The Levelling (2017) — AI Story Visualization

Plot Analysis Summary

A daughter returns to a flooded farm to confront her father's grief, financial ruin, and buried secrets after her brother's suicide.

Story Structure — 4 Plot Phases

Return to the Flooded Farm

Clover arrives at the dilapidated family farm following her brother Harry's suicide. She finds her father Aubrey in denial, refusing to accept the death was intentional. The setting establishes a mood of isolation and environmental decay.

Key Events

• Clover Returns to Farm — Clover arrives back after Harry's suicide to find a distant father. Characters: Clover Catto, Aubrey Catto, Harry Catto Location: Somerset Levels Farm
• Dilapidated Farm State — Farm and buildings are ruined due to recent flooding. Characters: Clover Catto, Aubrey Catto Location: Farm Buildings
• Aubrey Denies Suicide — Aubrey protests Harry's death was an accident, not suicide. Characters: Aubrey Catto, Clover Catto Location: Mobile Home
• Farm Work Begins — Clover helps Aubrey milk the herd to maintain routine. Characters: Clover Catto, Aubrey Catto Location: Farm Fields
• Digging Trenches — Clover and James dig trenches together on the property. Characters: Clover Catto, James Location: Farm Trenches

Unearthing Secrets & Hard Choices

While working with farm labourer James, Clover discovers buried badger corpses, shifting suspicion toward Harry. Aubrey reveals the farm's financial collapse and forces Clover to cull a newborn calf, testing her vegetarian principles.

Key Events

• Digging Trenches — Clover and James dig trenches together on the property. Characters: Clover Catto, James Location: Farm Trenches
• Badger Corpses Found — They expose buried badger corpses, shocking Clover. Characters: Clover Catto, James Location: Trench Site
• Blame Shifted to Harry — Aubrey claims Harry buried the badgers, disturbing Clover. Characters: Aubrey Catto, Clover Catto Location: Farm Yard
• Farm Financial Crisis — Aubrey explains failing farm, no insurance payout, selling herd. Characters: Aubrey Catto, Clover Catto Location: Farm Office
• Calf Culling Order — Aubrey orders vegetarian Clover to cull a newborn male calf. Characters: Aubrey Catto, Clover Catto Location: Barn
• Clover Kills Calf — Clover struggles but kills the calf as instructed. Characters: Clover Catto Location: Barn

Confronting Truths & Tensions

Clover finds petrol cans and nearly causes a fire before James intervenes. James reveals Harry's drunken attack on him, helping Clover understand the immense pressure Harry faced. TB is discovered in the herd, compounding the crisis.

Key Events

• Clover Kills Calf — Clover struggles but kills the calf as instructed. Characters: Clover Catto Location: Barn
• Petrol Cans Discovered — Clover finds petrol cans while cleaning the mobile home. Characters: Clover Catto Location: Kitchen
• Torch & Petrol Danger — Clover carries a torch near petrol; James stops her. Characters: Clover Catto, James Location: Kitchen
• James Reveals Party — James explains Harry attacked him after getting drunk. Characters: James, Clover Catto Location: Kitchen
• Pressure on Harry — Clover realizes Harry faced immense pressure from Aubrey. Characters: Clover Catto, James Location: Farm Yard
• Animal Health Inspection — TB is discovered in the herd by Animal Health officials. Characters: Clover Catto, Aubrey Catto Location: Farm

Grief, Destruction & Reconciliation

On funeral morning, Aubrey drinks heavily and blames Clover for her absence. When the gun key goes missing, Clover rushes out to find Aubrey shooting his own herd. They finally embrace as Aubrey breaks down in sobs.

Key Events

• Animal Health Inspection — TB is discovered in the herd by Animal Health officials. Characters: Clover Catto, Aubrey Catto Location: Farm
• TB Revelation Shared — Clover learns about TB and informs her unaware father. Characters: Clover Catto, Aubrey Catto Location: Mobile Home
• Argument Over Absence — Clover confronts Aubrey; he blames her university absence. Characters: Clover Catto, Aubrey Catto Location: Mobile Home
• Funeral Morning — Aubrey drinks and confirms he asked Clover to return. Characters: Aubrey Catto, Clover Catto Location: Mobile Home
• Missing Gun Key — Clover notices the gun cupboard key is missing. Characters: Clover Catto Location: Gun Cupboard
• Gunshot Heard — Clover hears a gunshot and rushes to the muddy fields. Characters: Clover Catto, Aubrey Catto Location: Muddy Fields
• Aubrey Shoots Herd — Aubrey methodically shoots his own herd with the shotgun. Characters: Aubrey Catto, Clover Catto Location: Muddy Fields
• Final Embrace — They embrace as Aubrey collapses in sobs on the ground. Characters: Aubrey Catto, Clover Catto Location: Muddy Fields

Story Breakdown

• Grief & Denial — Aubrey refuses to accept Harry's suicide, projecting his guilt onto Clover and the farm's decline.
  • Suicide Aftermath — Harry's death triggers Clover's return and Aubrey's emotional withdrawal.
  • Father's Denial — Aubrey insists the shooting was an accident, avoiding painful truths.
• Farm Crisis — Environmental flooding and financial ruin force difficult decisions about the herd and property.
  • Flood Damage — The Somerset Levels flooding ruins buildings and destroys insurance claims.
  • Herd Reduction — Aubrey plans to sell half the herd to survive, clashing with Clover's values.
• Buried Secrets — Hidden truths about the farm's operations and Harry's final days surface through investigation.
  • Badger Corpses — Buried badgers suggest illegal or desperate measures taken on the farm.
  • Party Attack — James reveals Harry's drunken aggression, exposing underlying family tension.
• Moral Dilemmas — Clover faces ethical conflicts between her vegetarian beliefs and farm survival demands.
  • Calf Culling — Clover is forced to kill a newborn calf, breaking her moral code.
  • Petrol Danger — Clover's reckless handling of petrol highlights her emotional instability.
• Confrontations — Direct clashes between Clover and Aubrey over blame, absence, and farm management.
  • TB Revelation — Disease discovery forces Aubrey to confront his lack of oversight.
  • Blame Game — Aubrey accuses Clover of abandoning Harry, escalating their conflict.
• Climax & Release — Aubrey's destructive act with the shotgun leads to emotional breakdown and reconciliation.
  • Herd Destruction — Aubrey shoots his own herd, symbolizing the death of his old life.
  • Shared Grief — Clover and Aubrey embrace, finally processing their loss together.

Directed by

Hope Dickson Leach

Key Cast

• Ellie Kendrick — Clover Catto
• David Troughton — Aubrey Catto
• Jack Holden — James
• Joe Blakemore — Harry Catto
• Angela Curran — Helen