Although Norman's would-be killer is caught, Jeremy continues to deny any involvement in the plot, but soon discovers that he cannot escape the past.Although Norman's would-be killer is caught, Jeremy continues to deny any involvement in the plot, but soon discovers that he cannot escape the past.Although Norman's would-be killer is caught, Jeremy continues to deny any involvement in the plot, but soon discovers that he cannot escape the past.
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Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaChristopher Carrico appears for literally only a few seconds in an uncredited role as Auberon Waugh. His presence is unexplained. In reality, Waugh stood in the 1979 election as a candidate for the newly-formed "Dog Lovers Party" - an expensive joke designed to attract public attention to the matter of the killing of the dog Rinka and the claims of Norman Scott. Waugh's chief campaign slogan was "Vote Waugh - A Better Deal For Your Dog!", which occasionally mutated into "Rinka Will Be Avenged!"; in the event, he polled 79 votes and lost his deposit, but he did cause some embarrassment to the Jeremy Thorpe campaign. Afterwards, the Dog Lovers Party was immediately closed down. Waugh subsequently wrote an acclaimed book, "The Last Word", about the Thorpe trial.
- GoofsThe light effects in the discotheque Norman visits the night before he witnesses wouldn't have existed in those days.
- Quotes
Sir Joseph Cantley: I now turn to the evidence of Mr Scott. You will remember him well - a hysterical, warped personality, and an accomplished sponger. Very skilful at exciting and exploiting sympathy. A spineless, neurotic character, addicted to self-advertisement. He is a crook, he is a fraud, he is a sponger, he is a whiner, he is a parasite. Of course, I'm not suggesting that you should not believe him. That is for you - I'm not expressing any opinion. You have seen this wretched Scott in the witness box. You have seen his vindictive attitude. I leave it for you to decide.
- ConnectionsReferences Double Your Money (1955)
- SoundtracksKnock on Wood
(uncredited)
Written by Eddie Floyd & Stephen Lee
Performed by Amii Stewart
Events spiral out of control in Thorpe's life, the police are now interested in questioning him and he stands trial at the Old Bailey but not before he loses his seat in the May 1979 general election.
Thorpe could consider himself fortunate. His barrister was George Carmen, he managed to get Ken Dodd off his tax problems. Carmen was so good they said he could get Stevie Wonder a pilot's licence!
More importantly the prosecution witnesses were unreliable. Peter Bessell would double his money on a guilty outcome. Norman Scott's behaviour had been so erratic, he could easily be painted as a slippery character. In fact Scott was portrayed better here in withstanding his cross examination than in the real life court case where he was just seen as capricious and a fool. (Even the director of this drama Stephen Frears has mentioned how Scott who had a private viewing of the series told everybody this was a wonderful piece and later said it was dreadful.)
Thorpe's case was aided by the judge's rather slanted summing up where he damned Scott's character. An incident that was mocked by the comedian Peter Cook, footage of which was shown at the end credits.
Russell T Davies has delivered a wonderful black comedy. He has been greatly assisted by his actors, even Paul Freeman makes a last minute attempt at larceny as a scene stealing turn as the judge.
- Prismark10
- Jun 4, 2018
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- Central Criminal Courts, Old Bailey, London, England, UK(Old Bailey interiors and exteriors)
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