5,066 posts
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Post by Phantom of London on Jun 4, 2018 21:55:57 GMT
The dog was a brilliant actor and is alive and well apparently. According to the Radio Times website, “the canine actor” had a first cover, second cover, third cover, fourth cover and fifth cover...! I quote: Four or five “Rinkas” were used in the process of filming, and in that scene alone, three different canine actors were used... The production team also had two dummy dogs: a “fake dog standing” and a “fake dog lying”.That’s more bloody covers than Grizabella the glamour cat ever had at the New London... 😹 I can just hear the fans of any future musical version of this: “Rex was on last night for Rinka. He was amazing! Have Rex’s holiday dates been announced? I really want to catch Fido before the end of the run...” What in case the gun jammed? |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 4, 2018 22:28:44 GMT
The dog was a brilliant actor and is alive and well apparently. Spare a thought for the real Rinka - another martyr for the cause. |
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3,585 posts
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Post by Rory on Jun 4, 2018 22:43:56 GMT
Have just watched episode 2. It's absolutely brilliant - one of the best things on for years!
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1,291 posts
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Post by theatrefan77 on Jun 4, 2018 23:24:38 GMT
I enjoyed this but not as much as most people here. It's well directed but I don't think the script is that great. Comedy elements are always welcome in this kind of drama, but there's too much comedy for my liking and some really serious issues are scripted just to get laughs which I found a bit annoying. And I don't really get all the fuss with the National Insurance Card, is it really that difficult to get it replaced?
Acting wise I found Hugh Grant no more than adequate. He's not a very versatile actor imho and his facial range is limited to two expressions. He does an ok job overall but just because it's not a particularly challenging part.
For me Ben Whishaw and Alex Jennings were the real stars here, both sensational, especially Wishhaw.
Just my opinion of course.
After watching the documentary on Thorpe on BBC4, I want to watch the series again. Maybe I'll enjoy it more in the second viewing.
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490 posts
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Post by bimse on Jun 5, 2018 15:38:01 GMT
I enjoyed this series, thought it was well made, and a surprisingly good performance from Hugh Grant, who, like theatrefan77 , I’ve always found to be a very limited actor. I thought Ben Wishaw’s performance bordered on the caricature, slightly disappointing. The comic element made the series watchable, but it played down the unbelievably disturbing cover up and acquittal by the establishment. I’m sure the victims of that appalling, manipulative bully and criminal, Cyril Smith (Thorpe’s party colleague) will have been less than amused by this series. After all, the same establishment allowed him to continue to perpetrate his crimes for years to come. If Thorpe had been convicted, Smith would no doubt have been brought to justice next, instead of being knighted. Incidentally, Smith’s reputation was very well known locally (I worked for Rochdale council during the late 70s, early 80s). His crimes were known to the authorities but they took no action, and they repeated this neglect of duty in later years with the grooming situation. Shameful, and so disturbing how the “establishment” can get away with such neglect and cover ups. |
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2018 15:51:05 GMT
I echo everyone else's praise - it was completely brilliant. I also thought Adrian Scarborough was fantastic as George Carmen. Adrian Scarborough and Jason Watkins had a couple of great cameos.
George Carman's lifestory would be an interesting adaptation.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 5, 2018 15:56:37 GMT
I enjoyed this series, thought it was well made, and a surprisingly good performance from Hugh Grant, who, like theatrefan77 , I’ve always found to be a very limited actor. I thought Ben Wishaw’s performance bordered on the caricature, slightly disappointing. The comic element made the series watchable, but it played down the unbelievably disturbing cover up and acquittal by the establishment. I’m sure the victims of that appalling, manipulative bully and criminal, Cyril Smith (Thorpe’s party colleague) will have been less than amused by this series. After all, the same establishment allowed him to continue to perpetrate his crimes for years to come. If Thorpe had been convicted, Smith would no doubt have been brought to justice next, instead of being knighted. Incidentally, Smith’s reputation was very well known locally (I worked for Rochdale council during the late 70s, early 80s). His crimes were known to the authorities but they took no action, and they repeated this neglect of duty in later years with the grooming situation. Shameful, and so disturbing how the “establishment” can get away with such neglect and cover ups.
