The Olivia Colman comedy Wicked Little Letters – known for its creative profanities – has been banned by a church film group because of its language.
St Swithun’s Church in the village of Bathford, near Bath, has ruled that the real-life British caper is just too rude for the elderly congregation.
Disgruntled locals took to the community Facebook group to express their annoyance, complaining the film wasn’t ‘Anne of Green Gables enough’.
One resident asked what they were going to show instead, suggesting: ‘The Exorcist?’
Community group member Christine Parkhouse wrote that ‘it is a funny movie’, even though ‘every other word is a swear word’. And Peter Farkas asked: ‘What’s wrong with a bit of swearing?’, adding that people didn’t need to attend if they found ‘a bit of blue language’ offensive.
The Olivia Colman comedy Wicked Little Letters – known for its creative profanities – has been banned by a church film group because of its language (Colman pictured in the movie)
St Swithun’s Church in the village of Bathford, near Bath, has ruled that the real-life British caper is just too rude for the elderly congregation (Olivia Colman and Jessie Buckland pictured in the film)
Disgruntled locals took to the community Facebook group to express their annoyance, complaining the film wasn’t ‘Anne of Green Gables enough’ (St Swithun’s Church pictured)
Wendy Freebourne, who appeared to be a film club organiser, replied there was ‘nothing wrong’ with a bit of swearing, ‘but not in the church, only at home’.
Wicked Little Letters, which co-stars Irish actress Jessie Buckley, was released last year with a 15 certificate.
It is based on a true story and takes place in Littlehampton, an idyllic small town near Worthing in West Sussex that rivals Bathford in its quaintness.
It tells of a 1920s ‘whodunnit’ mystery after one of the local residents starts receiving anonymous, profanity-laden letters.
Insults in the film include ‘mouldy old tart’, ‘rank, foxy-a*** measle’ and ‘elf-skinned country whores’. At one point in the film, the quality of a character’s homemade cakes is insulted – which may have been a step too far for churchgoers in Bathford.
St Swithun’s film club operates once a month at 2pm and is available for free to local people.
There is complimentary tea and homemade cakes but donations of £3 are suggested.
The club has previously enjoyed showings of Ms Colman’s The Father, and The Lost King, about the discovery of Richard III’s body in a Leicester car park.
Next month, the club will show We Bought a Zoo, starring Matt Damon and Scarlett Johansson.
Wendy Freebourne, who appeared to be a film club organiser, replied there was ‘nothing wrong’ with a bit of swearing, ‘but not in the church, only at home’ (Timothy Spall pictured in the movie)
Insults in the film include ‘mouldy old tart’, ‘rank, foxy-a*** measle’ and ‘elf-skinned country whores’
When contacted by the Mail, a spokesman for the church declined to comment on the decision to ban the film.
Actress Olivia previously about the bad language: ‘Some people walked out of the cinema watching our film and I just think they need to get over themselves.
‘It’s not a sign of a diminished vocabulary, it’s fun, it’s just an enjoyment and I see it as a seasoning.’
The film Wicked Little Letters is based on a true scandal that took all of England by storm in the 1920s.
The story follows neighbours Edith Swan (Colman) and Rose Gooding (Buckley) in the U.K. seaside town of Littlehampton.
One day, Edith receives the first in a series of obscene letters full of hilarious profanities, with her rowdy new Irish neighbor Rose targeted as the prime suspect.
Actress Olivia previously about the bad language: ‘Some people walked out of the cinema watching our film and I just think they need to get over themselves
She said: ‘It’s not a sign of a diminished vocabulary, it’s fun, it’s just an enjoyment and I see it as a seasoning’ (pictured with co-star Jessie)
When Rose is charged with a crime – while the letters continue to escalate – the town’s constable Gladys Moss (Anjana Vasan) begins to investigate.
Olivia revealed in an interview with BBC that, ‘Parliament absolutely debated it and it was covered by all the broadsheets at the time.
‘The fact the nation was gripped by this I found to be hilarious,’ she said, as Buckley added the letters, ‘sent the whole country into a frenzy.’
Jessie added the letters were, ‘the sort of sensationalist trolling you would expect in the modern day.’
