Burke and Hare (film)
Encyclopedia
Burke and Hare is a British
black comedy
film, loosely based on the Burke and Hare murders. Directed by John Landis
, the film stars Simon Pegg
and Andy Serkis
as William Burke and William Hare respectively. It was Landis's first feature film release in twelve years, the last being 1998's Susan's Plan
. The film was released in the United Kingdom
on 29 October 2010.
), telling of how the corpses of those hanged by himself are transported to Dr. Robert Knox (Tom Wilkinson
) to dissect, while his rival Dr. Alexander Monro (Tim Curry
), who wants Knox's job, is left to amputate body parts of living people. Just then, Monro's assistant Charles Darwin (Christian Brassington) with a forged letter stating the allowance of the dead bodies to be transported to Monro's house to be dissected by himself instead. Angus is then left to tell Knox's assistant, Patterson (Michael Smiley
), that the bodies are now being given to Monro. Patterson delivers to message to Knox.
The film then switches to William Burke (Simon Pegg
) and William Hare (Andy Serkis
) attempting to sell cheese mould which they state is growing moss. When they are found out, they flee back to an Inn owned by Hare's wife Lucky (Jessica Hynes), who states that one of their lodgers has died. Burke and Hare decide to transport the corpse to Knox. They are forced to break the corpse's spine in order to fit inside the barrel. While on the way to Knox's house, they stop at a bar, and while there, a young woman, Helen McDougal (Isla Fisher
) - under the name Ginny Hawkins - a former prostitute, attempts to attract the attention of everyone in the bar by doing an extract from the William Shakespeare
play Macbeth
. While everyone else in the bar take no notice Burke begins talking to Ginny and asks her why she did so. Ginny explains that it was her ambition to become an actress. While Burke and Ginny have a drink together, Hare tells Burke that they had better set of to Knox's castle.
Burke and Hare arrive at Knox's house and present the now mangled corpse to Knox. Knox then agrees that if the pair bring him two bodies a week for dissection, he will pay them a large amount of money. While Burke sees this as his chance to help Ginny's ambition of becoming an actress, Hare is content on using the money to open a funeral parlour. When Burke and Hare return to the Inn, they find Lucky drunk and nearly unconscious. Lucky explains why she is in that state as it is Joseph (Christopher Lee
), another lodger at the Inn, is near death. Burke and Hare see this as their chance to make a start, before Joseph can die himself they suffocate him and take his body to Knox, who gives them both a large amount of money.
Burke and Hare share out the money, and Burke goes to find Ginny. Burke tells Ginny the good news, and she hugs him and allows him to take her home, while Hare goes to the bar where he meets Fergus (David Schofield
), the suffering henchman of villain Danny McTavish (David Hayman
). Fergus explains that McTavish is using him to cheat at games of gambling and taking all the money for himself while not sharing it with Fergus. Hare explains that he has to transport two bodies a week to Knox and receives a lot of payment for it. Fergus tells this to McTavish.
Later, while Burke is leaving the bar after telling Ginny the good news, he is bundled into a horse carriage along with an already captured Hare, and comes face to face with McTavish and Fergus. McTavish explains that if Burke and Hare want to be kept alive, they must pay him half of the money they earn from Knox, and in exchange McTavish will provide them with protection. With their only option to agree, Burke and Hare are flung from the carriage while it is going through a wood. As Burke and Hare make their way back to the Inn, they begin coming up with plans of whom to kill each week.
As more and more people turn up dead, Lucky begins to get suspicious, as does the local law enforcement lead by Capt Tom McLintock (Ronnie Corbett
), who visits Lord Harrington (Hugh Bonneville
) and William Wordsworth (Simon Farnaby
) and informs them. Harrington and Wordsworth give McLintock permission to hunt down the criminals and have them hanged.
Following this, Hare is once again kidnapped by McTavish, who orders both he and Fergus to hand over their money for protection. While Hare and Fergus look at each other, the scene snaps to the dissecting theatre, where McTavish's corpse turns up for Knox to dissect. This causes outrage, and as Burke and Ginny's auditions begin, Burke and Ginny are capture by McLintock while about to make love while Hare and Lucky are captured while having sex.
All of them are locked in different cells, and are informed that if one of them admits to the murders, the others will go free. Burke agrees to do so on one condition, that he is put in the same cell as Ginny so they can finally make love.
The following day, Burke awaits his hanging at the gallows. When Angus announces that if Burke has any last words he should say them now. Burke then states "Only this", before turning to look at Ginny in the crowd, and states "I did it for love", before he is hanged.
