Reviews

The life of the musician & court composer Henry Purcell is used to present a tongue in cheek examination of the Restoration & the Glorious Revolution. The actors in the film, led by Simon Callow as Charles II, discuss the play between scenes, but the parts they play on stage are also those that they play in the film. Very cleverly done too.

I remember when this came out on TV, in the same month that Margaret Thatcher resigned as Prime Minister. As the real politicians fought for power it told of the fictional struggle following her fall. The callous, but outwardly refined, Chief Whip ('whipping' MPs so that they follow the party line) ruthlessly removes all barriers between himself & power. However he has an affair with a young female reporter who discovers his guilty secrets. Ian Richardson is superb, taking the audience into his confidence, knowing that they are appalled, yet fascinated, by his machinations.

Interesting movie showing Pontius Pilate's reasons for the execution of Jesus. Like a modern policemen he has files on all local trouble-makers, such as the disciples. He wants Jesus convicted so that he can be spared at the Passover instead of the terrorist Barabbas. To this end he tricks Judas into betraying Jesus to the Pharisees so he can prove he is the Messiah. As Pilate anticipates he is condemned, and Judas, to his horror, is paid the appropriate 30 pieces of silver, the sum given to the man who betrays the Messiah. The crowd, however, choose to save Barabbas, not Jesus, and Judas hangs himself in remorse.