Troilus & Cressida (1981) (TV)

Director:

Jonathan Miller

Writer:

William Shakespeare (play)

Release Date:

7 November 1981 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

William Shakespeare | Helen Of Troy | Resentment Toward Lover | Shakespeare's Troilus And Cressida | Based On Play

Cast

Charles Gray	...	Pandarus
Anton Lesser	...	Troilus
Tony Steedman	...	Aeneas
Suzanne Burden	...	Cressida
Max Harvey	...	Alexander
Peter Walmsley	...	Servant to Troilus
Vernon Dobtcheff	...	Agamemnon
Geoffrey Chater	...	Nestor
Benjamin Whitrow	...	Ulysses
Bernard Brown	...	Menelaus
Anthony Pedley	...	Ajax
Jack Birkett	...	Thersites (as The Incredible Orlando)
Kenneth Haigh	...	Achilles
Simon Cutter	...	Patroclus
Esmond Knight	...	Priam

Also Known As:

The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: Troilus & Cressida (USA) (video title)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

In Ajax's (Anthony Pedley) tent, some nude pictures can be seen in the background. These are reproductions of paintings by Lucas Cranach.

Movie Connections:

Version of Troil i Kressida (1975) (TV)

One of the Best of the Series

Jonathan Miller triumphs with a fascinating production of an unruly play. His eye for casting is faultless, and different from others in the series. This personal view is emphasized by his special precision as director in revealing the interplay of character. There is absolutely no rhetoric for sound's sake here - every character knows exactly why they are saying what they're saying, and who they're saying it to.

The running time of "Troilus" is 12 minutes longer than that of "Pericles," yet it feels around 45 minutes shorter. Much of this play is done with a single mobile camera in long, unblinking takes. This adds to the pressure on the actors and crew, and contributes to a special kind of energy.

The performances are all excellent, without an embarrassment in the cast. That is not always true in this series. The young lovers are fine. Charles Gray grabs the role of Pandarus, and shakes it within an inch of its life. This huge personality is almost too big for the small screen, yet he never quite outstays his welcome.

Ben Whitrow's Ulysses is perhaps the most clever, calculating and cold-blooded of any, in any version of the story I've seen. Anthony Pedley is a funny Ajax, and Kenneth Haigh and John Shrapnel are confident as Achilles and Hector. Esmond Knight as King Priam and Jack Birkett as Thersites are both blind actors, which adds a certain otherworldly quality to the proceedings. The physical production and sound design are both detailed and effective.

The book "The BBC Shakespeare Plays: Making the Televised Canon" by Susan Willis spends a whole chapter describing in detail the rehearsal, taping and editing of this "Troilus." Highly recommended reading.

P.S. The prologue is read off-camera by an uncredited actor. Could it be Alec McCowen? Whoever it is reads the Bard's words as they should be read, a model for would-be Shakespeareans to study.