User reviews

A series about an arms broker with an average 1970s drama budget might not sound promising but this series is enjoyable despite the apparent limitations.

This isn't an action thriller full of shootups; the drama stems from the intrigue of the complex world of international arms dealing where politics, diplomacy, and commerce overlap and intertwine so the limited film budget doesn't really matter very much.

In fact the producers take a refreshingly sensible attitude to settings; they don't make unrealistic attempts to portray the high life but use fairly basic sets to let us know we are in an airport, plane, office, restaurant, etc and then get on with the story which is about the way the main characters try to outwit each other or cooperate as circumstances change the plot twists and turns.

Barrie Ingham is excellent as the determined, shrewd, ex corporal turned entrepreneurial arms dealer pitting his wits against his bigger corporate rivals and officialdom in doing deals to sell arms abroad.

Colin Gordon is equally excellent as the civil servant promoting arms exports who by turns assists, uses, and frustrates Hine's efforts.

Paul Eddington struggles a bit as head of sales for a large arms firm as the character is not as well written as the other two main roles but still adds an interesting element to the character mix.

Pity it only ran to one series.

An interesting attempt to freshen up the adventure series format. This concerned the escapades of arms dealer Joe Hine.It fell flat on its face after only one season having been heavily criticized for having an arms dealer as the hero. It did however enlighten viewers at the time, for showing arms dealers not as grubby miscreants living in the back of beyond, but educated, suited and booted 'Joe Hines'. The titles would be the first point of any annoyance by its critics, it showed Joe in his Rolls Royce indicating he has done very well in selling guns and ordinance.However (perhaps in response to the criticism?), Hine does meet his match in the final episodes,with something none of us can fight. IE The Inland Revenue a tense battle, the result of which will not be spoiled here.The show itself was mostly studio bound concentrating on the drama of the deals rather than action with guns. Good first lead for Barrie Ingham and good last lead for Colin Gordon.

"Hine" only lasted 1 series and it quickly faded into obscurity. There isn't much to recommend this one (certainly not Barrie Ingham's rug). The whole thing is studio-bound and the writing never rises above routine. Colin Gordon is a good actor and he gives the best performance. The year after "Hine" was broadcast, he suddenly passed away and he wasn't very old.