A Line in the Sand (2004) (TV)

Director:

James Hawes

Writer:

Gerald Seymour (novel)

Release Date:

7 June 2004 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The War On Terrorism Is Being Fought At Close Range.

Plot Keywords:

Based On Novel

Cast

Ross Kemp	...	Gavin Hughes / Frank Perry
Saskia Reeves	...	Meryl Rogers
Mark Bazeley	...	Geoff Markham
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Brana Bajic	...	Farah Asad
Paul Birchard	...	Littelbaum
Patrick Burke	...	Publican
Saskia Butler	...	Dawn
Katy Cavanagh	...	Leanne
Jack Chissick	...	Gary
Stephen Critchlow	...	Rev. Peter Wilson
Mike Dowling	...	Harry
Vincent Franklin	...	Sammy Cargill
Danny Greene	...	Tom (aged 10)
Jake Greene	...	Tom (aged 5)
Elliot Henderson-Boyle	...	Stephen
Tam Hoskyns	...	Penny Flower
Ralph Ineson	...	Det. Sgt. Bill Davies
Karen Lewis	...	Head Teacher
Lesley McGuire	...	Janice Hughes
Sean McKenzie	...	P.C. Joe Paget
Neji Nejah	...	Colonel
Kayvan Novak	...	Vahid
Tim Pepper	...	Supt. George Fairfax
Rupert Procter	...	Andy Chalmers
James Puddephatt	...	P.C. Dave Rankin
Raad Rawi	...	Omid Torabi
Jimmy Roussounis	...	Mossad Officer Barak
Darren Saul	...	Winston
Jordan Smyth	...	Stephen (aged 6)
Paul Viragh	...	Simon Blackmore
Nick Whitfield	...	Vince

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence.

Runtime:

100 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | New Zealand:R13 | USA:R

Company:

Anglia Television

Trivia:

Originally scheduled for broadcast in September 2001 but shelved until 7 June 2004 because a major part of the story involved Middle-Eastern terrorists. This was deemed to be too sensitive after the terrorist attacks on the USA of 11 September 2001.

Neat, plausible, well-paced

This is a neat thriller which undeservedly seems to have been rather overlooked by the general public. Based on the novel of the same name by Gerald Seymour, who is a specialist in thrillers with a true background, such as the Gulf War, Israeli incursions into the Beka'a Valley, or a dead Englishwoman found in a mass grave in Croatia, among other settings, A Line in The Sand is basically very characteriological rather than high-strung action, and as such ends up being all the more plausible.

Gary Hughes is a businessman who frequently travels to Iran selling his products; but he is coerced into giving information to the British Secret Service. However his cover is blown and the Secret Service force him into hiding and give him a change of identity. But the Iranians have sent out a hitman ....

Good interpretation here by Ross Kemp, no overacting but well held in line, as well as by Saskia Reeves and others who are not even credited here or on the Meridian TV web site.

Two episodes of a little over an hour each, shown here in one near 140 minute programme. Not at all too long as the story line pace is well maintained as well as keeping steadily on a credible level. Even John Le Carré would have been pleased with this story - and you cannot do much better than that.

* Violence is minimal so do not understand the `R' rating.