Winstanley. It happened here again

In the aftermath of the Civil Wars in 1649, a sect of impoverished men and women, known as the Diggers (or Levellers), formed a communal settlement in Surrey under the leadership of a revolutionary idealist, Gerrard Winstanley. They incurred the resentment of local people stirred up by the parson. On a budget of 30,000 pounds, the filmmakers show meticulous respect for history in pruning away the speculative aspects of the novel and scant regard for the conventions of historical drama on film in recreating the erosion of a dream. The tape also includes ‘It happened here again’, a 50 minute documentary on the making of the film. Cast includes Miles Halliwell, Jerome Willis, Terry Higgins and Phil Oliver. Adapted from the novel “Comrade Jacob” by David Caute and the writings of Gerrard Winstanley.