Andrew Scott has praised his role as Group Captain James Stagg in Pressure, a Second World War thriller about the meteorologist’s contribution to the planning of D-Day.
Stagg served as chief meteorological adviser to US General Dwight D Eisenhower, who relied on weather forecasts when preparing the Allied invasion of Normandy on 6 June 1944. The operation required specific conditions, including a full moon, low tide, limited cloud and wind, and low seas.
Speaking to the BBC, Scott described Stagg as an unconventional and “unsung hero” who was direct, reserved and willing to challenge those in power.
“He may not have been the most charming person, but I think he had a huge amount of humility in the face of nature,” Scott said. He also described Stagg as “very chilly”, “forthright” and “obsessed with weather”.
The film is largely set in the planning rooms where Stagg and other meteorologists worked under intense pressure while assessing conditions for the invasion. Scott said the story explores “the difference between power and expertise” and the importance of leaders listening to specialists.
Pressure also references Maureen Sweeney, an Irish lighthouse keeper who helped confirm a break in the weather from her lighthouse in County Mayo.
Directed and co-written by Anthony Maras, the film is based on a 2014 stage play by actor and writer David Haig. Scott said his earlier experience appearing in the opening sequence of Saving Private Ryan gave him some visual understanding of how the D-Day landings had been portrayed on screen.
Pressure is scheduled to be released in UK and Irish cinemas from 9 September.
