The Dig

Set in the late 1930s, with the Second World War approaching, The Dig centres on Edith Pretty, a wealthy widow who asks Basil Brown, a self-taught archaeologist, to investigate the burial mounds on her Suffolk estate. What begins as a routine excavation turns into a discovery of national importance, and the pair must contend with outside institutions eager to claim the find as their own. The screenplay, written by Moira Buffini, is based on the true story of the Sutton Hoo excavation of 1938.

Simon Stone directed the film, which followed his 2013 debut The Turning in his filmography. Carey Mulligan plays Edith Pretty, Ralph Fiennes plays Basil Brown, and Lily James appears as Peggy Piggott, with Johnny Flynn, Ben Chaplin and Ken Stott among a credited cast of 27. The production, from Magnolia Mae Films and Clerkenwell Films, had a budget of 15 million US dollars and runs 112 minutes.

Released in January 2021, The Dig drew on substantial audiences. On IMDb it holds 7.1 out of 10 from around 89,000 votes, closely matching its critics' rating of 7.1 out of 10 from 159 reviews, while on TMDB it sits at 6.9 out of 10 from about 1,400 votes. The two audience scores are close to each other, indicating broad approval rather than sharp division. The film belongs to a run of historical dramas Stone made between his first feature and later work such as The Woman in Cabin 10.