Defence of the Realm
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| Defence of the Realm | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | David Drury |
| Produced by | Robin Douet (producer) Lynda Myles David Puttnam(executive producer) |
| Written by | Martin Stellman |
| Starring | Gabriel Byrne Greta Scacchi Denholm Elliott Robbie Coltrane |
| Music by | Richard Harvey |
| Cinematography | Roger Deakins |
| Editing by | Michael Bradsell |
| Distributed by | Hemdale Film Corporation |
| Release date(s) | September 6, 1986 |
| Running time | 96 min. |
| Country | UK/USA |
| Language | English |
| Allmovie profile | |
| IMDb profile | |
Defence of the Realm is a 1985 political thriller directed by David Drury. Starring Gabriel Byrne, Greta Scacchi, Denholm Elliott and Robbie Coltrane.
Set at the height of the Cold War in the 1980s this film examines the morality of a nation's secret services and the responsibility of journalistic investigations in an era of nuclear tensions and bureaucratic deceit. The film is reminiscent of other cold war thrillers such as Hidden Agenda, The Manchurian Candidate and Edge of Darkness.
The film takes its title from the 1914 Defence of the Realm Act (DORA), passed at the start of the First World War, which gave the Government executive powers to suppress criticism, imprison without trial and commandeer economic resources for the war effort.
[edit] Plot Summary
Following a crash of a nuclear bomber at an American Air Force base in the English countryside, Dennis Markham (Ian Bannen), a prominent member of Parliament and opponent of the American's nuclear presence in the United Kingdom , is reported by a London paper to have been seen leaving a woman's home. When the woman is found to also be familiar with a dignitary from East Germany, his loyalty to his country is questioned and he is forced to resign, reminiscent of the 1963 Profumo Affair. The author of the newspaper exposé, Nick Mullen (Gabriel Byrne), continues his investigation with his colleague Vernon Bayliss (Denholm Elliott) who suspects that Markham is being framed for his views. But when Vernon dies from a mysterious heart attack, Mullen suspects something deeper at work and finds evidence of a complex cover up concerning the near accident and a secret Air Force base. With the help of Markham's secretary, Nina Beckman (Greta Scacchi), Mullen continues to investigate the affair despite the best attempts of the British Government to stop him.
[edit] Miscellanea
- The film is credited with introducing Gabriel Byrne to an American audience
- This was Scottish actor Fulton Mackay's last appearance on film.
- Denholm Elliott won a BAFTA for best supporting actor.
