Obscure British 1970s TV play directed by Ridley Scott

[Mon0Zer0]

This one? (can only watch on youtube so click to go through to the video)

 

[Aersling]

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!!!!

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.

Thanks to everyone for all your help. We now know it was a TV film by Mike Figgis on C4 from 1984 called The House, and what's more... It's on YouTube!!

 

[GregP]

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!!!!

Well, that's amazing. I'd really like to know what your search pattern was for this. I have tried the BFI site more than once over the years and found nothing. Either searchability has improved since I last tried or I was using hopelessly wrong search terms (not impossible).
Anyway I AM SO PLEASED (yay!) that you found it. That;s at least two of us very happy people now. AND its on YouTube. That's amazing.

Just realised I have replied to the wrong person - too excitable! So THANK YOU M Robert Gibson, you are today's Great Man around here.

 

[Aersling]

Absolutely!

 

[M. Robert Gibson]

I'd really like to know what your search pattern was for this

My secret?
I used the Expert Search

Collections Search | BFI | British Film Institute | Expert search

collections-search.bfi.org.uk

I then added the following criteria, since we knew it was Channel 4 play about England, from the 80s

and explored each entry that looked promising

Simple eh?

 

[Aersling]

Didn't know this was even a thing, but it's in the bookmarks bar now, thanks