Two working class (English) northerners bet their houses on who can grow the biggest leeks. Meanwhile, the daughter of one of them is dating the son of the other.
Actor and writer William Ivory assembled this cautionary tale of selfish obsession after he had gained some notoriety for writing episodes of Minder. Unfortunately, the maniacal and compulsively selfish obsession around growing vegetables is so absurd and unrealistic that it distracts from the drama.
Tim Healy's energetic performance overshadows everything. If you like his type of noisy bluster you're in for a treat... almost the entire 50 minutes of this one-off TV program is consumed with it!
'King Leek' tries to be a farcical comedy but the angry lead character and the tragic consequences of his selfish obsession for his leeks are too serious to be overlooked.
Worth a watch for the brilliant (and too often overlooked) Leslie Schofield who has spent a productive career on our (UK) TV screens in everything from Dixon Of Dock Green to Eastenders!
A fast paced manic episode of adult rivalry over a vegetable! A product of its time, the industrial battle-weary north of England is now a lot more glamorous than it was portrayed here in 1997.
