Troubles (TV 1988)

A grand hotel fallen into decay, two women with secrets and a dangerous political situation about to boil over - these intriguing elements all combine in this gripping drama from the ... See full summary »

Director:

Christopher Morahan

Writers:

J.G. Farrell (novel), Charles Sturridge

Stars:

Sean Bean, Duncan Bell, Ian Charleson

Cast

Credited cast:
Sean Bean	...	Capt. Bolton
Duncan Bell	...	Foster-Smith
Ian Charleson	...	Maj. Brendan Archer
Andrew Connolly	...	Driscoll
Mark Conrad	...	Mortimer
Jim Culleton	...	Jury's Porter
Julia Dearden	...	Fidelma
Cathleen Delany	...	Miss Rice
Martin Dempsey	...	Mr. Devlin
Fabia Drake	...	Mrs. Rappaport
James Ellis	...	Murphy
Susan Field	...	Mrs. Porteous
Jerome Flynn	...	Matthews
Michael James Ford	...	Corporal (as Michael Forde)
Eric Franics	...	Mr. Norton

Storyline

A grand hotel fallen into decay, two women with secrets and a dangerous political situation about to boil over - these intriguing elements all combine in this gripping drama from the producer of the hit mini-series, The Irish R.M. In 1919, Major Brendan Archer arrives in Ireland to reunite with his fiancée, Angela Spencer. Unfortunately, the family home, The Majestic Hotel, is a decaying shadow of its former self, as is Angela. Puzzled by the changes, Archer's attentions are soon drawn to her lively friend, Sarah Devlin, a passionate Irish Nationalist. They fall in love, but the Major soon discovers some disturbing aspects about their relationship, which threatens to explode into violence, destruction, and murder.

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Taglines:

In politics, love is the first casualty

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

1 May 1988 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Greystones, County Wicklow, Ireland

Company Credits

Production Co:

London Weekend Television (LWT)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

208 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to Michael Palin's diaries this was started filmed in early 1987 as a London Weekend Television drama with Palin as Major Archer, directed by 'Charles Struridge'. Other cast included 'Ian Richardson', Rosamund Greenwood, Rachel Kempson, Patience Collier, 'Gwen Nelson', 'Colin Blakley', Timothy Spall and Fiona Victory. Filming was curtailed after a week because of a strike. It was remounted with Ian Charleson as Major Archer.

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Connections

Featured in The Story of the Costume Drama: The Stars (2008)

User Reviews

Close to the book

Since neither of the previous reviewers quite obviously has not read the book on which it is based, something of a corrective is in order. Troubles, the book by Booker Award-winning author J.G. Farrell, indeed is disjointed at times and veers about from being comic, historic, satiric, quite sad at times, and altogether engaging. The hotel itself is an allegory of the British in Ireland, and Farrell (and the movie) seem to me to do a pretty good job of presenting that Troublesome situation with balance and historical dimension. As for the movie characterizations, they are most remarkably like, to my mind, those in the book, which is an unusual occurrence indeed. Richardson is magnificent, as would be expected, but all the other characters (and I do mean all) hew very closely to their literary models. They, as opposed to the reviewers (and how often is this the case!), took the trouble to read the book with some attention.