The Twentieth Century Gets Weird With Canada

Written and directed by Matthew Rankin, all I could think of was my friends back in high school who used to mimic scenes from Monty Python wherever we went. The Twentieth Century had its world premiere back in 2019 at TIFF, winning Best Canadian First Feature Film. The trailer bounced around like an LSD-laced shoelace. Somehow I thought my recent foray into unusual films would continue with fevered enjoyment.

There is plenty to like about The Twentieth Century. The setting is old-school surreal sketch comedy cinema and the aesthetics are stylish and articulate. Characters are outlandish and off-the-wall strange. I wanted to connect with humor and jokes. Sadly and just like back in high school, the satirical scripting combined with puppets, anecdotes about fetishes, and Puffin cream just didn’t tickle my funny bone.

A Canadian Movie for Canadians and Historians

What I did find amusing was explaining some of the scenes to a Canadian friend. I was busy telling him that a bunch of men were competing to show off their skills to be the next Prime Minister. They faced off in writing their name in the snow with pee, were scored on their ribbon-cutting skills and ability to wait in line, and each tested on their ability to bash baby seals. Of course, he rushed off to rent it on YouTube and laughed way more at that moment than I, who had already seen The Twentieth Century.

The director’s notes included an excerpt from an interview with Slash Film that alluded to the film having only one target audience. It’s a satire that will hit home most Canadians. Rankin explains that The Twentieth Century is biographical but that it’s also garnered from Mackenzie’s diary and not essentially based on historical fact in the first place. There are a lot of ‘in-jokes.’

William Lyon Mackenzie King

The story of The Twentieth Century movie follows a real period of Canadian history. But it’s been blatantly changed to ensure only the skeletal details are strong enough for those who know the significance. Set in Toronto, in 1899, Mackenzie King wants nothing more than to be Prime Minister of Canada. The race for candidacy is referred to as a competition and Mackenzie is often seen at a children’s hospice talking to a young girl about his dreams as she lay dying of Tuberculosis. He talks a lot about brandishing his advocates with ice cream and about the fact he has never heard music.

A lot of the gender roles are swapped over, Mackenzie’s mother is a man, and his true love, a soldier, is a woman. And of course what sort of Monty Python-esque comedy would be complete without a foot fetish or two? We are showered with scenes of a shoe being excitedly inhaled from time to time.

To clarify my own disconnect, the basis for the story is one of love and a passion for change. Moreover, it’s about one’s aspirations set against our demons which anyone can relate to. For this reason, I guess anyone can watch it. Those with a penchant for this style of absurdist cinema will get a kick out of it and so will anyone with a vague idea of what the culture of Canada is like. For this little duck though, it generally wasn’t my cup of tea.

Who Are The Canadian People?

“The people and events of his life are re-processed into this surreal order, much like when we dream. The film is trying to get into what’s beneath the surface of Canada. What sort of perverse, toxic, petty, self-pitying, maudlin, frustrated underpinnings pollute our subconscious”

Matthew Rankin

The Twentieth Century film is rated

2 I like Canadian breakfast out of 5

The Twentieth Century Canadian Movie Trailer

The Twentieth Century Where to Watch

• Cast for The Twentieth Century movie includes DANIEL BEIRNE, SARIANNE CORMIER, MIKHAÏL AHOOJA, CATHERINE ST-LAURENT, SEAN CULLEN, and TREVOR ANDERSON.
• Written and directed by Matthew Rankin.
• Produced by Voyelles Films and distributed by Oscilloscope.
• The Twentieth Century movie was acquired by Mother of Movies as a screener for review purposes.
• In addition, here are the best weird movies to watch: Greener Grass / Butt Boy / Toyko! / Stanleyville