Angus then tells of how each character goes their separate ways, before the camera zooms up on the skeleton of Burke in a present day museum.
was originally cast in the role of William Hare, but left the production before principal photography began; he was replaced by Andy Serkis.
with some scenes also being shot in Stirling
, London
and at Knole in Kent, and also at Ealing Studios
. The script was written by Piers Ashworth and Nick Moorcroft
, who previously wrote St. Trinian's, also for Ealing, which was the highest grossing British independent film
of the last 10 years.
Landis stated:
The first official trailer for the film was released on 5 October 2010. It was shown in some UK cinemas before Paranormal Activity 2
.
It was released on the 29 October 2010.
Great Britain
Great Britain or Britain is an island situated to the northwest of Continental Europe. It is the ninth largest island in the world, and the largest European island, as well as the largest of the British Isles...
black comedy
Black comedy
A black comedy, or dark comedy, is a comic work that employs black humor or gallows humor. The definition of black humor is problematic; it has been argued that it corresponds to the earlier concept of gallows humor; and that, as humor has been defined since Freud as a comedic act that anesthetizes...
film, loosely based on the Burke and Hare murders. Directed by John Landis
John Landis
John David Landis is an American film director, screenwriter, actor, and producer. He is known for his comedies, his horror films, and his music videos with singer Michael Jackson.-Early life and career:...
, the film stars Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
and Andy Serkis
Andy Serkis
Andrew Clement G. "Andy" Serkis is an English actor, director and author. He is popularly known for playing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, for which he earned several award nominations, including the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Two Towers...
as William Burke and William Hare respectively. It was Landis's first feature film release in twelve years, the last being 1998's Susan's Plan
Susan's Plan
Susan's Plan is a 1998 black comedy film directed by John Landis and starring Nastassja Kinski, Dan Aykroyd, Billy Zane, Rob Schneider, Lara Flynn Boyle and Michael Biehn. The plot revolves around Susan's plan to kill her former husband and collect his life insurance....
. The film was released in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
on 29 October 2010.
Plot
The film opens in Edinburgh with a narration by Angus the Hangman (Bill BaileyBill Bailey
Bill Bailey is an English comedian, musician and actor. As well as his extensive stand-up work, Bailey is well known for his appearances on Black Books, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You, and QI.Bailey was listed by The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy in...
), telling of how the corpses of those hanged by himself are transported to Dr. Robert Knox (Tom Wilkinson
Tom Wilkinson
Thomas Geoffrey "Tom" Wilkinson, OBE is a British actor. He has twice been nominated for an Academy Award for his roles in In the Bedroom and Michael Clayton...
) to dissect, while his rival Dr. Alexander Monro (Tim Curry
Tim Curry
Timothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
), who wants Knox's job, is left to amputate body parts of living people. Just then, Monro's assistant Charles Darwin (Christian Brassington) with a forged letter stating the allowance of the dead bodies to be transported to Monro's house to be dissected by himself instead. Angus is then left to tell Knox's assistant, Patterson (Michael Smiley
Michael Smiley
Michael Smiley is a British comic and actor currently living in England.-Biography:Smiley was born in 1963 in Belfast, and moved to London in his 20s with his wife...
), that the bodies are now being given to Monro. Patterson delivers to message to Knox.
The film then switches to William Burke (Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg
Simon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
) and William Hare (Andy Serkis
Andy Serkis
Andrew Clement G. "Andy" Serkis is an English actor, director and author. He is popularly known for playing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, for which he earned several award nominations, including the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Two Towers...
) attempting to sell cheese mould which they state is growing moss. When they are found out, they flee back to an Inn owned by Hare's wife Lucky (Jessica Hynes), who states that one of their lodgers has died. Burke and Hare decide to transport the corpse to Knox. They are forced to break the corpse's spine in order to fit inside the barrel. While on the way to Knox's house, they stop at a bar, and while there, a young woman, Helen McDougal (Isla Fisher
Isla Fisher
Isla Lang Fisher is an actress and author. She began acting on Australian television, on the short-lived soap opera Paradise Beach before playing Shannon Reed on the soap opera Home and Away...
) - under the name Ginny Hawkins - a former prostitute, attempts to attract the attention of everyone in the bar by doing an extract from the William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare
William Shakespeare was an English poet and playwright, widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's national poet and the "Bard of Avon"...
play Macbeth
Macbeth
The Tragedy of Macbeth is a play by William Shakespeare about a regicide and its aftermath. It is Shakespeare's shortest tragedy and is believed to have been written sometime between 1603 and 1607...
