclusions in the theatre of the mind. This is precisely what we get in the teleplay, shot on location in Norfolk, where the scenery and incidental sounds do much of the work. This is especially important given that the lead character, self-assured and largely solitary, does not engage in a great deal of dialogue. The less-is-more approach is wonderfully effective: much of the tension comes from nightmarish dreamscapes and strange objects tantalisingly kept in the distance, and the lack of continuing verbal commentary allows for wonder and suspense to build to great effect. And indeed the true horror is psychological: that which cannot be qualified, a true terror to one who thinks they have reality fully understood. The monochromatic nature of the film lends to the bleak and cold surroundings of the Norfolk coastline, although as viewers were to find in the BBC's next James adaptation, 'A Warning To The Curious', full colour is by no means more comforting.
Headlining the cast is the legendary Michael Hordern, a good deal older than the Professor Parkins of the text, which unfortunately loses the idea of arrogance in one so young, but Hordern is such perfect casting and fits the character so well that you can forgive the change. The other principal lead of the Colonel, played with great understatement by Ambrose Coghill, also finds his part reduced in the teleplay, although his chief role as the person who suggests to Perkins that the realm of knowledge may be greater than he thinks, is crucially intact. Indeed, I may just be nitpicking - Miller's assured hand preserves the essentials of the storyline and ensures that things move at a consistent pace, realising the ambiguous supernatural elements with skill to a satisfying conclusion.
Any fan of classic horror would be doing themselves a disservice to pass on this marvellous visual retelling of one of M.R James's most celebrated ghost stories. Inevitably, it will be remade someday, but I will be very surprised if anyone can top Jonathan Miller's wonderful monochrome masterpiece.