Drawing TV audiences of up to 11 million viewers 'Trial And Retribution' is a gritty urban drama that deals with graphic topics from abduction to serial murders and internal police corruption to psychological illness. Breaking new ground in terms of content and style each episode traces the entire trajectory of a serious crime from the act being committed to a detailed investigation and arrest before arriving at the law courts for a dramatic finale. Trial And Retributio
After a slow beginning, in which the complex tangle of relationships is initially confusing, this BBC adaptation of Jane Austen's last novel, Persuasion, develops into an elegant romantic comedy. Austin combines a subtle dissection of the folly of class with a slow-burning, intensely passionate love story. Anne Elliot (Amanda Root) has loved Captain Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds) ever since she was persuaded to reject him years before. Now he has returned from the Napoleonic wars, but will love be allowed to blossom? Especially when Anne is surrounded by the selfish, petty-minded Mary, misguided by Lady Russell, and burdened by a father obsessed with fairness of countenance above all other considerations. Excepting a basic booklet, on-screen character biographies and a Dolby Digital soundtrack, there is nothing to distinguish this DVD from the video version. The picture is very good, but showing some grain, not exceptional, so unless you have a large television there is little advantage over tape. In any format, what makes this adaptation work is the sharp screenplay by Nick Dear and the naturalistic style of director Roger Mitchell (who joined the A-list with Notting Hill, 1999), together eliciting fine performances from the ensemble cast. Less flamboyant than Pride and Prejudice (1995), this is a civilised treat. --Gary S Dalkin
A 1987 espionage thriller, The Whistle Blower stars Michael Caine as Frank Jones, a businessman and regular patriotic war veteran whose son Bob (Nigel Havers) is a Russian linguist who works at GCHQ. Bob begins to express doubts to his father about aspects of his work; days later, police report to Frank that his son has died in a fall. A verdict of accidental death is recorded. However, in the midst of his grief, Frank is puzzled by aspects of the death and decides to conduct his own investigation. In so doing he finds himself pitted against an utterly unscrupulous Secret Service prepared to stop at nothing, including murder, to cover up their operations. Set at the time when concerns about GCHQ were at their height and the Cold War had yet to thaw, many of the film's concerns seem, years subsequently, to be thankfully dated. Moreover, it's hard to believe that the bumbling British Secret Services would actually be capable of organising a convivial soiree in a brewery, let alone orchestrate the sort of skulduggery they perpetrate here. Still, with a cast that features all the usual British suspects (Sir John Gielgud, James Fox, Gordon Jackson) there's no doubting the pedigree of The Whistle Blower, which, despite its ostensibly uncomfortable message, actually makes for very agreeable comfort viewing. Michael Caine is especially fine as Michael Caine. --David Stubbs
A fine production of the gripping, classic story of King Arthur and his Knights of the Round Table from the BBC, adapted by the Emmy-winning Andrew Davies (House of Cards / Bridget Jones's Diary). Featuring a fantastic cast including Andrew Burt, Felicity Dean and Maureen O'Brien.
Frank Jones (Michael Caine) is an ordinary law abiding businessman. He served his country during the war and he is very proud of his son Bob (Nigel Havers) a Russian linguist and translator. Frank's world is shattered by the arrival of the police to tell him his son is dead. The plot thickens when the inquest verdict is 'Accidental Death'. Frank embarks on his own investigation into his son's death and discovers that there are no limits to what the government will do to protec
Thrown together to join George Cowley's new C15 organisation....Hard men no patience nor time for subtleties. Charged with combating terrorists criminals and corruption wherever they find it. Capable of using any means necessary. The only people they can trust are themselves... In The Public Interest: A Chief Constable has the perfect solution to escalating crime levels in his city; ensure that the police have ultimate power. But you know what they say about absolute power... Not A Very Civil Servant: Cowley is reluctant to involve his lads in a seemingly run of the mill case of backhanders and crumbling new council houses. Until that is he discovers just how far up the corruption goes... A Stirring Of Dust: A traitor has recently returned to Britain but no one's pleased to see him! Indeed if Bodie and Doyle don't find him before those he betrayed he's a dead man... Blind Run: Playing bodyguards for a foreign official should be a walk in the park for Bodie and Doyle. Yet for a secret visit a remarkable amount of people know about it some of whom have deadly intentions...
Please wait. Loading...
This site uses cookies.
More details in our privacy policy