The Ploughman’s Lunch **** (1983, Jonathan Pryce, Tim Curry, Rosemary Harris, Frank Finlay, Bill Paterson) – Classic Movie Review 9767

Director Richard Eyre’s intelligent and well-observed 1983 political British drama film The Ploughman’s Lunch stars Jonathan Pryce, who is creepy and convincing as James Penfield, an egotistical radio journalist, who writes a book on Suez during the Falklands War.

The flavour of 1982 comes urgently back in screen-writer Ian McEwan’s committed, angry attack on Thatcher’s Britain. If the politicians are rotten, this is an unpleasant, grasping bunch of media people too.

But what it lacks in light and shade, The Ploughman’s Lunch makes up for in thought and passion. It climaxes remarkably with Mrs Thatcher’s speech to the 1982 Tory Party annual conference in Brighton, where cameras had been smuggled in. Penfield is seen among the conference delegates lighting a cigarette, and just behind him is the next Prime Minister John Major.

Also in the cast are Tim Curry, Rosemary Harris, Frank Finlay, Charlie Dore, David de Keyser, Bill Paterson, and Christopher Fulford.

The Ploughman’s Lunch is directed by Richard Eyre, runs 107 minutes, is made by Michael White, Greenpoint Films and Goldcrest Films, is released by Virgin (1983) (UK) and The Samuel Goldwyn Company (1984), is written by Ian McEwan, is shot by Clive Tickner, is produced by Simon Relph and Ann Scott, is scored by Dominic Muldowney, with Production Design by Luciana Arrighi.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9767

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