Obscure British 1970s TV play directed by Ridley Scott

Aersling

Aersling

Curiouser and curiouser
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Current events reminded me of a TV play I saw as a teenager (late 70s /early 80s)

It was a counterfactual history about a beleaguered C19 England on the verge of war.

The twist was that England was not an island nation, but was a small Duchy: sitting precariously between the Prussian, Hapsburg and Russian Empires, approx where Belarus is now.

The point of it I guess was to show how much the British psyche has been shaped by the geographical fortuity of being an island nation; and how that shapes our views on the choices and fates of our continental neighbours.

Particularly our opinions on "quarrel(s) in a far away country, between people of whom we know nothing".

I once read an article about it, and I have a feeling that it was directed by Ridley Scott, but this was many moons ago.

I have searched for information about it several times over the years, but I can't find anything online it in the obvious places.

If anyone can remember it's name, or where I might find something about it online I would be eternally grateful to them!

Many thanks,

Aersling.
 
I remember watching it but I can't remember title or any details - I think late 1980 because I was bottle feeding my eldest kid while trying to follow the story
 
Nice
Danny McG said:
I remember watching it but I can't remember title or any details - I think late 1980 because I was bottle feeding my eldest kid while trying to follow the story
Click to expand...
Nice to know that, I was beginning to think I'd made it up! The timing would make sense, because I think it was a response to the democracy movements in Central Europe like Solidarity, and Charter 77?
I'd love to see it again what with everything that's going on just now....
 
HareBrain said:
There's nothing like this listed under Ridley Scott's name at IMDB.
Click to expand...
No sadly. The Ridley Scott thing might be a red herring, or he might have been on cinematography rather than the director. Thanks for your help anyway
 
Pretty sure it was shown on Channel 4 and in the 1980s (obviously!)

I do remember seeing a snippet...alas I cannot remember the title at all.
 
Venusian Broon said:
Pretty sure it was shown on Channel 4 and in the 1980s (obviously!)

I do remember seeing a snippet...alas I cannot remember the title at all.
Click to expand...
That's interesting thanks. I assumed it was either BBC2 or C4, although I thought it might have been a bit before C4 started. I remember it was a costume drama, and mainly shot in a (studio) grand house, possibly 1840s judging from what I remember of the dress. Gosh it's maddening!
Cheers for the reply
 
Aersling said:
That's interesting thanks. I assumed it was either BBC2 or C4, although I thought it might have been a bit before C4 started. I remember it was a costume drama, and mainly shot in a (studio) grand house, possibly 1840s judging from what I remember of the dress. Gosh it's maddening!
Cheers for the reply
Click to expand...
Yeah, I fragmentary remember there being a lot of snow outside the grand house (it was near Russia, so that figures!) and some dapper dandy in a 19C dress uniform.

I had a look through Film 4 and Film on 4 and nothing came up. It's definitely obscure!
 
Yeah. A very British response to the situation at the time. On a very different vibe, just watched a Storyville film called The Distant Barking Of Dogs about the 2014 war in the Donbas... A harrowing watch but grimly beautiful.
Cheers again
 
This is extraordinary! I arrived on this forum (which I had never heard of before) on the trail of some other info altogether, but looked through some recont postings and found this. I too remember this tv play, and I am certain it was Channel Four, early days , mid 1980s not long after it started. I have been trying to track this down for absolute years, unfortunately with no success. I'm pretty sure it was presented as a standalone and not part of anything like Film on 4. I wasn;t connecting Ridley Scott (or anyone else really) to this, but if your suspicion is strong enough then not finding anything in IMDB (which can be quite weak on UK television sometimes) shouldn't stop you researching.

So glad to find someone else who remembers this play as strongly as I do. Now, you don't by any chance have any memory of a British juvenile novel of the 1950s involving controversy over Cardiff as the capital of Wales, and peashooters...
 
Woohoo! Thank you for more proof that I wasn't completely imagining it!

I came across this site when I was looking for a scifi short story I'd forgotten the name of, which kept coming back to me every time I saw Donald Trump on TV ('Mr Costello, Hero' by Theodore Sturgeon it turned out, well worth a look). I'd spent weeks trying to find it, but came on here and got the title within a few hours!

