The Dig is a historical fiction film. The story follows the wealthy widow Edith Pretty employs an amateur archaeologist named Basil Brown to excavate the mysterious mounds on her estate of Sutton Hoo. After two years of his employment, he and his team finally discovered the biggest treasures from medieval times.
Simone Stone directed the movie, and it is based on the book by John Preston. The film premiered on January 15, 2021, for a limited run in the theatres. Netflix released it on its streaming platform on January 29, 2021. The film is currently rated 7.1 on IMDb. It received positive reviews from the critics and got 5 nominations in BAFTA Film Awards.
Is The Dig Really Based on A Real-Life Story?
Netflix’s The Dig is a real story of archaeological findings at Sutton Hoo estate. The story follows a wealthy English widow named Edith Pretty, who employed an amateur archaeologist Basil Brown to dig out the mounds at the Sutton Hoo estate which she owned. The work of excavation began at her estate in 1937.
After two years, in 1939, Brown’s team discovered a whole ship from the 7th century along with the goods. The excavated mound was filled with treasures and valuable grave goods such as masks, trinkets and the most famous, Sutton Hoo Mask.
The Sutton Hoo Helmet become symbolic in the representation of the Anglo-Saxon Age. The treasures found also suggested good trade and diplomatic relations with the neighboring kingdoms. The treasures found in the mound were revolutionary because they gave historians an understanding of that time period.
However, The Dig is historical fiction as the story is based on John Preston’s novel. Thus, there are some elements of fiction in it. The romance between Peggy Piggot and Rory, the photographer, was totally fictional. Preston also dramatized the collapse of a cave on Brown.
The Release of Netflix’s The Dig
In limited theatres, the historical movie was released on January 15, 2021. Netflix released the film on its platform after thirteen days of its theatrical release, on January 29, 2021. The film got a good response from the audience as in its first week of release on Netflix, and it was in the third position of the most-watched series. It slipped to 7th and maintained it for two weeks.
According to the short synopsis on IMDb’s website, an amateur archaeologist Basil Brown investigates the grounds of Sutton Hoo estate owned by Edith Pretty. He finds the most valuable treasures and goods while excavating the site.
The Cast of Netflix’s The Dig
Carey Mulligan and Ralph Fiennes play the protagonists Edith Pretty, the wealthy landowner and Basil Brown, the amateur archaeologist. The main cast included Lily James, Ben Chaplin, Johnny Flynn and Ken Stott. Archie Barnes and Monica Dolan also star. The film is based on the book by John Preston. Simon Stone is the movie director with Moira Buffini as the screenwriter.
Where to Stream Netflix’s The Dig?
The 2021 historical fiction is available on Netflix. The viewers can stream the critically acclaimed movie on the platform with the minimum required subscription.
