The Flipside of Dominick Hide (9 Dec. 1980)

Dominick Hide, a time traveller from the year 2130, is studying the London transport system of 1980. Time travellers are supposed to be observers, and are strictly forbidden to land their ... See full summary »

Director:

Alan Gibson

Writers:

Jeremy Paul, Alan Gibson,

Stars:

Peter Firth, Caroline Langrishe, Pippa Guard

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Peter Firth	...	Dominick Hide
Caroline Langrishe	...	Jane
Pippa Guard	...	Ava
Patrick Magee	...	Caleb Line
Trevor Ray	...	Alaric
Sylvia Coleridge	...	Great Aunt Mavis
Jean Trend	...	Helda
Timothy Davies	...	Jim Bone
Denis Lawson	...	Felix
Bernadette Shortt	...	Midge
Tony Melody	...	Harry
Bill Gavin	...	Brian
David Griffin	...	Carl
Karl Howman	...	Geoffrey
Jenny Donnison	...	Carole

Storyline

Dominick Hide, a time traveller from the year 2130, is studying the London transport system of 1980. Time travellers are supposed to be observers, and are strictly forbidden to land their flying saucers. One time traveller who broke this rule accidentally killed a dog, changing history and causing many future people to disappear. Inspired by his Great Aunt Mavis, Dominick decides to find his great great grandfather. He begins to land in 1980, where his strange clothes and speech make him seem an eccentric oddball. His quest brings him into contact with beautiful boutique owner Jane, and they fall in love. As Dominick's visits become more frequent and more prolonged, he increasingly risks his indiscretion being discovered by his boss, Caleb Line, and every moment he spends in the past increases the danger that he will catastrophically change the future.

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Plot Keywords:

time travel | character name in title

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

9 December 1980 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Portobello Road, Notting Hill, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The soundtrack features several Beatles songs, including "Yesterday", "Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds" and "Here Comes the Sun". By a quirk of fate, this production was originally broadcast on December 9, 1980, one day after John Lennon was murdered by Mark David Chapman.

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Connections

Followed by Play for Today: Another Flip for Dominick (1982)

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Soundtracks

"Here Comes the Sun"
(uncredited)
Composed by George Harrison

User Reviews

Haunting - well worth the wait

I've waited 20 years to watch this again. I couldn't remember the title, or details of the plot.. Something about a time-traveller, an enchanting setting and an important philosophical story. I was about 10 at the time and I only remembered that it (and it's sequel shown a couple of years later) had a great effect on me as a child. I dreamed about it for years and would smile in fond remembrance.

Fast forward 20 years and watching it again on BBC4, I was at first disappointed because it had aged so badly, I thought. But eventually this charming story of a man chasing his goals, fighting authority and finding love reminded me exactly why I fell in love with this play for today.

It's charm lies not in the sci-fi effects,(blue peter anyone?) but in a very effective, and beautiful acted story. Thank you BBC...