A millionaire past his prime and his young wife arrive in Kenya circa 1940 to find that the other affluent British expatriates are living large as the homefront gears up for war. They are busy swapping partners, doing drugs, and attending lavish parties and horse races. She begins a torrid affair with one of the bon vivants, and her husband finds out and confronts them. The husband and wife decide to break up peacefully, but the bon vivant is murdered and all the evidence points to the husband.
In the exotic and decadent Kenya of the 1930s, a group of wealthy British colonials live a life of wild parties, affairs, and bohemian excess. The carefree existence of this 'Happy Valley' set is shattered when a handsome, aristocratic young man is brutally murdered. As the investigation unfolds, it exposes a tangled web of love, betrayal, and dark secrets among the privileged elite.
White Mischief received a mixed but generally positive reception, with critics praising its lush visuals, period detail, and strong performances, particularly from Greta Scacchi and Charles Dance. Some found the pacing and narrative structure to be uneven, but it was largely seen as a compelling and atmospheric drama exploring the moral decay within the colonial class.
Google audience: Audiences generally appreciated the film's historical setting and the dramatic performances, finding it to be an engaging look at a scandalous true story. Some viewers felt the plot could have been more tightly woven, but the overall sentiment was positive regarding the film's ambition and execution.
Nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Film.
The film is based on the true events surrounding the murder of Josslyn Hay, 22nd Earl of Erroll, in Kenya in 1941, though the film shifts the timeline slightly earlier and focuses more on the decadent lifestyle leading up to the crime.
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