A Congregation of Ghosts
A Congregation of Ghosts is a 2009 film directed by Mark Collicott. It is based on the true story of the Reverend Frederick Densham. The film was shot on location in rural Cornwall in England.
Background
In life Densham was a naive and rigidly pious man who after years of working as a missionary in India returns to England aged 61 in 1931 to take up the post of vicar in the remote and insular Cornish village of Warleggan on Bodmin Moor.
Influenced by Indian culture, particularly the work of Gandhi, Densham tries to spread the word to a prejudiced, uneducated and fiercely traditional community. The result is a clash of understanding which leads to a bizarre and tragic series of events and ultimately years of total ostracism of Densham from the community.
In 1953 Densham dies alone as a tortured soul. Even after death he is denied his way and is refused his wish to be buried in the churchyard. This is the ultimate spurn. The tables are turned. A man misunderstood in life becomes a haunting presence in the churchyard, casting a dark shadow over the community which exists to this very day.
Cast
- Edward Woodward as The Reverend Frederick Densham (Woodward's last film role)
- Nicholas Gleaves as Ellis Baxter
- Susannah Doyle as Barbara Baxter
- Murray McArthur as George Treddinick
- Natasha Little as Daphne du Maurier
External links
- "Novice director Mark Collicott makes first film at the age of 48" article by The Times