The Falklands Play (2002)
1h 30m | PG-13
The Falklands Play is a dramatic account of the political events leading up to, and including, the 1982 Falklands War. The play was written by Ian Curteis, an experienced writer who had started his television career in drama, but had increasingly come to specialise in dramatic reconstructions of history. It was originally commissioned by the BBC in 1983, for production and broadcast in 1986, but was subsequently shelved by Controller of BBC One Michael Grade due to its alleged pro-Margaret Thatcher stance and jingoistic tone. This prompted a press furore over media bias and censorship.The play was not staged until 2002, when it was broadcast in separate adaptations on BBC Television and Radio.
Director: Michael Samuels
Studio: BBC
Genre: War, Drama, TV Movie
Video: 720p
Cast
Patricia Hodge
as Rt. Hon Margaret Thatcher (Prime Minister)
John Standing
as Rt Hon William Whitelaw CH MC MP (Home Secretary)
Michael Cochrane
as Rt Hon Nicholas Ridley MP (Financial Secretary to the Treasury)
James Fox
as Rt Hon Peter, 6th Baron Carrington KCMG MC (Foreign Secretary)
Colin Stinton
as Alexander Haig (US Secretary of State)
Anthony Calf
as Robin Fearn (Head of Falkland Islands Department, Foreign Office)
Reviews
Recently, there have been a spate of singularly poor dramas about historical figures from the British Isles - "Mary, Queen of Scots" (2018), "Robert, the Bruce" (2019) being two of the least agreeable - but this takes that low benchmark and throws it under the bus (or chariot). Anyone expecting a battle-fest featuring this famously brave and courageous Queen leading loads of people in woad fighting off the fearsome Roman Legions is in for an huge disappointment. You will possibly have seen bloodier battles on a rugby field - indeed, what action there is seemed more about whether our as yet only teenage Boudica was going to be seduced by a deserting Roman legionnaire impersonating, well, who really cares. I'm afraid that this is just dreadful - the sort of film you would be proud of your kids making at college, but deserving of no more than that. The production quality is adequate, and actually the technical aspects - costumes, wattle huts etc., are adequate too - but the acting, dialogue and the whole pace of the thing makes you ever grateful that it's just 80 minutes long... Avoid, you know you want to.