Devon venues star in latest British movie, on pensioner’s ‘walk of hope’

EIGHT towns and villages in Devon have starring roles in a new film which had gone on release in cinemas.

The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry stars Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton, and took to the screens of local cinemas yesterday.

Based on the best-selling book by Rachel Joyce, it tells the story of one man’s ‘pilgrimage’ from Kingsbridge to Berwick-upon-Tweed, and although the cast and crew did not actually walk the whole way, they did visit a number of locations in Devon. Starting in Harold’s home town of Kingsbridge, the “pilgrimage” takes in Loddiswell, South Brent, Higher Dean, Buckfast, Exeter, Tiverton and Appledore.

The book was long-listed for the Man Booker Prize, won the UK National Book Award for the New Writer of the Year and was the UK’s best-selling book from a new novelist in 2021. It has sold more than six million copies worldwide.

Harold Fry, played by Jim Broadbent, leaves his seaside town in South Devon to deliver a message to an old friend. According to the film’s publicity material: “Harold Fry was never meant to be a hero. He’s an unremarkable man who has failed at all the important things – being a husband, a father and a friend.

“Now, well into his 60s, he is content to fade quietly into the background of life. But when Harold learns his friend, Queenie, is dying, he is moved to act.”

In the story, he sets off for the post box to send her a letter, until he realises a letter is not enough. He decides to keep walking, all the way to her hospice, some 500 miles away in Berwick-upon-Tweed.

“As long as he walks, Queenie must live,” says the publicity. “Surprising himself as much as his wife, Maureen, Harold embarks on a walk of hope, determined to travel the length of England to save his friend.”

The film has already been warmly received by critics. The New Statesman described it as a “quintessentially British road trip”, while Penelope Wilton told Digital Spy the film was “a wonderful, very, very heartfelt story. And fascinating.”

Jim Broadbent is known for his appearances in a multitude of films throughout the years.

Appearing in titles such as Moulin Rouge!, The Iron Lady, Harry Potter, Gangs of New York, Bridget Jones and much more, Broadbent has had an illustrious career so far – and he is commended by IMDb as ‘one of England’s most versatile character actors’.

He was photographed with the co-owner of an independent café in Kingsbridge as he filmed scenes for his upcoming film in the Devon town. While filming a scene, which includes shots of the café, the star took time out to get a photograph with Julie Carter, one of the owners of Fika Coffee House in Kingsbridge.

Abbie Carter, who co-owns Fika Coffee House, said: “Jim and the crew were filming a scene at the postbox

Jim Broadbent and Penelope Wilton star in the Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, which was filmed at eight locations in Devon

next to the café. They staged Fika with chairs and extras outside, and we also provided all coffees and cakes for the crew. It was an exciting day!”

Photos show the crew inside Fika Coffee House, and outside by a nearby postbox, a scene which is set to appear in the film when it airs.

In a post on Facebook, Fika Coffee House said: “Exciting day in Fika today, we’ve had the film crew in all morning for the filming of The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry, starring Jim Broadbent, so you will see us in the cinema next year!”

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