. While everyone else in the bar take no notice Burke begins talking to Ginny and asks her why she did so. Ginny explains that it was her ambition to become an actress. While Burke and Ginny have a drink together, Hare tells Burke that they had better set of to Knox's castle.
Burke and Hare arrive at Knox's house and present the now mangled corpse to Knox. Knox then agrees that if the pair bring him two bodies a week for dissection, he will pay them a large amount of money. While Burke sees this as his chance to help Ginny's ambition of becoming an actress, Hare is content on using the money to open a funeral parlour. When Burke and Hare return to the Inn, they find Lucky drunk and nearly unconscious. Lucky explains why she is in that state as it is Joseph (Christopher Lee
Christopher Lee
Sir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...
), another lodger at the Inn, is near death. Burke and Hare see this as their chance to make a start, before Joseph can die himself they suffocate him and take his body to Knox, who gives them both a large amount of money.
Burke and Hare share out the money, and Burke goes to find Ginny. Burke tells Ginny the good news, and she hugs him and allows him to take her home, while Hare goes to the bar where he meets Fergus (David Schofield
David Schofield
David Schofield may refer to:*David Schofield , English actor*David Schofield , English football player...
), the suffering henchman of villain Danny McTavish (David Hayman
David Hayman
David Hayman is a Scottish film and television actor and director, best known for his role as DCS Mike Walker in ITV drama Trial and Retribution. He also a prominent supporter of the SNP's call for Scottish independence....
). Fergus explains that McTavish is using him to cheat at games of gambling and taking all the money for himself while not sharing it with Fergus. Hare explains that he has to transport two bodies a week to Knox and receives a lot of payment for it. Fergus tells this to McTavish.
Later, while Burke is leaving the bar after telling Ginny the good news, he is bundled into a horse carriage along with an already captured Hare, and comes face to face with McTavish and Fergus. McTavish explains that if Burke and Hare want to be kept alive, they must pay him half of the money they earn from Knox, and in exchange McTavish will provide them with protection. With their only option to agree, Burke and Hare are flung from the carriage while it is going through a wood. As Burke and Hare make their way back to the Inn, they begin coming up with plans of whom to kill each week.
As more and more people turn up dead, Lucky begins to get suspicious, as does the local law enforcement lead by Capt Tom McLintock (Ronnie Corbett
Ronnie Corbett
Ronald Balfour "Ronnie" Corbett, OBE is a Scottish actor and comedian of Scottish and English parentage who had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the British television comedy series The Two Ronnies...
), who visits Lord Harrington (Hugh Bonneville
Hugh Bonneville
Hugh Richard Bonneville Williams, known professionally as Hugh Bonneville , is an English stage, film, television and radio actor.-Education:...
) and William Wordsworth (Simon Farnaby
Simon Farnaby
Simon Alexander Farnaby is an English comedy actor and writer in television, theatre and film.-Early life:Born in Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire, Farnaby trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, National Youth Theatre, and Trinity College, Dublin...
) and informs them. Harrington and Wordsworth give McLintock permission to hunt down the criminals and have them hanged.
Following this, Hare is once again kidnapped by McTavish, who orders both he and Fergus to hand over their money for protection. While Hare and Fergus look at each other, the scene snaps to the dissecting theatre, where McTavish's corpse turns up for Knox to dissect. This causes outrage, and as Burke and Ginny's auditions begin, Burke and Ginny are capture by McLintock while about to make love while Hare and Lucky are captured while having sex.
All of them are locked in different cells, and are informed that if one of them admits to the murders, the others will go free. Burke agrees to do so on one condition, that he is put in the same cell as Ginny so they can finally make love.
The following day, Burke awaits his hanging at the gallows. When Angus announces that if Burke has any last words he should say them now. Burke then states "Only this", before turning to look at Ginny in the crowd, and states "I did it for love", before he is hanged.
Angus then tells of how each character goes their separate ways, before the camera zooms up on the skeleton of Burke in a present day museum.
