THE SINGAPORE GRIP: A Clever Take on British Imperialism

The subject of British imperialism in cinema has always seemed remarkably shallow – in the 1930s the authorities (in cooperation with cinema) or cinema (in cooperation with the authorities) would flood viewers with (un)watchable productions wrapped in colorful paper in the form of majestic landscapes and the use of Technicolor. Most of these films focused solely on one aspect: propagating the imperial message, convincing citizens that this kind of rule was the only correct one. Nearly a hundred years later, modern cinema has remembered this (un)bearable, exotic topic.

Hence the appearance of The Singapore Grip, a new adaptation of J. G. Farrell’s prose. It is intimate, as if smarter (and more objective), but a few formal layers require polishing.

The whole thing does not clamp down on the viewer as it should. Though, let’s not kid ourselves, the grip will turn out strong enough to keep us engaged for six hour-long episodes. Why? Because the production from ITV surprises not only with a more concrete narrative than modern imperialist films (see: A United Kingdom from 2013, Viceroy’s House from 2017), but also with lightly edited action – the plot flows, it is told in a simple way, and at the same time relatively attractive to the viewer.

The threads do not jump around too much, the characters are mostly distinct (and thus easy to remember), and a certain mocking convention imposed on the series should prove to be the element that gives the production a soul. So what exactly is this Singapore Grip and what is it about? It’s a solid historical cinema, based on the vivid novel of the same name by James Gordon Farrell, which is part of his Empire Trilogy. Over Singapore, then belonging to the British Empire, loom the clouds of war and conflict with Japan – the threat becomes increasingly near and real.

Yet few take the situation seriously, the war in this region is belittled in almost every possible way. The wealthy inhabitants of the colony are busy with their own affairs – forging alliances, running businesses, looking for more ways to grow their funds. Those for whom fate has not been so kind must work hard, fight for a good name, and their difficult situation in no way allows them to leave their place of residence. In fact, they do not even think about it! The production shows the portrait of a racist and selfish British colony of the time, where all tricks are allowed.

It is somewhat reminiscent of the Polish The King, in which the gangster thread is replaced with the problems and problems of the British upper class. Everyone here has their own goal, there is also a certain (un)fortunate romance, and all of this happens to the rhythm of the constant putting on of masks – from the very beginning the camera shows various aspects of Singaporean scheming. The wealthy residents of Singapore teeter between complete degeneracy and amoral deviation, yet the effect is often too safe.

You can feel a forced theatricality (or perhaps it crept in thanks to an imperfect script), the characters often speak dialogue, but it seems rather artificial, as if the characters were speaking not to each other but to the camera.

This diminishes the feeling of this imperial anti-pamphlet, but on the other hand such mistakes are rather commonplace in productions that lack budget / greater artistic freedom / more concrete people involved in the project itself. One can, of course, choose not to pay attention to this and simply learn the story of the Blackett family (and others).

The main character, Matthew (Luke Treadaway), comes to Singapore to take over his late father’s business. When he gets off the plane, one of the pilots tells him straight out: Beware the Singapore grip!, thus throwing our protagonist into consternation.

The name itself is a metaphor for several aspects (from the sexual to the philosophical), but in the end these pincers will begin to close in on him from all sides.

The new acquaintances from the Blackett family, led by the cunning father (delightfully grotesque David Morrissey) and his daughter, a young femme fatale (Georgia Blizzard), are eager to exploit the young man as quickly as possible. The real game begins – feigned empathy, fake romances, ungracious hospitality. But what is the point of all this, when the Japanese army is arming just around the corner?

This series is worth checking out for the unusual historical period, the actors putting their hearts into their roles, and also for the colorful frames of Singapore itself. It is casual entertainment, cinematically in need of some fixing, but placed in the past almost perfectly.