The Interrogation of Tony Martin

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Did anyone watch this? A one-off Channel 4 drama based on verbatim transcripts of interviews with the irascible Norfolk farmer who shot and killed a teenage burglar in 1999. At the time, people incapable of nuanced thought inevitably held him up as a brave exponent of vigilante justice. Everyone else thought, "Yeah, bit rum that, mate." 

I found it very interesting, as I didn't know anything about Martin beyond the basic details of his crime. I'm now of the expert opinion that he was/is probably mentally ill.

Steve Pemberton is superb as Martin. Once again he displays his unerring gift for imbuing ostensibly off-putting characters with ambiguity and pathos. It's a mesmerising performance.*

Anyway, I thought it was rather good. The last few minutes in particular are very disturbing.

https://www.channel4.com/programmes/the-interrogation-of-tony-martin/on-demand/67356-001

* Although he does that thing with his mouth at one point, the passive-aggressive Pauline pout. Took me right out of the action for a moment, but that's more my fault than his. He can't help having a familiar comedy face.

[Endicott]

I nearly watched it. Didn't realise Pemberton was in it, that might have swung it, so I may give it a go on catchup.

I remember the crime itself and the ensuing national debate, with the as usual unnuanced thinkers, unable to comprehend that shooting someone in the back as they run away from you cannot be considered self defence in English law. We are not God-damn Americans. If Martin is ill that never came across in the coverage at the time.

[New Jack]

He got diminished responsibility based on paranoid personality disorder, well, the appeals court at the time heard

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

He got diminished responsibility based on paranoid personality disorder, well, the appeals court at the time heard

As I say, the script is largely based on verbatim transcripts of police interviews, during which Martin does come across as someone with mental health issues.

[imitationleather]

I thought this was really good. It probably did need actual Tony Martin to appear at the end to make clear he is actually quite bizarre in real life. Without that it would be easy to think Pemberton's performance was a bit OTT. Along with the Pauline pout there were moments where he seemed to be channelling Pop.

Last I'd heard of Tony Martin he was in the papers saying that the UK needed to be led by a dictator like Hitler. He's someone who ticked the boxes of an ongoing tabloid campaign at the time (that you should be allowed to kill burglars like they are in America) but who was massively flawed and really not the person they would have chosen as the pin-up for it.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

I thought this was really good. It probably did need actual Tony Martin to appear at the end to make clear he is actually quite bizarre in real life. Without that it would be easy to think Pemberton's performance was a bit OTT. Along with the Pauline pout there were moments where he seemed to be channelling Pop.

Last I'd heard of Tony Martin he was in the papers saying that the UK needed to be led by a dictator like Hitler. He's someone who ticked the boxes of an ongoing tabloid campaign at the time (that you should be allowed to kill burglars like they are in America) but who was massively flawed and really not the person they would have chosen as the pin-up for it.

Yeah, Martin turned out to be a bit too blatantly racist for even the Mail to get behind. They must've been gutted.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tony_Martin_(farmer)#Threats,_interviews,_and_political_activity

As you say, when the man himself turned up at the end, Pemberton's performance didn't feel that strange at all. Not that it was a strange performance, he was very restrained for the most part, but towards the end - when he built up a head of steam - he did stray towards Pop and Pauline territory. Turns out he was right to do so, as the actual Tony Martin is a genuinely bizarre and disturbing man.

[holyzombiejesus]

He's from the same town as my wife and, in his favour, he drank in the best pub in town.

[mothman]

Oh, but it is so nice when the RW tabloids' darlings turn out to beyond the pale even for them. It reminds me of the new US media darling from a couple of years ago, the one they hoped would be their new Joe the Plumber. A farmer or something. Fox News etc. loved him, lapped his homebrew Tea Party wisdom up. Until he then said, "Now, let me tell y'all about the Negro..." You could just see them crumple in disappointment.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

Oh, but it is so nice when the RW tabloids' darlings turn out to beyond the pale even for them. It reminds me of the new US media darling from a couple of years ago, the one they hoped would be their new Joe the Plumber. A farmer or something. Fox News etc. loved him, lapped his homebrew Tea Party wisdom up. Until he then said, "Now, let me tell y'all about the Negro..." You could just see them crumple in disappointment.

It's immensely satisfying whenever that happens.

[sevendaughters]

more TV plays in our time please, if you're reading, commissioning editors

[BlodwynPig]

"That's the way things are, boy"

Legend Tony.

[Ballad of Ballard Berkley]

"Mr Martin, I'm afraid I'm going to have to shove your head into a fleeing cow's anus. Then I will set you both on fire."

"That's the way things are, boy."

[Cuellar]

Think I'll give this a go later on.

My eyes went all blurry and read this

In August 2014, it was revealed that Martin's house had been boarded up since his imprisonment and he had subsequently lived both with friends and in his car.

As saying he lives with both friends in his car

[mojo filters]

Just watched it on catch up. Bonus points for 4OD not managing to insert any painfully long ad breaks.

Pretty good, though it would have been interesting to have a little more context - eg when they flashed on screen that Martin could not have been on the stairs when he shot the kid, it would have been nice to know a bit more about the investigation.

I vaguely remember it, but didn't realise he'd had his murder conviction overturned to manslaughter. Seems fair, if he was psychologically challenged - though his appearance at the end suggested a complete lack of remorse.

Rather odd that he let's that nice house go to waste, especially if he's had to sleep in his car. If nothing else, why not sell it?

The whole thing made me feel nostalgic about good old British justice. In many states he'd have never faced charges, but the other kid would be held responsible for the murder under the appalling variations on the law of parties - facing the same penalty as if he'd committed the murder himself.