Cast
- Simon PeggSimon PeggSimon Pegg is an English actor, comedian, writer, film producer, and director. He is best known for having co-written and stared in various Edgar Wright features, mainly Shaun of the Dead, Hot Fuzz, and the comedy series Spaced.He also portrayed Montgomery "Scotty" Scott in the 2009 Star Trek film...
as William Burke - Andy SerkisAndy SerkisAndrew Clement G. "Andy" Serkis is an English actor, director and author. He is popularly known for playing Gollum in The Lord of the Rings film trilogy, for which he earned several award nominations, including the Saturn Award for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in The Two Towers...
as William Hare - Isla FisherIsla FisherIsla Lang Fisher is an actress and author. She began acting on Australian television, on the short-lived soap opera Paradise Beach before playing Shannon Reed on the soap opera Home and Away...
as Ginny Hawkins / Helen McDougal - Tom WilkinsonTom WilkinsonThomas Geoffrey "Tom" Wilkinson, OBE is a British actor. He has twice been nominated for an Academy Award for his roles in In the Bedroom and Michael Clayton...
as Dr. Robert KnoxRobert KnoxRobert Knox was a Scottish surgeon, anatomist and zoologist. He was the most popular lecturer in anatomy in Edinburgh before his involvement in the Burke and Hare body-snatching case. This ruined his career, and a later move to London did not improve matters... - Jessica Hynes as Lucky
- Bill BaileyBill BaileyBill Bailey is an English comedian, musician and actor. As well as his extensive stand-up work, Bailey is well known for his appearances on Black Books, Never Mind the Buzzcocks, Have I Got News for You, and QI.Bailey was listed by The Observer as one of the 50 funniest acts in British comedy in...
as Angus the Hangman - Tim CurryTim CurryTimothy James "Tim" Curry is a British actor, singer, composer and voice actor, known for his work in a diverse range of theatre, film and television productions. He currently resides in Los Angeles, California....
as Prof. Alexander Monro - Hugh BonnevilleHugh BonnevilleHugh Richard Bonneville Williams, known professionally as Hugh Bonneville , is an English stage, film, television and radio actor.-Education:...
as Lord HarringtonCharles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of HarringtonGeneral Charles Stanhope, 3rd Earl of Harrington PC, PC , styled Viscount Petersham until 1779, was a British soldier. Stanhope is sometimes confused with an exact contemporary of his, the 3rd Earl Stanhope.... - Allan CordunerAllan CordunerAllan Corduner is an English actor.-Early life:Corduner grew up in a secular Jewish home in North London with his mother, father and a younger brother. His mother had escaped to England from Nazi Germany with her family in 1938...
as Joseph Nicephore NiepceNicéphore NiépceNicéphore Niépce March 7, 1765 – July 5, 1833) was a French inventor, most noted as one of the inventors of photography and a pioneer in the field.He is most noted for producing the world's first known photograph in 1825... - Simon FarnabySimon FarnabySimon Alexander Farnaby is an English comedy actor and writer in television, theatre and film.-Early life:Born in Wath-upon-Dearne, South Yorkshire, Farnaby trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art, National Youth Theatre, and Trinity College, Dublin...
as William WordsworthWilliam WordsworthWilliam Wordsworth was a major English Romantic poet who, with Samuel Taylor Coleridge, helped to launch the Romantic Age in English literature with the 1798 joint publication Lyrical Ballads.... - David HaymanDavid HaymanDavid Hayman is a Scottish film and television actor and director, best known for his role as DCS Mike Walker in ITV drama Trial and Retribution. He also a prominent supporter of the SNP's call for Scottish independence....
as Danny McTavish - David SchofieldDavid Schofield (actor)David Schofield is an English actor who was born in Wythenshawe, Manchester, Lancashire in 1951. He has appeared in numerous television programmes and feature films during his career.-Early life:...
as Fergus - Ronnie CorbettRonnie CorbettRonald Balfour "Ronnie" Corbett, OBE is a Scottish actor and comedian of Scottish and English parentage who had a long association with Ronnie Barker in the British television comedy series The Two Ronnies...
as Capt. Tom McLintock - Reece ShearsmithReece ShearsmithReeson "Reece" Shearsmith is an English actor and writer. He is most famous for his work as part of The League of Gentlemen along with fellow performers Steve Pemberton, Mark Gatiss and co-writer Jeremy Dyson.-Early life:...
as Sgt. McKenzie - Christian BrassingtonChristian BrassingtonChristian Brassington is a British actor. He trained at the Webber Douglas Academy of Dramatic Art and attended Basingstoke Stageschool from a young age.-Career:...
as CharlesCharles DarwinCharles Robert Darwin FRS was an English naturalist. He established that all species of life have descended over time from common ancestry, and proposed the scientific theory that this branching pattern of evolution resulted from a process that he called natural selection.He published his theory... - Michael SmileyMichael SmileyMichael Smiley is a British comic and actor currently living in England.-Biography:Smiley was born in 1963 in Belfast, and moved to London in his 20s with his wife...
