Love and Hate: The Story of Colin and JoAnn Thatcher

Love and Hate: The Story of Colin and JoAnn Thatcher is a Canadian television miniseries, directed by Bruce Pittman and broadcast by CBC Television in 1989.[1] Based on Maggie Siggins's 1985 book A Canadian Tragedy: JoAnn and Colin Thatcher: A Story of Love and Hate, the film dramatizes the story of Colin Thatcher, a former Canadian politician who was convicted in 1984 of the murder of his ex-wife JoAnn following their divorce.[2]

Love and Hate: The Story of Colin and JoAnn Thatcher
Based onA Canadian Tragedy: JoAnn and Colin Thatcher: A Story of Love and Hate by Maggie Siggins
Written bySuzette Couture
Directed byFrancis Mankiewicz
StarringKenneth Welsh
Kate Nelligan
Theme music composerEric Robertson
Country of originCanada
Original languageEnglish
No. of episodes2
Production
ProducerBernard Zukerman
CinematographyVic Sarin
EditorGordon McClellan
Running time240 minutes
Original release
NetworkCBC Television
ReleaseDecember 3 (1989-12-03) –
December 4, 1989 (1989-12-04)

The two-part miniseries starred Kenneth Welsh as Colin Thatcher and Kate Nelligan as JoAnn Thatcher Wilson. Its cast also included Noam Zylberman, Leon Pownall, Brent Carver, Laura Bruneau, Cedric Smith, Victoria Snow, Stuart Hughes, John Colicos, Peter MacNeill, Gabrielle Rose, R. H. Thomson, Eugene Lipinski, Timothy Webber, Doris Petrie and Lenore Zann in supporting roles.

The series aired December 3 and 4, 1989 on CBC Television.[3] It was also subsequently broadcast in July 1990 on NBC in the United States, under the title Love and Hate: A Marriage Made in Hell.[4]

Thatcher, who was still protesting his innocence of the murder and attempting to pursue a retrial, criticized the film as inaccurate,[5] and sued both Siggins and the CBC in 1994 on the grounds that the film could jeopardize his chances of retrial or parole.[6] The lawsuit was not decided in Thatcher's favour.

Awards

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Award Date of Ceremony Category Nominees Result Reference
Gemini Awards December 4, 1990 Best Dramatic Miniseries Bernard Zukerman Won [7]
Best Actor in a Dramatic Program or Miniseries Kenneth Welsh Won
Best Direction in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series Francis Mankiewicz Won
Best Writing in a Dramatic Program or Mini-Series Suzette Couture Won
Best Photography in a Dramatic Program or Series Vic Sarin Won
Best Actress in a Dramatic Program or Miniseries Kate Nelligan Nominated [8]
Best Supporting Actor Eugene Lipinski Nominated
Best Picture Editing in a Dramatic Program or Series Gordon McClellan Nominated
Best Original Music Score for a Program or Mini-Series Eric Robertson Nominated

References

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  1. ^ Bob Remington, "Love and Hate; CBC get on Colin Thatcher's case". Edmonton Journal, December 3, 1989.
  2. ^ Diane Smith, "The Thatcher murder: not just a family feud". The Globe and Mail, December 2, 1989.
  3. ^ Mike Boone, "CBC's Love and Hate is the best miniseries in years". Montreal Gazette, December 3, 1989.
  4. ^ "CBC program boosted NBC's ratings". Windsor Star, July 26, 1990.
  5. ^ Bob Cox, "Thatcher movie could hurt chances for new trial: lawyer". Montreal Gazette, December 6, 1989.
  6. ^ "Colin Thatcher sues over CBC miniseries". The Globe and Mail, March 9, 1994.
  7. ^ Christopher Harris, "CBC's Love and Hate, Road to Avonlea win five Geminis each: Awards liberally distributed this year, with no one show grabbing the lion's share". The Globe and Mail, December 5, 1990.
  8. ^ Stephen Nicholls, "Avonlea, E.N.G. lead Gemini nominations". Waterloo Region Record, October 24, 1990.
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