The Ploughman's Lunch (1983)

James Penfield (Jonathan Pryce) has made a career out of journalism. Now bankrupt, he finds himself with a group of other writers in the middle of the dispute-ridden British homeland at the time of the Falklands War.

Director:

Richard Eyre

Writer:

Ian McEwan

Stars:

Jonathan Pryce, William Maxwell, Paul Jesson

Nominated for 1 BAFTA Film Award. Another 1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Jonathan Pryce	...	James Penfield
William Maxwell	...	Journalist
Paul Jesson	...	Journalist
Andy Rashleigh	...	Journalist
Christopher Fulford	...	Young Journalist
David Lyon	...	Newsreader
David de Keyser	...	Gold
Polly Abbott	...	Gold's Assistant
Tim Curry	...	Jeremy Hancock
Charlie Dore	...	Susan Barrington
Peter Walmsley	...	Bob Tuckett
Robert Cartland	...	Editor (as Bob Cartland)
Nat Jackley	...	Mr. Penfield
Pearl Hackney	...	Mrs. Penfield
Simon Stokes	...	Edward

Storyline

James Penfield (Jonathan Pryce) has made a career out of journalism. Now bankrupt, he finds himself with a group of other writers in the middle of the dispute-ridden British homeland at the time of the Falklands War.

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Plot Keywords:

falklands war | british renaissance | norfolk england | london england | speech | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

R

Did You Know?

Trivia

The closing credits declare that "the film was made entirely on-location in London, Brighton, and Norfolk".

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Connections

Referenced in Z Channel: A Magnificent Obsession (2004)

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Soundtracks

Dramatic Interludes
(uncredited)
Music by Hans May
KPM Music Ltd

User Reviews

Coldly, faultlessly observed portrait of various very unpleasant bourgeois Thatcher-dominated Brits, involved in the life of the bleak central character, a morally bankrupt journalist.

This is a very cold, well observed multi-layered portrait of a bunch of vile people, all scrambling up and down the greasy pole in the politically bleak bourgeois homeland of Thatcher's Britain at the time of its Falklands War obsession. The central character, an empty, ambitious, morally bankrupt journalist (Jonathan Pryce) is impossible to like or even dislike - just like the film itself. It's like a doctor's accurate diagnosis: you may need to know, but you don't necessarily want to. The photography is beautiful.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

May 1983 (UK)

Also Known As:

The Ploughman's Lunch

Filming Locations:

Oxford Circus Station, Oxford Circus, Oxford Street, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Goldcrest Films International, Greenpoint Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1