A Very British Coup

A British Channel 4 mini-series, and one of the finest political thrillers ever made. From the first shot of the opening titles, a molotov cocktail striking the ground in front of Big Ben, this film moves with breathtaking speed and energy, and is guaranteed to push the emotional buttons of any political junkie.

It is sometime in the early 90s, and the Conservatives have been tossed out of power by the Labour Party in a landslide- not led by Tony Blair, but by a charismatic and unapologetically socialist steelworker and union organizer, Harry Perkins. Ray McInally plays the canny, unpretentious Yorkshireman to perfection. The vultures of the upper-class Establishment, the gutter media, the MI5 and the CIA gather to try to undermine Perkins' effective and popular government.

The show is witty, fast-paced, and deliciously paranoid. Acting, dialogue and editing (almost MTV-like compared to the usual sober pace of British TV dramas) come together perfectly. Even if the cold-war setting is a bit outdated and even if you don't share the film's left-wing politics, you will be moved to man the barricades by the time the last chilling image fades.

This film deserves video revival, as a true masterpiece of television craft. Search the web regularly for re-releases- you won't be sorry!