as Patterson - Sir Christopher LeeChristopher LeeSir Christopher Frank Carandini Lee, CBE, CStJ is an English actor and musician. Lee initially portrayed villains and became famous for his role as Count Dracula in a string of Hammer Horror films...
as Old Joseph - Jenny AgutterJenny AgutterJennifer Ann "Jenny" Agutter is an English film and television actress. She began her career as a child actress in the mid 1960s, starring in the BBC television series The Railway Children and the film adaptation of the same book, before moving on to adult roles and relocating to Hollywood.She...
as Lucy - Georgia KingGeorgia King-Career:King made her professional debut in Jane Eyre. She was nearly unable to play the role, however. "A week before the day she began filming, King felt stomach pains, then had her appendix rupture...
as Emma - John WoodvineJohn WoodvineJohn Woodvine is an English stage and screen actor who has appeared in more than 70 theatre productions, as well as a similar number of television and film roles.-Early life:...
as Lord Provost - Steven SpiersSteven SpiersSteve Speirs , sometimes spelled 'Spiers', is a Welsh actor.He was born in Troed-y-rhiw, a village in Merthyr Tydfil, Wales and studied drama at Loughborough University...
as McMartin's Doorman - Stephen MerchantStephen MerchantStephen James Merchant is an English writer, director, radio presenter, comedian, and actor. He is best known for his collaborations with Ricky Gervais, as the co-writer and co-director of the popular British sitcom The Office, as the co-writer, co-director and a co-star of Extras, and as the...
as Hollyrood Footman - Paul WhitehousePaul WhitehousePaul Whitehouse is a Welsh actor, writer and comedian. He became known for his work with Harry Enfield and as one of the stars of the popular BBC sketch show, The Fast Show. In a 2005 poll to find The Comedian's Comedian, he was in the top 50 comedy acts voted for by comedians and comedy insiders...
as Gentleman Drunk - Michael WinnerMichael WinnerMichael Robert Winner is a British film director and producer, active in both Europe and the United States, also known as a food critic for the Sunday Times.-Early life and early career :...
as Gentleman Passenger - Ray HarryhausenRay HarryhausenRay Harryhausen is an American film producer and special effects creator...
as Distinguished Doctor
Casting
David TennantDavid Tennant
David Tennant is a Scottish actor. In addition to his work in theatre, including a widely praised Hamlet, Tennant is best known for his role as the tenth incarnation of the Doctor in Doctor Who, along with the title role in the 2005 TV serial Casanova and as Barty Crouch, Jr...
was originally cast in the role of William Hare, but left the production before principal photography began; he was replaced by Andy Serkis.
Filming
Filming took place around EdinburghEdinburgh
Edinburgh is the capital city of Scotland, the second largest city in Scotland, and the eighth most populous in the United Kingdom. The City of Edinburgh Council governs one of Scotland's 32 local government council areas. The council area includes urban Edinburgh and a rural area...
with some scenes also being shot in Stirling
Stirling
Stirling is a city and former ancient burgh in Scotland, and is at the heart of the wider Stirling council area. The city is clustered around a large fortress and medieval old-town beside the River Forth...
, London
London
London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...
and at Knole in Kent, and also at Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios
Ealing Studios is a television and film production company and facilities provider at Ealing Green in West London. Will Barker bought the White Lodge on Ealing Green in 1902 as a base for film making, and films have been made on the site ever since...
. The script was written by Piers Ashworth and Nick Moorcroft
Nick Moorcroft
Nick Moorcroft is an English screenwriter and film producer.-Biography:In 2004 he sold his first Spec script to Barnaby Thompson's Fragile Films. The period comedy called Burke and Hare is about two Irish serial killers who sold the corpses of their 17 victims to the Edinburgh Medical College for...
, who previously wrote St. Trinian's, also for Ealing, which was the highest grossing British independent film
Independent film
An independent film, or indie film, is a professional film production resulting in a feature film that is produced mostly or completely outside of the major film studio system. In addition to being produced and distributed by independent entertainment companies, independent films are also produced...
of the last 10 years.
Landis stated:
The first official trailer for the film was released on 5 October 2010. It was shown in some UK cinemas before Paranormal Activity 2
Paranormal Activity 2
Paranormal Activity 2 is a 2010 American supernatural horror film directed by Tod Williams and written by Michael R. Perry. The film is a parallel prequel to the 2007 film Paranormal Activity, beginning two months before and following up with the events depicted in the original film...
.
It was released on the 29 October 2010.