Set in 1893 Cornwall, The Pearl Comb unfolds the story of Betty Lutey (Beatie Edney), a fisherman’s wife whose miraculous gift to cure tuberculosis attracts the scrutiny of a skeptical doctor sent to investigate. What begins as the premise for a genteel period drama soon veers into the uncanny, as Betty recounts an extraordinary tale steeped in folklore and sea-born magic that carries the viewer into stranger, deeper waters.

Written and directed by Ali Cook, The Pearl Comb is an absorbing, mythic mystery that tingles the spine as much as it stirs the imagination. Its power lies largely in its performances. Edney is superb as Betty, anchoring the film with a quietness that suggests both resilience and the burden of secret knowledge. Her serene composure masks a fierce inner strength that grows increasingly magnetic as the story unfolds. Clara Paget is haunting as a figure of both menace and melancholy, while Cook himself, as the rigid Dr. Gregory Lutey, balances arrogance with the slow unravelling of certainty.

Visually, the film is a triumph. The Cornish landscape is captured in stark, austere beauty, its bleak moors and grey seascapes mirroring the emotional isolation of the characters. The desaturated palette heightens the chill of the world while allowing rare bursts of light to feel revelatory. The special effects, subtle yet striking, maintain a delicate balance between realism and myth, achieving a cinematic polish that rivals productions with far greater budgets.

Yet for all its mysticism, what makes the narrative so compelling is its ambiguity. Cook resists the urge to explain or resolve all its loose ends, leaving viewers with lingering questions that give the story its haunting afterglow. As we approach the last act we are dealt a final malevolent twist, further reshaping our interpretation of previous events in unexpected ways.

Having captivated audiences and critics alike, The Pearl Comb has earned a remarkable array of awards on both the domestic and international stage. Ultimately, this remarkable short film is far more than a folk tale or period curiosity — it’s a meditation on belief, knowledge, and who holds authority over truth. Ambitious, intelligent, and profoundly human, The Pearl Comb shimmers with mystery, meaning, and a quiet, enduring power.

Arthur Wetherspoon