Gideon's Daughter (TV 2005)

Bill Nighy and Miranda Richardson star in a story of grief and celebrity, set in the intense spring and summer of New Labour's election victory and Diana's death. Nighy is a PR guru who has... See full summary »

Director:

Stephen Poliakoff

Writer:

Stephen Poliakoff

Stars:

Bill Nighy, Miranda Richardson, Emily Blunt

Won 2 Golden Globes. Another 2 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Bill Nighy	...	Gideon Warner
Miranda Richardson	...	Stella
Emily Blunt	...	Natasha
Robert Lindsay	...	Sneath
Ronni Ancona	...	Barbara
Tom Hardy	...	Andrew
Tom Goodman-Hill	...	Dent
Joanna Page	...	Diane
David Westhead	...	Bill
Samantha Whittaker	...	Becca
Kerry Shale	...	Badalamenti
Daniel Mendoza	...	Badalamenti Spokesman
Cate Fowler	...	Council Leader
Michael Fitzpatrick	...	American Producer
Graham Cull	...	Hospital Stranger

Storyline

Bill Nighy and Miranda Richardson star in a story of grief and celebrity, set in the intense spring and summer of New Labour's election victory and Diana's death. Nighy is a PR guru who has to stop and re-evaluate his world when his daughter threatens to leave his life, perhaps as revenge for his serial infidelities. Richardson plays a mother trying to bury her grief in an unconventional way after the loss of her young son.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

BBC [uk]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

23 March 2006 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Filha de Gideon

Filming Locations:

Edinburgh, Scotland, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

BBC America, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Fremantle Media

Technical Specs

Runtime:

105 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

David Westhead was injured in an accident while filming.

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Goofs

During the cycle path protest, Stella puts her camera in its case, but in the next shot it is back out again.

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Connections

Follows Friends & Crocodiles (2005)

User Reviews

Simply Brilliant!

I just love Poliakoff - apart from 'Perfect Strangers' which bored me immensely. I found 'Shooting The Past' to be breathtaking, but 'Gideon's Daughter' occupies a different space altogether. It's about a lot of things - celebrity, grief - expressed and unexpressed - forgiveness and redemption. It's also about love and friendship, and a place where the two overlap.

I watched Bill Nighy closely throughout, and for me he never put a foot

• or a hand, or a glance, or stare - wrong. Equally as exquisite was

Miranda Richardson as Stella, the divorced woman whose son has died, and whose ex-husband (played by David Westhead) cannot let go of the need to 'right' a wrong.

In a way, this film is about nothing at all, and yet it encompasses so much that I'm finding it difficult to review. Don't expect to understand it all - I didn't, but that could be my short-coming. But I loved it so much I want to see it again and again. I just hope others love it as much as did I.