Lipstick on Your Collar 

During the Suez Crisis of 1956, two young clerks at the stuffy Foreign Office in Whitehall display little interest in the decline of the British Empire. To their eyes, it can hardly compete... See full summary »

Stars:

Giles Thomas, Ewan McGregor, Louise Germaine

1 win & 2 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Giles Thomas	...	Private Francis / ... 6 episodes, 1993
Ewan McGregor	...	Pvt. Hopper 6 episodes, 1993
Louise Germaine	...	Sylvia Berry 6 episodes, 1993
Douglas Henshall	...	Corporal Berry / ... 6 episodes, 1993
Peter Jeffrey	...	Colonel Bernwood / ... 6 episodes, 1993
Clive Francis	...	Major Hedges / ... 6 episodes, 1993
Roy Hudd	...	Harold Atterbow 6 episodes, 1993
Nicholas Jones	...	Major Carter / ... 6 episodes, 1993
Nicholas Farrell	...	Major Church / ... 6 episodes, 1993
Maggie Steed	...	Aunt Vickie 6 episodes, 1993
Bernard Hill	...	Uncle Fred 6 episodes, 1993
Bernard Brown	...	Eden / ... 6 episodes, 1993
Rod Aspinall	...	Catering Manager 6 episodes, 1993
Gareth Taplin	...	Dancer 6 episodes, 1993
Shane Rimmer	...	Lt. Colonel Trekker / ... 5 episodes, 1993
Kim Huffman	...	Lisa 4 episodes, 1993
Carrie Leigh	...	Dream Girl 4 episodes, 1993
Frederick Treves	...	Brig. Sanders / ... 2 episodes, 1993
Debra Beaumont	...	Nina 2 episodes, 1993
James Snell	...	Trigorin 2 episodes, 1993
Terence Bayler	...	General 2 episodes, 1993
Tim Seely	...	Brigadier 2 episodes, 1993
Roger Hume	...	Lt. Colonel 2 episodes, 1993
Andy Laycock	...	First Soldier 2 episodes, 1993
Daniel Ryan	...	Second Soldier 2 episodes, 1993
Che Walker	...	Policeman 2 episodes, 1993
Lesley Mirza	...	Coffee Shop Girl / ... 2 episodes, 1993
Michael Neilson	...	The Man at the Palais 2 episodes, 1993

Storyline

During the Suez Crisis of 1956, two young clerks at the stuffy Foreign Office in Whitehall display little interest in the decline of the British Empire. To their eyes, it can hardly compete with girls, rock music (including "Lay Down Your Arms"), and the intrigue of romantic entanglements.

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Plot Keywords:

workplace romance | manipulative woman | coworker relationship | using others | love | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Musical | War

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

21 February 1993 (UK)

Also Known As:

Batom no Colarinho

Company Credits

Production Co:

Channel 4 Television Corporation, Whistling Gypsy Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

360 min (6 parts)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The final original Dennis Potter production completed and broadcast in his lifetime.

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Quotes

Private Francis Francis: Sir! I would like you to accept the proposal, sir, that I am not as big a fool as I must seem, sir!

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Connections

Follows ITV Sunday Night Theatre: Lay Down Your Arms (1970)

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Soundtracks

Lipstick On Your Collar
Written by Edna Lewis and George Goehring
Used by kind permission of MCA Music Ltd
Performed by Connie Francis
Courtesy of Polydor Ltd

User Reviews

Diana Dors, dying imperialism and a whiff of 10 Rillington Place

This TV series was simply wonderful, for me it's the best that I've seen of Dennis Potter. I wasn't born at the time that is depicted in the series (the year 1956), but it is all very convincing.

Never was boredom funnier than here. Rectal orifices, indeed! Waiting, waiting, waiting for Kim Philby's race forecast. Adhering to silly rituals to make the time pass and feeling that the country goes slowly downhill. Its really a relief the series has – under the circumstances - a happy and uplifting ending.

There are many great characters in this series, the whole cast excel themselves. Louise Germaine is very sexy and effective as Diana Dors lookalike, a pity she didn't continue her small or big screen career. The most interesting character for me was uncle Fred. I suspect there still are quite a few people like him out there. The whole set up at the house where he lives reminded me very much of 10 Rillington Place. I wouldn't be surprised if Potter created uncle Fred with Reginald Halliday Christie in mind.

I can highly recommend this series.