"Close Relations" (1998) (mini)TV mini-series

Director:

Michael Whyte

Writer:

Deborah Moggach (writer)

Release Date:

17 May 1998 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Many hidden secrets and desires come to light amongst the various Hammond family members following the near-fatal heart attack of Gordon Hammond.

Plot Keywords:

Family | Human Relationship | Sister

Cast

Keith Barron	...	Gordon Hammond
Sheila Hancock	...	Dorothy Hammond
Amanda Redman	...	Prudence Hammond
Alice Krige	...	Louise
Kelly Hunter	...	Maddy Hammond
Adjoa Andoh	...	April
Honeysuckle Weeks	...	Imogen
Lorcan Cranitch	...	Stephen
Graham Turner	...	Tim
Anthony Higgins	...	Robert
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
David Aldous	...	Director
Julia Barrie	...	Sally
Daisy Beaumont	...	Trish
Paudge Behan	...	Todd
Susanna Bishop	...	Mrs. James
Kate Buffery	...	Erin
Judy Buxton	...	Mrs. Wilson
Pandora Colin	...	Alison (as Pandora Ormsby-Gore)
Christopher Crooks	...	Frank
Donald Douglas	...	Derek
Jacqui Gordon-Lawrence	...	Woman Neighbor
Jimmi Harkishin	...	Ravi
Diana Kent	...	Dierdra
Mark Lacey	...	Brian
Michael Lees	...	Lonely Hearts Man
Jennifer Nunn	...	Todd's Wife
Peter Pacey	...	Charles
Barbara Pierson	...	Margot
Michael Sharvell-Martin	...	Quiz Master
Vaughan Sivell	...	Jamie
Montanna Thompson	...	Allegra
Manouk van der Meulen	...	Kaatya
Tat Whalley	...	Trevor
Michael Wilson	...	Eamonn
Guy Witcher	...	Peter

Directed by
Michael Whyte

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Deborah Moggach		writer

Produced by
Diana Brookes	....	associate producer
Kate Harwood	....	producer
Michael Wearing	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Robert Lane		(as Rob Lane)

Cinematography by
Fred Tammes

Film Editing by
John Stothart

Casting by
Ann Fielden

Production Design by
Anthony Ainsworth

Art Direction by
Jane Shepherd

Costume Design by
Yvonne Simpson

Makeup Department
Diane Chenery-Wickens	....	makeup artist (as Diane Wickens)
Vivien Riley	....	makeup designer (as Viv Riley)
Jenny Sharpe	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Richard Burrell	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nicola Blacker	....	third assistant director
Debbie Bowser	....	first assistant director
Matt Carver	....	third assistant director (as Matthew Carver)
Rona McKendrick	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Paul de Csernatony	....	dressing crew
Liz Friedman	....	graphic designer
John Hardy	....	construction manager
Maura Laverty	....	production buyer
Nigel Pinhay	....	stand-by props
Tony Powers	....	stand-by painter
Maike Roberts	....	dressing crew
Ross Wilson	....	stand-by props
Tim Youngman	....	property master

Sound Department
Paul Batchelor	....	sound editor
Christian Joyce	....	boom operator
Derek Norman	....	sound recordist
Ben Norrington	....	sound editor
Lee Taylor	....	dubbing mixer

Visual Effects by
Graham Brown	....	visual effects designer

Stunts
Nick Powell	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Ian Briggs	....	assistant camera
Steve Casey	....	best boy
Giles Christopher	....	focus puller
Richard Conway	....	electrician
Peter Howard	....	clapper loader
Ian Jackson	....	camera operator
Andy Kendall	....	grip
Steve O'Donoghue	....	electrician
Liam Roughan	....	electrician
Alf Tramontin	....	steadicam operator
Jon White	....	gaffer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Katherine Hyland	....	costume assistant
Amy Roche-Gordon	....	wardrobe assistant
Jonathon Sendall	....	wardrobe assistant

Editorial Department
Chris Packman	....	telecine colorist

Music Department
Peter Fuchs	....	music recording engineer

Other crew
Lynn Grant	....	location manager
Camilla Griffith-Jones	....	production executive
Vicki Howe	....	production secretary
Karen Jones	....	script supervisor
Maggie Kelleher	....	production coordinator
David Lardner	....	location manager
John Miles	....	production accountant
Sue Nye	....	choreographer
Rachel Plose	....	assistant production accountant
Nikki Robinson	....	location manager
Hannah Vincent	....	script editor

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Distributors

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) (1998) (UK) (TV)

Other Companies

• ARRI Lighting Rental  lighting

Runtime:

250 min (5 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Two-part hot movie, well worth your time

Normally, I stay clear of "To be continued" movies...after all, I don't know if, by the time of the continuation, I'll be in as receptive a mood for subsequent episodes, as I was for the first.

However,I always expect great things of the Brits when they explore relationships (a la "Coronation St" and "Eastenders"), so I did myself a favour and watched both 2-hour episodes. The main theme is "Boy meets girl, stays married to her for X number of years, then dumps her, for another". There are plenty of single people, also, in this tale, and they, too, have their romantic problems.

I don't think this movie is over the top in depicting most of the male characters as pigs, and most of the women as dumb, when it comes to men...after all, how many romances in real life, last for very long, due to the duplicity of one partner, and the stupidity of the other?...I mean, look at the scarcity of even "Silver Weddings" in our society - the Brits, it seems, are just as unstable. During the film, some of the betrayed female characters are weighing lesbianism as an option. Again, as in real life, who could blame them? They couldn't do any worse than with us!

By the way, I was amazed by -but uncomplaining of - the unexpected amount of interesting sexual content of the film, yet it was rated at only 14...I have seen far tamer Brit movies with an 18 rating. Not that sex is all that this movie has going for it - it has much more. Well worth seeing.