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Amazon.co.uk Review
In the politically charged atmosphere of Margaret Thatcher's Britain, newspaper reporters are hungry for the big story that will make them stars and their newspapers famous. Nick Mullen (Gabriel Byrne in his first starring role) is one such reporter for the London Daily Dispatch. A top member of Parliament (Ian Bannen) is the focus of the latest political scandal: he has been photographed with a prostitute who is known to have Russian contacts. Nick barrels into the scandal full-bore, despite warnings from his mentor (a deft Denholm Elliott). Nick receives a tip that makes his story a front-page item and he quickly becomes a celebrity himself. But as he soon discovers, there is much more to the story than he imagined. Director David Drury (Prime Suspect 3) keeps this highly complex, John le Carré-esque story moving swiftly. The clues are hard to find at times but it is not because the story is told unclearly; rather, the filmmakers have decided that audiences can think for themselves and piece together the information along with Nick. Defence of the Realm overlooked and truly entertaining thinking person's film. --Doug Thomas
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
9 of 9 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Excellent film about a journalist who uncovers what appears to be a simple sleeze story which is much more dangerous. Excellent performances from all including a lovely young Greta Scacchi. A gripping story which is convoluted so you need to concentrate and probably watch it more than once.
The DVD is poor quality - the picture seems to throb on screen and the colours fluctuate within scenes. Widescreen would be nice if possible, I don't know. No extras is a shame, not even a trailer.
Never mind the poor quality though, it is worth it for this little, unseen gem.
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
I'm so pleased that some people have already written positive reviews of this film. It's one of my favourites and not because I'm a Scottish journalist (it doesn't exactly show us in an entirely positive light). It just shows how following a single loose thread can lead to something awesome. Referring to those previous reviews, the story is convoluted because it should be. Controversy and conspiracy aren't straightforward (not that I'm pretending to be a veteran but just think of your family politics and imagine it as a kind of case study for everything; every single person adds their own confusion). If anyone has been put off by the thought of there being no sex I advise you to keep a look out for what's in the background and perhaps you can be content with a truckload of sexism. For everyone else I advise you sit back and let yourself be pulled into this gripping tale. Once you're finished you can contemplate the thought of the Executive Producer now being a Lord.
10 of 11 people found the following review helpful
Format:DVD
A conspiracy film on par with the best, set in the UK during the Reagan/Thatcher era cold war, and as timely now as then. It has the barely controlled paranoid feel of the earlier American "The Parallax View", but the sinister agendas are more specific and topical to the day in which this one was made -- the mid-eighties US/Soviet nuclear brinksmanship over Europe. Any revival of the political thriller (long overdue, I think, considering all that has transpired in the past few years) needs to include this at festival screenings. I've heard a remake of "The Manchurian Candidate" is in the offing, in which case "Defense of the Realm" is due for rediscovery. Oh yeah, almost impossible to buy in the States these days. Just not Big or Flattering enough, I guess.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
good - pity about the plot
did'nt mind watching twice- lots of good acting and superb ending. BUT why do espionage-type films think that complicated plots are OK? Read more
Published 11 months ago by wiltshire
When National Security is at risk, no-one gets in the way.
This could have been a plot for MI-5 (and probably was) but has an eery air of reality about it. Although the beginning of the film harks back to a 1960's scandal (no pun intended... Read more
Published on 26 Feb 2009 by Junglies
An absolute cracker - as good as they come
The showbiz adage of 'never work with children or animals' was, within the British film industry, extended to 'never work with children, animals or Denholm Elliot'. Read more
Published on 24 Jan 2008 by zztopbanana
Very much a 1980's film
"Defence of the Realm" hasn't aged as well as I thought it might have . The Cold War political themes are outdated and the Fleet Street setting ,with it's drunken hacks... Read more
Published on 1 Mar 2006 by L. Davidson
Excellent movie, captures old Fleet Street
I recently saw this film again and, yes, it does repay several viewings. And although the cover-up stuff is very contemporary, what struck me this time is how, unintentionally,... Read more
Published on 14 Aug 2005
***** for the film, * for the [Carlton] UK Region 2 4:3 screen DVD
Long been a favourite dramatised documentary film.
Very accurate portrayal,
And a refreshing lack of 'love interest' distraction,
as the male and female... Read more
Very accurate portrayal,
And a refreshing lack of 'love interest' distraction,
as the male and female... Read more
Published on 15 Jun 2005 by Duncan
An absolute cracker - as good as they come
The showbiz adage of 'never work with children or animals' was, within the British film industry, extended to 'never work with children, animals or Denholm Elliot'. Read more
Published on 8 Jun 2003 by zztopbanana
Ahead of its time
This is a British "Enemy of the State" - without the hightech stuff. Gabriel Byrne is awesome, and the story line is fab. You must get this.
Published on 13 May 2000
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