I'm not sure why that TV play has stuck with me for so many years, but I remember the reveal of the map of Europe with England slap bang in the middle of it so well...
I feel emboldened to write to C4 now to see if there is any record of the broadcast, so if I have any luck I'll report back on here!

Re. the 50s juvenile novel I'm afraid I have nothing, (unless there is a book in the Anthony Buckeridge canon called "Jennings Goes To Swansea"?) but good luck with the search!

Aersling
 
Hah! Guess what I've found by using the expert search?

Collections Search | BFI | British Film Institute

collections-search.bfi.org.uk collections-search.bfi.org.uk

The House (Original)
1984-09-27 (Television)
Director: Mike Figgis

Set in 1884, and based on the assumption that Britain is one of the Baltic states between Russia and Latvia, making it part of Europe instead of an off-shore island. It is winter 1884. To gain access to the sea, England has declared war on Latvia and believes herself to be winning. But Russia has sided with Latvia and England is doomed. The action takes place on New Year's Eve in a country house on the Anglo-Latvian border. The guests are a cross section of the ruling classes.
 
Last edited:
M. Robert Gibson said:
Hah! Guess what I've found by using the expert search?

Collections Search | BFI | British Film Institute

collections-search.bfi.org.uk collections-search.bfi.org.uk

The House (Original)
1984-09-27 (Television)
Director: Mike Figgis

Set in 1884, and based on the assumption that Britain is one of the Baltic states between Russia and Latvia, making it part of Europe instead of an off-shore island. It is winter 1884. To gain access to the sea, England has declared war on Latvia and believes herself to be winning. But Russia has sided with Latvia and England is doomed. The action takes place on New Year's Eve in a country house on the Anglo-Latvian border. The guests are a cross section of the ruling classes.
Click to expand...
Superb!!! And it was Mike Figgis? I knew there was a Geordie connection somewhere, thank you so much I am so happy!

SFF Chronicles RULEZ!!!! ❤️
 
M. Robert Gibson said:
Hah! Guess what I've found by using the expert search?

Collections Search | BFI | British Film Institute

collections-search.bfi.org.uk collections-search.bfi.org.uk

The House (Original)
1984-09-27 (Television)
Director: Mike Figgis

Set in 1884, and based on the assumption that Britain is one of the Baltic states between Russia and Latvia, making it part of Europe instead of an off-shore island. It is winter 1884. To gain access to the sea, England has declared war on Latvia and believes herself to be winning. But Russia has sided with Latvia and England is doomed. The action takes place on New Year's Eve in a country house on the Anglo-Latvian border. The guests are a cross section of the ruling classes.
Click to expand...
My God, what a great cast? No wonder it stuck in the memory for so long ❤️
 
GregP said:
This is extraordinary! I arrived on this forum (which I had never heard of before) on the trail of some other info altogether, but looked through some recont postings and found this. I too remember this tv play, and I am certain it was Channel Four, early days , mid 1980s not long after it started. I have been trying to track this down for absolute years, unfortunately with no success. I'm pretty sure it was presented as a standalone and not part of anything like Film on 4. I wasn;t connecting Ridley Scott (or anyone else really) to this, but if your suspicion is strong enough then not finding anything in IMDB (which can be quite weak on UK television sometimes) shouldn't stop you researching.

So glad to find someone else who remembers this play as strongly as I do. Now, you don't by any chance have any memory of a British juvenile novel of the 1950s involving controversy over Cardiff as the capital of Wales, and peashooters...
Click to expand...
I told you this site was amazing!

Collections Search | BFI | British Film Institute

collections-search.bfi.org.uk collections-search.bfi.org.uk
 
Danny McG said:
So it must have been my second kid that I remember bottle feeding while trying to watch this drama.

He'd have been five months old at the time of transmission
Click to expand...
And I was convinced I watched it on a rainy Bank Holiday at my mums, but I'd just started my degree in Newcastle in September 84, I'm amazed I wasn't in the pub when it aired! :)
 
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