The documentary, co-created by Freddie Fox and Richard Fullerton with Kenneth Branagh and his Kenneth Branagh Company producing, offers an enthralling look into the world of British theater, particularly its golden age and enduring influence. Dame Judi Dench recounts how stage luminaries such as Richard Burton and John Neville were the "rock stars" of post-war UK theater, creating a "pre-Beatles fever" at the Old Vic. She shares anecdotes of performing alongside John Gielgud and Peggy Ashcroft, crediting Gielgud for her pivotal role as Juliet in Franco Zeffirelli’s 1960 Romeo and Juliet.
Anthony Hopkins, another Old Vic alumnus, speaks of his fortune in acting with Gielgud and Laurence Olivier. He humorously recalls Gielgud's impatience during the filming of David Lynch’s The Elephant Man. The film highlights theater's crucial link to cinema, noting Hopkins' casting as Hannibal Lecter in The Silence of the Lambs after Jonathan Demme saw his acclaimed performance as the reptilian newspaper magnate Lambert Le Roux in David Hare and Howard Brenton's 1985 National Theatre play, Pravda. Gary Oldman hails Hopkins' Pravda portrayal as "one of the greatest of the 20th century."
Into the Breach brings together Oldman, Dame Judi, Hopkins, director Richard Eyre, and National Theatre artistic chief Indhu Rubasingham for a roundtable panel, hosted by Branagh, on the Old Vic’s stage—a place where Dench and Hopkins launched their careers. The documentary delves beyond anecdotes, exploring the politics of theater, discussions on sexuality and race, and the sometimes ruthless process of establishing a national theater. Poignant scenes feature Ian McKellen recounting his efforts to rally politicians for gay rights.
Branagh, who was approached by Freddie Fox for the collaboration, was drawn to their vision for a film that explores "why the theater sometimes creates profound change." He notes how theater can be a "reflection of the volatility itself," tracing the formation of the National Theatre and the battles Laurence Olivier and Peter Hall faced. Fox emphasizes the 1950s and early 1960s, with the English Stage Company at the Royal Court, as a "touchstone moment" where theater led social change, predating the counter-cultural movements of music.
The documentary features a wealth of "eye-popping" archive footage, as Branagh describes it, showcasing legends like Olivier, Burton, Gielgud, Dench, Maggie Smith, Helen Mirren, and Paul Robeson. Robeson's "magnificent and magnetic" appearances as Othello and his performances for coal miners are highlighted, alongside the palpable sense of danger he faced, particularly when performing in the American South.
The film traces theater's evolution through the permissive late '50s and '60s, emphasizing Lilian Baylis's role in populist theater and how individuals and movements "exploded the possibilities" of the medium, often making it "sexy." Fox underscores the importance of the central roundtable with leaders from the National Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, and Royal Court, discussing the future of theater amidst the digital age.
Branagh muses on whether the "pre-Beatles fever" described by Dame Judi still exists, questioning how theater can command attention today. He speaks of the unique communal experience of live performance, citing Helen Mirren's simple analogy of an ancient storyteller and his own experience with an audience's collective breath during The Tempest. Branagh sees the film as "banging the drum" for theater, encouraging reflection on past heroes, current potential, and future possibilities.
Freddie Fox concludes by reflecting on the documentary's title, Into the Breach, asserting that theater has historically pushed forward during times of national crisis and social change. He stresses the need for contemporary theater practitioners to possess the ambition of figures like Laurence Olivier and Joan Littlewood, ready to lead conversations rather than just react.
The film is described as a "mouthwatering" experience, even for non-theater fans, packed with interviews. Gary Oldman's contribution is singled out as "priceless," with a charming anecdote about his debut as a cat in a Dick Whittington pantomime, complete with a recited ditty.
Branagh and Fox are attending the Telluride Film Festival, participating in Q&As.
Image: From left: Lucy Prebble, Gary Oldman, Judi Dench, Anthony Hopkins, Richard Eyre, Indhu Rubasingham and Kenneth Branagh from ‘Into the Breach’ (Credit: Jenni Carvell)