Episode #1.1 (7 Dec. 2008)

Saddam, frustrated step-son of a sadistic peasant, was the deputy of the Iraqi president, number two in a revolutionary regime that modernized the former British-protected kingdom. When his... See full summary »

Director:

Alex Holmes

Writers:

Alex Holmes, Stephen Butchard

Stars:

Yigal Naor, Shohreh Aghdashloo, Makram Khoury

Cast

Episode cast overview, first billed only:
Yigal Naor	...	Saddam Hussein (as Igal Naor)
Shohreh Aghdashloo	...	Sajida Khairallah Talfah
Makram Khoury	...	Tariq Aziz (as Makram J. Khoury)
Saïd Amadis	...	Adnan Khalirallah
Amr Waked	...	Hussein Kamel
Saïd Taghmaoui	...	Barzan Ibrahim
Philip Arditti	...	Uday Hussein
Mounir Margoum	...	Qusay Hussein
Agni Scott	...	Raghad Hussein
Amber Rose Revah	...	Hala Hussein
Uri Gavriel	...	Ali Hassan Al Majid
Waleed Zuaiter	...	Adnan Hamdani
Nour Trabeissi	...	Young Hala Hussein (as Nour Trabelssi)
Foued Litaiem	...	Watban Ibrahim
Reymond Amsalem	...	Sanna Hamdani (as Reymonde Amsalem)

Storyline

Saddam, frustrated step-son of a sadistic peasant, was the deputy of the Iraqi president, number two in a revolutionary regime that modernized the former British-protected kingdom. When his faction of the ruling Baath Party opposes the president's plan for a union with neighbor Syria, Saddam is able to seize power, and immediately proceeds to unprecedented purges, practicing blatant nepotism -especially Barzan Ibrahim al-Tikriti as security chief- and a reign of terror based on waves of executions of the 'guilty', the lukewarm and some others thrown in for good measure, so as to instill utter fear and devotion to his absolutist person. Furthermore, he decides the threat of Islamic fundamentalism -of the Shiah branch, majority in Iraq- personified by Iran's revolutionary leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini must be controlled before it's too late, even if that requires war, for which the West, especially America, will eagerly provide arms and other support.

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Plot Keywords:

iraq | saddam hussein | family relationships | dictator

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Genres:

Biography | Drama | History | War

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Details

Country:

USA UK

Language:

English Arabic

Release Date:

7 December 2008 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

HBO Films, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

61 min

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Quotes

Saddam Hussein: I know a traitor before he knows himself.

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