A Perfect Hero is a 1991 TV drama serial set in World War II England. It was produced by Havahall Pictures in association with LWT for ITV and first broadcast at 9:00pm on Friday 17 May 1991 and ran for six episodes. It was broadcast in the US as part of Masterpiece Theatre during Season 21 that ran from 1991 to 1992.

A Perfect Hero
GenreDrama
Written byChristopher Matthew
Allan Prior
Directed byJames Cellan Jones
StarringNigel Havers
James Fox
Fiona Gillies
Barbara Leigh-Hunt
Nicholas Pritchard
Amanda Elwes
Patrick Ryecart
Bernard Hepton
Joanna Lumley
ComposerRichard Holmes
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes6
Production
Executive producersNick Elliott
Michael Whitehall
ProducerJames Cellan Jones
Production companiesHavahall Pictures
LWT
Original release
NetworkITV
Release17 May (1991-05-17) –
21 June 1991 (1991-06-21)

Plot summary

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The miniseries is about a young RAF Fighter Pilot Flying Officer Hugh Fleming DFC, played by Nigel Havers, who is shot down during the Battle of Britain and is severely burned around the face and hands. While recovering and experiencing life as a scarred casualty of war, his colleagues and friends who had joined the RAF with him die one by one.

This series shows how burn victims are treated and how they have to recuperate. It is hard for Fleming because he was an extremely handsome young man who had no problem dating women. With his face deformed by the burns and the plastic surgery, his life becomes a rather more traumatic one.

Some aspects of the story are reminiscent of the life of Richard Hillary, as recounted in his 1943 book, "The Last Enemy."

Music

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Episode end credits play the song The Bells of Hell Go Ting-a-ling-a-ling, which somewhat lightens the mood.

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