Filth: The Mary Whitehouse Story (2008) (TV)

User Rating:

7.2/10   

Director:

Andy DeEmmony

Writers:

Amanda Coe (written by)
Patrick Reams (original idea)

Release Date:

28 May 2008 (UK)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Drama

Plot:

Documents the rise of Mary Whitehouse during the 1960's, and the relationship between her and Sir Hugh Carleton Greene, the Director General of the BBC.

Plot Keywords:

1960s | Campaign | Moral | Christian Fundamentalism | Ignorance

Awards:

1 win & 1 nomination

Cast

Julie Walters	...	Mary Whitehouse
Alun Armstrong	...	Ernest Whitehouse
Hugh Bonneville	...	Sir Hugh Carleton Greene
Georgie Glen	...	Norah Buckland
Timothy Davies	...	Rev. Basil Buckland
Paul Westwood	...	Paul Whitehouse
Drew Webb	...	Richard Whitehouse
Jeremy Legat	...	Christopher Whitehouse
Ron Cook	...	Lord Charlie Hill
William Beck	...	David Turner
Nicholas Woodeson	...	Harman Grisewood
Nicholas Le Prevost	...	Ken
Emily Hamilton	...	Miss Tate
Hilary Maclean	...	Brenda
Stewart Wright	...	Malcolm

Runtime:

90 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.78 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Company:

Wall to Wall Media

Trivia:

The footage of "Doctor Who" (1963), seen on a television screen and used to depict the violence of the series, is edited to suggest that the scene takes place at the end of the episode. In fact the scene in question takes place around halfway through "Doctor Who: The Tomb of the Cybermen: Episode 4 (#5.4)" (1967). This clip is followed by part of the opening sequence, showing the title and Patrick Troughton's face.

Goofs:

Factual errors: The sign on the door of Lord Hill's office reads "Lord Charles Hill". This is incorrect as such a style implies that he was the son of a Duke or a Marquess. The sign should have read "Charles, Lord Hill", "Lord Hill of Luton" or, more likely, simply "Lord Hill".

Quotes:

Sir Hugh Carleton Greene: The woman wants to censor us, Hill. If she had her way, all we'd show would be Andy bloody Pandy - and she'd stop him climbing into that basket with Looby Loo, let alone Teddy, lest some innocent child be corrupted by the whiff of puppet troilism. And bestiality, I suppose - or *would* it be bestiality with a teddy bear rather than a real bear?

Movie Connections:

References "That Was the Week That Was" (1962)

Walters makes her real rather than just a caricature!

Mary Whitehouse played by the divine Julie Walters CBE could have been silly, over-reacting, or just a caricature of a woman who fought and won in her own mind. The film is quite a tribute to a woman who caused a lot of trouble in the 1960s regarding television content. Whitehouse is a schoolteacher, mother, and wife to Ernest. They live not in London but in Wolverhampton and she is concerned by the explosion of sexuality on television through the BBC which is national television. She gathers and recruits quite easily mostly housewives who have the same concern. All she wants is some time with the director of the BBC which was Sir Hugh Carleton Greene who is portrayed a chauvinistic boss and unlikely character. Whitehouse has her moments like when she telephones the BBC regarding a sketch spoofing her husband involved in a car accident as crossing the line. There is more to it. Despite all of the hatred and vulgarity in the letters and telephone calls, Whitehouse is persistent in trying to clean up the filth in national television.