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Post by superdreen on Jan 23, 2023 17:36:21 GMT
Has anyone watched this? I set this series to record awhile ago and just watched the first episode today. Was surprised to find no comments on this board, but as my only comments are , poor acting and poor script maybe those are the reasons why there are no comments. Not sure whether to watch the remaining episodes!
when this was originally on there was also a documentary following the episodes with hopefully the true story . I have recorded that so will definitely watch that eventually.
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Post by vicky on Jan 23, 2023 18:13:29 GMT
I watched it and was disappointed. It was all a bit of a parody and I felt that Matthew McFadyen vastly over-acted the part of Stonehouse. Since he is an excellent actor I can only assume he was playing the part as written and directed. I remember the case - mainly because my mother in law was obsessed with it đ - and am sure that John Stonehouse never came across as such a ludicrous figure in spite of what he did. In fact I think we were all stunned to realise how stupidly he had behaved when the truth came out.
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Post by linseed on Jan 23, 2023 18:27:44 GMT
Yes, I watched it and I remember my Dad commenting on it at the time. My late uncle would have lived in his constituency. I remember it being a big scandal and my Dad couldnât believe anyone would do that.
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Post by beverley61 on Jan 23, 2023 20:40:37 GMT
I agree with the above. I don't recall Stonehouse being described as such a blithering idiot at the time.
Bear in mind that nobody was ever told he was a spy. Even Thatcher decided not to release that information. It is only recently that it was revealed.
This explains his need to do something with the money he received and create businesses that might explain his increase in income.
The fact that none of the businesses succeeded was probably more about bad luck than stupidity.
However none of that was known and although he was prosecuted for fraud, nobody at the time was saying this fraud was about hiding the money.
Not even his family were told about his spying.
It was a very badly done drama.
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Post by vicky on Jan 23, 2023 21:27:46 GMT
I believe his children are convinced that he wasn't a spy.
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Post by linseed on Jan 23, 2023 22:04:37 GMT
My only memory was that it was about someone going to extreme lengths to run away with his Secretary! Given that we werenât told about the spying allegations it appeared to be the main motive.
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Post by Rufus Firefly on Jan 23, 2023 22:45:01 GMT
Has anyone watched this? I set this series to record awhile ago and just watched the first episode today. Was surprised to find no comments on this board, but as my only comments are , poor acting and poor script maybe those are the reasons why there are no comments. Not sure whether to watch the remaining episodes! when this was originally on there was also a documentary following the episodes with hopefully the true story . I have recorded that so will definitely watch that eventually. Enjoyed the Harold Wilson caricature. Voice and mannerisms spot on. |
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Post by vicky on Jan 24, 2023 10:56:27 GMT
[/quote]Enjoyed the Harold Wilson caricature. Voice and mannerisms spot on.[/quote]
Agree that it was spot on, he had Wilson to a tee but as you say, it was a caricature and that sums up all that was wrong with the series for me. Everyone was depicted as a caricature and it was all treated as a joke.
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Post by beverley61 on Jan 24, 2023 13:40:45 GMT
A policeman who worked on the case said that Stonehouse's secretary was a sweet, kind, lovely woman who had been totally duped by him. He said everyone felt a lot of sympathy for her because she was so gullible.
However, what wasn't mentioned in the drama was that she had been married before she met Stonehouse and she later married him and had a child. I think they may have divorced later.
It is said she moved to the country where she developed one of the best gardens in the area and was rarely bothered by any press or outsiders - apparently the villagers felt she was exactly as the policeman described her sweet, kind and caring.
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Post by goodhelenstar on Jan 24, 2023 18:08:45 GMT
He also played Harold Wilson in a film about the Gray brothers so he'd had some practice!
I didn't like this at all and only watched the first episode. But I didn't expect to like it, having also not liked the writer's mangling of the Jeremy Thorpe scandal.
Both of these news stories were serious, damaging, scandalous episodes that reflected horribly on the principal players and I'm at a loss to understand the writer's whimsical treatment. I don't believe there was evidence that Stonehouse was a loveable rogue, but rather a man with poor judgement who made a hash of his business affairs and thought that running away would resolve it, allowing his wife to believe that he was dead in the process. No sympathy for him.
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Post by vicky on Jan 24, 2023 18:35:00 GMT
That's my recollection of the way the case seemed at the time too. It certainly wasn't thought to be amusing.I think it was great sympathy for his wife that caused my mother in law to be so scandalised by it. Every time I saw her she wanted to talk about it.
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Post by beverley61 on Jan 24, 2023 19:10:52 GMT
Yes he wasn't so much a pathetic figure as a nasty one. He was quite prepared to let his wife and children believe he was dead and start a new life under a different identity in Australia. They would have lost everything because of his debts. It would have taken 7 years to have him declared dead.
Why didn't he choose a nicer part of town and simply tell the neighbours he'd retired. He'd have fitted in better and been less suspicious mowing the lawn, washing the car etc.
If they hadn't been looking for Lucan he might have got away with it. At least for a while as he didn't have enough money to retire.
I think the police would have followed his girlfriend though.
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Anymore to come?
