Of course Johnny immediately appealed to me as "a man of discernment" when he showed Nancy this short YouTube clip of Lester Young playing and Billie Holiday singing, "Fine and Mellow."
I've been trying to work out where he was off to - the painting is of a sunny, [ tropical?] location -the departures board , which I've had on pause for ages, shows lots of hot destinations but not one I can definitely link to the painting. Been desperately slo-mo-ing the picture for a glimpse of a clock - all to no avail!
Sad, or what?
Get a life, Molly!
Yep, been there done that, infuriating isn't it?
But there won't be a follow up drama, the BBC have a policy of "moving on" now.
Yes, he had a lot of paintings so why choose that particular on? I wondered if it were of somewhere in South America.
Buenos Aires was on the destination board.
Odd since the airport was Stansted.
Stansted seems to be the only airport which exists in TV land.
Stansted seems to be the only airport which exists in TV land.
I wouldn't know about the Stanstead thing, I'm guessing because they're the major airport that's willing to have Film crews littering up the place and being a bit of nuisance.
How did he get 60 grand in a Waitrose carrier bag through baggage control?
It was OK, a bit slow but OK.
Well, I think it was a bit of wit and whimsy, but I don't think it's strictly illegal - if it happened in real life, the airport security would presumably just advise caution lest there be pickpockets about:D
Does anyone remember the days when you weren't allowed to take more than £50 abroad?
It was a fabulous cast with one notable exception. Ewan Bremner, whilst being a perfectly fine actor, doesn't strike me as the obvious choice for a gay, ex security officer turned political journalist called Rollo.......... and the Israeli 'tan' was well dodgy.
Stansted seems to be the only airport which exists in TV land.
Stansted is quite a big, iconic and identifiable airport, whereas places like Heathrow, Gatwick, Brum etc are all so crowded and visually "busy" that they don't work so well on telly. Viewers might think he was in Kings Cross or something.
If you ever get to see the film Otley, with Tom Courtney, there's a wonderful scene where he wakes up on teh grass at Gatwick and wanders through the termimal. Its only just been built so the architecture is still visible and its a wonderful building, when not cluttered by the tat that's in it now.
Ewan Bremner, whilst being a perfectly fine actor, doesn't strike me as the obvious choice for a gay, ex security officer turned political journalist called Rollo
Can I repeat my request for someone to tell me how this ended? I lost it when he was walking through the airport with the Waitrose bag.
That was the last scene. He dropped the Top Secret file into a rubbish bin and then walked to security. Taking loads of cash out of the country may not be illegal but a Top Secret file certainly would be.
I did watch this as I like British programmes as opposed to the USA stuff. But what an odd character the Nighly bloke was. He was devoid of all charisma, and spoke in a very slow deliberate voice. He seemed to be almost have some sort of mental problem . How could anyone be attracted to him.
Why did he walk about with a Waitrose bag containing £60,000 ,.anyone could have snatched it at any moment. Why did he change clothes in the middle of a field?
That woman who lived next door seemed to be very wealthly, btt how was she so wealthly. She didn't work. are we going o get a new programme in which she will follow him to Brazil and be bored stiff when he tells her she is beautiful but takes 24 hours to say so
Nothing about this drama was memorable. A bit disapointed, I like a "big idea" that sticks in my head and gives me something to think about. The "big idea" here seems to be that politicians lie, sorry but not a big shock these days.
I did watch this as I like British programmes as opposed to the USA stuff. But what an odd character the Nighly bloke was. He was devoid of all charisma, and spoke in a very slow deliberate voice. He seemed to be almost have some sort of mental problem . How could anyone be attracted to him.
Why did he walk about with a Waitrose bag containing £60,000 ,.anyone could have snatched it at any moment. Why did he change clothes in the middle of a field?
That woman who lived next door seemed to be very wealthly, btt how was she so wealthly. She didn't work. are we going o get a new programme in which she will follow him to Brazil and be bored stiff when he tells her she is beautiful but takes 24 hours to say so
She lived in a nice flat (we don't know how she came by it) but no other particular signs of wealth. He googled her and she turned up as a publishing editor, I think, so that was her job. You may have missed that bit, just as I must have missed the bit about him changing in the field.....there were lots of bits like that.
I recorded it and unfortunately seem to have lost the sound at some quite crucial dialogue moments - tried to lip read a bit must have been the signal I think and I could not put sub titles on as a recording. However managed to pretty much follow the plot. I enjoyed it but was expecting a more earth shattering reveal - after all we are always being lied to and the torture of prisoners is nothing new or am I being cynical. Really enjoyed Michael Gambon's character shame he had to die so early. Bill Nighy plays Bill Nighy but enjoyed his performance greatly. Good entertainment would like more of the same.
That was the last scene. He dropped the Top Secret file into a rubbish bin and then walked to security. Taking loads of cash out of the country may not be illegal but a Top Secret file certainly would be.
You can watch it on iPlayer.
There seemed to be more to it than that, but I can't put my finger on it. The file was damning, career destroying, yet he just binned it and disappeared. Was it saying that such political machinations are ultimately pointless and what's important is life and love?
His career in MI5 was over, and the PM stayed in charge, was this saying that "you can't win, you can only protect yourself as best you can"?
