The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain

Anyone who has been exposed to the old '50s British comedies that starred Alec Guinness (and later, Peter Sellers) knows that upon the demise of that genre there began a genuine dearth of low-key wit in movies. That dry, eccentric-character-driven humor, of which only the English seem capable, shows up only rarely these days.

So, get ready for "The Englishman Who Went Up a Hill But Came Down a Mountain," which is a wonderful throwback to the best of that genre.

A synopsis of the story itself is enough to evoke a chuckle: A pair of ill-matched 1917 cartographers, Reginald Anson (Hugh Grant) and George Garrad (Ian McNeice) find their way to a small Welsh town where they are to measure the local mountain, which is a prized geographical landmark to the locals.

But after they take their measurements, Anson and Garrad must inform the townfolk that their landmark is just under 1,000 feet . . . which makes it a "hill" instead of a "mountain."

Outraged, the town comes together and is led by its fire-and-brimstone minister, the Rev. Jones (Kenneth Griffith), to begin loading piles of dirt on top of their "hill," to add 20 feet to its height and allow it to qualify as a "mountain."

To do so, they must persuade Anson and Garrad to stay — and that requires some ingenuity. Enter innkeeper Morgan the Goat (Colm Meaney) and his seductive friend Betty (Tara Fitzgerald).

Writer-director Christopher Monger ("Waiting for the Light"), himself a Welshman, has crafted a wonderfully funny, warm-hearted film of the old school, and his casting — to include amateur locals — is perfect.

Grant is very good in the shy, stammering top-billed role, but the film is clearly an ensemble piece and the entire cast is first-rate. The scene-stealer, however, is Colm Meaney, best known for TV's two "Star Trek" series "Deep Space Nine" and "The Next Generation." His interpretation of "The Goat" is at once charming, irreverent and hilarious.

"The Englishman . . . " is rated PG for some adult themes, but aside from some very mild expletives, there is nothing offensive.