Explore the Touching Comedy of ‘The Ballad of Wallis Island’!

Tom Basden is a talented producer, actor, writer, and composer. His new British comedy film, “The Ballad of Wallis Island,” focuses on the ups and downs of relationships instead of big action scenes or dangerous events. “We didn’t want any wild car chases or murders,” Basden explained. “We believe people will really connect with this story.”

The movie, which came out in theaters on March 28 and is distributed by Focus Features, has roots going back to 2007. This was when Tim Key and Tom Basden created a short film called “The One and Only Herb McGwyer Plays Wallis Island.” This short film was popular, getting nominated for a BAFTA and winning the best British short film at the Edinburgh International Film Festival.

Both the short film and the new feature tell the story of an aging folk singer named Herb McGwyer, played by Tom Basden. He is hired to perform a special show on a quiet Welsh island. When Herb arrives, he finds out that he is only playing for one person, a lottery winner named Charles, played by Tim Key.

The new film includes Carey Mulligan as McGwyer’s ex-girlfriend and musical partner, Nell Mortimer. This adds more depth to the story about relationships. “In other movies, it’s obvious what happens to the main characters. In ours, it’s different. I just want him to like me,” Key shared.

Music plays a big role in the film. Charles listens to popular songs from Herb and Nell’s band. Basden wrote all the music for the fictional folk band. “It’s important to show that he is a real musician,” Key said.