I never quite understood how Cyril Smith wasn't brought to justice. He'd have had clout locally but nationally wasn't that important plus he had moved from Labour Party to Liberals so would have had a number of political enemies. It makes you wonder what else he may have known and who else he might have implicated.
Thorpe's liaisons were much different to what Smith was accused of and don't forget that Clement Freud allegations have since surfaced and not been denied by his family. So you had 3 out of about 14 Liberal MPs who were seriously "dodgy"
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490 posts
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Post by bimse on Jun 5, 2018 16:15:40 GMT
I agree @hitster, I’ve often wondered what Smith knew that kept him from being charged . He was a manipulative and threatening bully in local political circles, but I wonder what power he weilded nationally.
You’re correct that Thorpe’s and Smith’s criminal activities were different, but it’s intriguing though how they are linked politically and were both protected by the authorities who should have convicted them . I’d forgotten about the Clement Freud angle .
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1,250 posts
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Post by joem on Jun 12, 2018 20:11:33 GMT
Finally caught up with the last two episodes. Have to say the series is let down by the second episode where the story is played as pure farce, "Carry on Jeremy Thorpe" would have been a suitable title for it. Even if elements of what happened were farcical the screenwriter and director did not have to heighten these, it detracted from the credibility of the series for me.
Third episode got t back on track - everyone loves a good court-room drama, but the damage had been done. Shame.
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3,040 posts
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Post by crowblack on Jun 13, 2018 20:21:46 GMT
Russell T Davies' scripts have just gone up on the BBC Writersroom website btw. Well worth a look if you like his stuff.
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Post by Deleted on Jun 14, 2018 11:45:37 GMT
Just started reading the book by John Preston the series was based on and Russell T Davies has actually toned down some of the more unlikely details. For instance the period Norman Scott spent hanging around with Tara Browne (the Guinness heir who died in a car crash aged 21, this incident supposedly the inspiration for The Beatles' "A Day In The Life"), which led to Scott partying with the Rolling Stones and sitting next to Nancy Mitford at a dinner party.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 26, 2018 16:02:49 GMT
Very late to the party with this one - but overall I quite enjoyed it.
Casting Blake Harrison as the would-be assassin was a mistake. He is so deeply connected with his character from The Inbetweeners that it is impossible to take him seriously (even when the plot scenes were clearly being portrayed with a large dollop of farce)
But Grant and Wishaw did excellent work. The make-up team are particularly to be applauded for their detailed work on Grant's face - brilliant technical achievement that will probably win them an award or two.
It was a well-written, well-acted piece of Sunday night entertainment. Hard to find much sympathy for the two main protagonists - but that is rather the point. They were/are both deeply flawed individuals fighting their own demons.
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Post by oxfordsimon on Jun 26, 2018 16:04:32 GMT
I echo everyone else's praise - it was completely brilliant. I also thought Adrian Scarborough was fantastic as George Carmen. Adrian Scarborough and Jason Watkins had a couple of great cameos.
George Carman's lifestory would be an interesting adaptation.
Carman's life was adapted for the screen with David Suchet in the lead |
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Post by d'James on Dec 29, 2018 4:57:21 GMT
I’ve been waiting to watch this for months. Finally I did.
It was good. It could’ve been a lot better. The writing was all over the place. The performances matched the writing. I think the actors did a magnificent job.
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4,993 posts
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Post by Someone in a tree on Dec 29, 2018 5:50:32 GMT
For those who are interested in English Scandals and actors who feature in the new Mary Poppins actors, this is currently on iplayer
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Post by Deleted on Jan 7, 2019 11:40:30 GMT
Little Benny Whishaw with his globe out last night  |
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1,863 posts
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Post by NeilVHughes on Jan 7, 2019 12:09:53 GMT
Did anybody see the mash up with Paddington 2 on ‘The Year of a Life of a Year’ a comedic annual review programme on BBC iPlayer.
Surprised the Paddington franchise gave permission, an excellent humorous juxtaposition of the two protagonists Grant and Whishaw.
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