A Very British Coup (1988) (TV)

Director:

Mick Jackson

Writers:

Chris Mullin (novel)
Alan Plater (screenplay)

Release Date:

19 June 1988 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Socialists (like the fictional Harry Perkins) believe in promoting social change through the democratic system...

Plot Keywords:

Political | Based On Novel

Awards:

Won Primetime Emmy. Another 5 wins & 4 nominations

Cast

Ray McAnally	...	Harry Perkins
Alan MacNaughton	...	Browne
Keith Allen	...	Thompson
Geoffrey Beevers	...	Wainwright
Jim Carter	...	Newsome
Philip Madoc	...	Fison
Tim McInnerny	...	Fiennes
Marjorie Yates	...	Cook
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Robert Arden	...	Ambassador
Roger Brierley	...	Andrews
Jessica Carney	...	Maureen
Dennis Creaghan	...	Head of CIA
Gabrielle Daye	...	Mum
Zulema Dene	...	Vision Mixer
Erin Donovan	...	Chambers
Stephanie Fayerman	...	Editor
Oliver Ford Davies	...	Tweed
Julian Fox	...	Porter
Bert Gaunt	...	Returning Officer
Michael Godley	...	Gibbon
Caroline John	...	Annette
Terry John	...	Photographer
Berwick Kaler	...	Smith
Harmage Singh Kalirai	...	Patel
Christine Kavanagh	...	Liz
Bernard Kay	...	Inspector Page
Preston Lockwood	...	Lord Fain
Kika Markham	...	Helen
Hugh Martin	...	Sampson
David McKail	...	Robertson
Clive Merrison	...	TV Interviewer
Philip O'Brien	...	President
Clive Panto	...	Producer
Oscar Quitak	...	Kowalsky
Shane Rimmer	...	Secretary of State
George Rossi	...	Photographer
Jeremy Young	...	Alford

Runtime:

148 min (3 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Skreba Films

If Ken Livingstone had become British Prime Minister

...thankfully he hasn't, yet! This is crude, simplistic student politics made into drama. It needs the viewer to buy into a series of conceits. Conceit 1: That a British electorate could be swung from being basically right of centre to being overwhelmingly far left. Conceit 2: That all debate in the media and the general public is unanimously ended and that the new Prime Minister's only critics are sinister civil servants, MI5, big business and the Americans (naturally). Conceit 3: That this radical socialist PM can solve all union, economic and social problems with consummate ease in a way that unites the nation. Conceit 4: That severing all ties with the US and NATO is a good thing. Conceit 5: That the Soviet Union isn't a brutal and oppressive regime and that we should have had closer times with them back in the 80's. And finally, Conceit 6: That the reactionary forces of the US would actively seek to launch a coup d'etat against Britain.

It's ludicrous and the show only gained the reputation that it did by trying to cash in on some anti-Thatcher feeling in the country and having left wing TV critics singing its praises. When it was made, television was still a hugely popular and influential medium with shows getting huge ratings so a widely talked about drama with a hint of controversy had a good chance of getting a big audience. Ray McInally's performance was great, which is one of the few plus points. History and time has shown the huge weakness in the premise and plot of this show.