Ghost stories for Christmas on the BBC, a tradition within a tradition of the festive ghost story, whilst also continuing the tradition of the BBC literary period piece adaptation.
'The Mezzotint' has wins and losses, pluses and negatives aplenty within such a short duration and knowing that the source material was one of the shorter short ghost stories by M. R. James and seeing that this was evidently filmed in midwinter there is the definite suggestion that the BBC is just barely keeping this tradition alive: in summation a very limited production once again just like the last few instalments in this tradition.
There are definitely points to complement: there is a sense of calm before the storm which gradually has an intrusive and unwelcome force batter it into fear and loathing; the mood of a small cabal of scholarly friends is pertly pointed out; and the internal worryings of the protagonist are well played out.
However there are several factors to set against these wins: a ghost story requires a mood and a tone to be established, this is done by authenticity and sincerity in setting out the environment of the tale. By this method the mundane must be mundane, consistent and settled, in order for the implicit horror to disjoint the audience.
'The Mezzotint' frequently fails this: with its knowing references and pointed dialogues, it's broadly written supporting characters, bizarre casting choices and it's incongruous insistence that interwar English-British scholarly gentleman would play rounds of golf in a cold February as a recreational pursuit.
The first five minutes are stodgy and clumsy and the climax offers up explicit monster frighteners rather than implicit personal horror through manifest fear.
Overall therefore I consider this to be a middling effort that would require considerable rewriting, different production and/or recasting to reconstitute it's authentic ambiance and thereby develop naturally to a satisfactory dread.
Some of the acting and directing is good and the sound design and mix are adequate and the cinematography is well lit both indoors and outdoors but there is nothing really exceptional offered in any of these areas.
An average 5/10 rating from me for a piece that had a superficial affinity to the ghost story but failed to deliver the guts by misplacing it's attachment to sincerity and an authentication in its setting forth of the tale and which then chose an explicit climax to end on.
I also wonder about the continuing existence of this BBC Christmas ghost story tradition when it offers up declining output and evidently diminishing productions.
