An Ungentlemanly Act is a 1992 BBC television film about the first days of the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982.[1]

An Ungentlemanly Act
Odyssey Video DVD Cover
GenreHistorical drama
Written byStuart Urban
Directed byStuart Urban
StarringIan Richardson
Bob Peck
Rosemary Leach
Ian McNeice
Theme music composerRussell King
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducersBradley Adams
Franc Roddam
Michael Wearing
CinematographyPeter Chapman
Running time135 minutes
Original release
NetworkBBC2
Release13 June 1992 (1992-06-13)

Production edit

The film was written and directed by Stuart Urban, and commissioned to mark the tenth anniversary of the Falklands War. The film was closely based on the historical record, and all of the major incidents portrayed were drawn from contemporary accounts by those who took part. Filming took place on the Falkland Islands and at Ealing Studios. Urban is a fluent Spanish-speaker, and plays an uncredited role as an Argentine radio operator.

Ian Richardson replaced Ian Holm as Falklands Governor Rex Hunt after Holm dropped out of the production at the last minute. Bob Peck plays Major Mike Norman, the commander of the Royal Marines based at Stanley, while Norman himself acted as advisor on the production, and has a small part as a member of the Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF). Don Bonner, who was Governor Hunt's chauffeur at the time of the conflict, cameos in a scene set in Stanley store where he says "Hello Don" to the actor playing him.

Reception edit

The film was well-received on release and is generally considered to be an accurate and even-handed portrayal of events. It won the BAFTA Award for Best Single Drama the following year, and was later shown on television in Argentina.[citation needed]

Awards edit

Cast edit

See also edit

References edit

  1. ^ An Ungentlemanly Act, Bfs Entertainment, 25 January 2005, retrieved 11 February 2024

External links edit