Jeremy Thrope: Sexual Deviant! Featuring Hugh Grant

[gilbertharding]

Anyone watching this?

The old story - Man meets boy. Man cops off with boy. Boy blackmails man. Man has boy's dog shot...

It was a bit of a struggle to watch in the wake of all the various sex scandals which have come to light in the last years, from Savile and Harris, to Freud and Smith (fellow Liberals, of course), all the abuse in parliament, all the way up to #MeToo etc.

I mean, watching it in 2018 it was a bit tricky to unpack how we're supposed to feel about Thorpe - obviously not a thoroughly bad man - behaving in this terrible predatory way towards someone we're supposed to think of as a boy (actually about 21,  and 11 years younger than Thorpe)... obviously the dramatist is pushing our buttons.

But what if Norman Scott had been a woman in the same position? In 2018 it's just as icky (to put it mildly) - but even 10 years ago, would anyone have cared? Little is made in the drama of Jeremy Thorpe's acquisition of a beard...

There were some interesting side-notes. Obviously a history lesson on homosexuality and the law. No-one actually said the line "There's no badgers in the House of Lords", which was a shame...

Also - Hugh Grant. Very good - but when I first saw him, couldn't help marvel at how old he was looking. In fact he's 57, but the amazing thing is that Jeremy Thorpe was born in 1929, so was 30 when first elected, and still only 50 (FIFTY!!) by the time he was all washed up in the dock of the Old Bailey.

[Beagle 2]

Yes, it's strange how Hugh Grant actually looked too old to play the part. But never mind, because he was fucking brilliant. I loved the first episode a lot from a drama point of view, I'm only vaguely familiar with the events themselves and resisting the urge to read up on it before it concludes so I can fully enjoy it.

[daf]

Little is made in the drama of Jeremy Thorpe's acquisition of a beard...

[jobotic]

When id Hugh Grant become this fine actor, instead of an annoying arse? It can't have been Paddingon 2.

[BlodwynPig]

I thought it was all rather pointless. I much preferred wishaw as Pingu. Was he a notable actor before Barley?

[biggytitbo]

Apparently Ian McKellen turned down the role of the judge because he was there the night Peter Cook did his legendary piss take of his summing, and he couldn't take the role seriously.

[DrGreggles]

Pretty good I thought.

[Alberon]

I enjoyed it. Grant might be a lot older than Thorpe was at the time, but the two certainly don't look to have such a wide gap in years when you compare Grant in character to contempory photos.



I did try and imagine how it would play out if Norman really had been Norma. Certainly having a mistress back then wouldn't have been that big an issue.

When I first saw the Peter Cook judge sketch years ago I had really no knowledge of the whole Thorpe affair and thought it was funny in its own right, but I will have to revisit it after the miniseries. I'm trying to avoid reading up on the case as I'm sure there is plenty of details I've forgotten.

[greencalx]

I was quite impressed by Hugh Grant in this as well (although he brought Hugh Laurie to mind enough times I had to check the cast listing to make sure I hadn't made a Wrong Hugh error).

[DrGreggles]

.
When I first saw the Peter Cook judge sketch years ago I had really no knowledge of the whole Thorpe affair and thought it was funny in its own right

It is.

[saltysnacks]

Hugh Grant has always been good, he just rode the waves of the rom-com checks.

[jobotic]

I'm sure that's true. I probably unfairly dismissed him because I hate British rom-coms.

Love his work against the British press filth as well.

[Bingo Fury]

Loved this, and wanted to go straight on to the next one the moment it ended. I've always thought that Hugh Grant is a much better actor than he gets credit for, and feel vindicated after this. I especially liked how in some set-ups they managed to get the make-up and lighting to bring a distinctively Thorpe-ish cadaverousness to his features.

I also thought that Tim Roth had never been better than when he played Christie in Rillington Place a few months ago. So that's two actors who've spent most of their career on the big screen who IMHO turned out career-best (or very close to it) performances in recent BBC TV dramas.

[Norton Canes]

Phenomenally good. Career best stuff from Grant, Davies back to his inspired best. Enthralling from start to finish.

[Beagle 2]

I watched it again last night, blimey, everybody's just acting their arses off in this. It's really funny, apart from anything else. I loved the scene in the car and the rubbish attempt to threaten Norman. Some brilliant pursing of lips in this, lads.

[Norton Canes]

I've long held that Tinker, Tailor... has the greatest opening scene in UK television drama history but I'm now having to reconsider.