What was the point, surely he could have sold more paintings and sent the proceeds by bank transfer?
I can't imagine he would have been hard to track.
The trick with this programme is not to take it too seriously. You're absolutely right, any sensible person would have taken the pictures and sold them later, rather than wander round with a bag o' cash - which would have triggered every money laundering safeguard everywhere - at departures and definitely at immigration.
If he needed some walking around money he'd have just sold a cheaper picture and kept the good stuff stashed somewhere. Considering he was supposed to be a "5 steps ahead" type of thinker/analyst/strategist, his behaviour can only be explained by the writer assuming the audience were idiots.
As for the ending, yes it does appear that he caved. Whether to save his daughter (though no threats were made against her/baby, which was odd) or because he didn't fancy becoming another "Dr. Kelly" - which would also have been a fairly obvious threat for the PM to have made.
What was the point, surely he could have sold more paintings and sent the proceeds by bank transfer?
I can't imagine he would have been hard to track.
In "real life" I expect he could have arranged for his flat to be sold and his friend the female art dealer to sell all his paintings for him. But there's only so much you can crowd into a drama of that length. It wasn't important, the significant point was he gave Nancy perhaps now his second best painting.
I think he should have at least bought a bag-for-life..you could see the money through that flimsy free one.
I also wonder about the seemingly magnetic appeal of Bill Nighy to ladies of all ages. I could understand ladies of a "certain age" being infatuated with the old roué, but surely it's pushing credulity to believe that the lovely Rachel Weisz would be prepared to jump on his old bones.
Comments
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1IyuG_2jXsE
This is the full version, with a fantastic lineup of jazz musicians.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dU9MngCuL5s
The first tenor sax player seen in this version is Ben Webster, my all time favourite.
Yep, been there done that, infuriating isn't it?
But there won't be a follow up drama, the BBC have a policy of "moving on" now.
Odd since the airport was Stansted.
Stansted seems to be the only airport which exists in TV land.
I wouldn't know about the Stanstead thing, I'm guessing because they're the major airport that's willing to have Film crews littering up the place and being a bit of nuisance.
Well, I think it was a bit of wit and whimsy, but I don't think it's strictly illegal - if it happened in real life, the airport security would presumably just advise caution lest there be pickpockets about:D
Does anyone remember the days when you weren't allowed to take more than £50 abroad?
Stansted is quite a big, iconic and identifiable airport, whereas places like Heathrow, Gatwick, Brum etc are all so crowded and visually "busy" that they don't work so well on telly. Viewers might think he was in Kings Cross or something.
If you ever get to see the film Otley, with Tom Courtney, there's a wonderful scene where he wakes up on teh grass at Gatwick and wanders through the termimal. Its only just been built so the architecture is still visible and its a wonderful building, when not cluttered by the tat that's in it now.
That was the last scene. He dropped the Top Secret file into a rubbish bin and then walked to security. Taking loads of cash out of the country may not be illegal but a Top Secret file certainly would be.
You can watch it on iPlayer.
Why did he walk about with a Waitrose bag containing £60,000 ,.anyone could have snatched it at any moment. Why did he change clothes in the middle of a field?
That woman who lived next door seemed to be very wealthly, btt how was she so wealthly. She didn't work. are we going o get a new programme in which she will follow him to Brazil and be bored stiff when he tells her she is beautiful but takes 24 hours to say so
Nothing about this drama was memorable. A bit disapointed, I like a "big idea" that sticks in my head and gives me something to think about. The "big idea" here seems to be that politicians lie, sorry but not a big shock these days.
No particular end - he was seen flirting a lot with the waiter.
She lived in a nice flat (we don't know how she came by it) but no other particular signs of wealth. He googled her and she turned up as a publishing editor, I think, so that was her job. You may have missed that bit, just as I must have missed the bit about him changing in the field.....there were lots of bits like that.
What was the point, surely he could have sold more paintings and sent the proceeds by bank transfer?
I can't imagine he would have been hard to track.
There seemed to be more to it than that, but I can't put my finger on it. The file was damning, career destroying, yet he just binned it and disappeared. Was it saying that such political machinations are ultimately pointless and what's important is life and love?
His career in MI5 was over, and the PM stayed in charge, was this saying that "you can't win, you can only protect yourself as best you can"?
If he needed some walking around money he'd have just sold a cheaper picture and kept the good stuff stashed somewhere. Considering he was supposed to be a "5 steps ahead" type of thinker/analyst/strategist, his behaviour can only be explained by the writer assuming the audience were idiots.
As for the ending, yes it does appear that he caved. Whether to save his daughter (though no threats were made against her/baby, which was odd) or because he didn't fancy becoming another "Dr. Kelly" - which would also have been a fairly obvious threat for the PM to have made.
In "real life" I expect he could have arranged for his flat to be sold and his friend the female art dealer to sell all his paintings for him. But there's only so much you can crowd into a drama of that length. It wasn't important, the significant point was he gave Nancy perhaps now his second best painting.
I also wonder about the seemingly magnetic appeal of Bill Nighy to ladies of all ages. I could understand ladies of a "certain age" being infatuated with the old roué, but surely it's pushing credulity to believe that the lovely Rachel Weisz would be prepared to jump on his old bones.