[Mr_Simnock]

Watched this and found it really really good, brilliant acting from everyone, can't remember the last time I thought that. That Thames-side tugging scene shocked me a bit (in a good way, I lolled), that would never have even been considered to show up until a few years ago. Best political drama for about ten years at least.

[gilbertharding]

This gets better.

The way it makes you feel about the two main protagonists changes from scene to scene. As soon as you start to feel sorry for Thorpe, he says or does something to completely change your mind. And as soon as you begin to wish someone WOULD just shoot Norman... though how Thorpe ever expected to get away with it is a bit of a mystery. Clearly a few screws loose.

And then you're wondering exactly why you're finding what is actually a very dark (oh, sure, the only actual casualty is a Great Dane), actually true story so very funny.

I'd love to believe Gino Newton was really just like Neil from the Inbetweeners with a 'tache.

[ollyboro]

This gets better.

... though how Thorpe ever expected to get away with it is a bit of a mystery. Clearly a few screws loose.

Nobody thought more of Jeremy Thorpe than Jeremy Thorpe. From the age of 9 he was convinced he would one day become prime minister. All the praise showered on him through university and beyond convinced him of his brilliance. His reckless pursuit of dangerous sex (when homosexuality was illegal) showed how untouchable he saw himself. He even believed he could get Princess Margaret to marry him.

[gilbertharding]

Apparently Thorpe was nearly Tony Armstrong-Jones' best man. Another candidate for the job was the man who raised Lord Snowdon's illegitimate daughter.

Considering the entire point of these wankers is that they're supposed to be better than us, it's amazing how much their lives resemble an episode of Jeremy Kyle.

[Harry Badger]

Just caught up with the second epsiode now. Absolutely fantastic stuff. I expect some of the details regarding Newton have been embellished a little but for fuck's sake, what a staggeringly incompetent bunch these were. Slightly disappointed we didn't get to see some negotiations and flirtation between Thorpe and Ted Heath after the 1974 election.

[Jockice]

Just caught up with the second epsiode now. Absolutely fantastic stuff. I expect some of the details regarding Newton have been embellished a little but for fuck's sake, what a staggeringly incompetent bunch these were. Slightly disappointed we didn't get to see some negotiations and flirtation between Thorpe and Ted Heath after the 1974 election.

I thought the Dunstable/Barnstable bit was a bit unlikely so I looked it up. It was actually true.

[Norton Canes]

Having read John Preston's exhaustively researched book I'm surprised how many of the little details RTD incorporated into his script, sometimes even at the expense of narrative expediency.

[Alberon]

It's like Stupid House of Cards. Fantastic stuff and even more so for being largely a true story.

[Alberon]

The BBC is using their news website to advertise the last part of the series.

For those who really don't know what happens next the bit below contains spoilers.






http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-44336859

There was an investigation a few years ago that there was another attempt to hire a different hitman hired before the attempt shown in episode 2.

Claims that police altered the evidence of another person being hired to kill Mr Scott before Newton, a small-time air pilot, were unearthed by BBC Panorama journalist Tom Mangold in 2014, the year Mr Thorpe died.

Dennis Meighan said he was approached by associates of Mr Thorpe, and Newton, to carry out the murder.

This led to Gwent Police reopening the investigation, but after they concluded Newton was dead, the Crown Prosecution Service told Mr Scott no further action would be taken.

Mr Scott, 78, said: "I just don't think anyone's tried hard enough to look for him. I really don't.

"I thought [Gwent Police] were doing something at last and soon found out that absolutely they weren't, they were continuing the cover up as far as I can see."

Gwent Police said after revisiting some enquiries, investigators "identified information, which indicates that Mr Newton may still be alive".

"As a result, further enquiries will be conducted to trace Mr Newton to assess if he is able to assist the investigation."

[Norton Canes]

That's shocking by the BBC.

[BlodwynPig]

That's shocking by the BBC.

To be expected, they've been doing this for two decades now.

[Alberon]

To be fair, the Telegraph and the Guardian went with the same headline.

[MattD]

Need to watch this given all the excellent reviews, but as an aside, given the story of Thorpe, is it not a tad disconcerting how Liberal politicians today still speak of him in awed tones? Maybe I'm missing something completely?

Anyway, a fun bit of trivia. RTD used to write episodes of Chucklevision. From Paul & Barry Chuckle to this raved piece of work. Although I don't think there was any homoerotic subtexts in Chucklevision.

[biggytitbo]

Although I don't think there was any homoerotic subtexts in Chucklevision.

You missed the episode where they bummed each other then?