Page Eight
Encyclopedia
Page Eight is a 2011 film written and directed for the BBC
by the British writer David Hare
, his first film as director since the 1989 film Strapless
. The cast includes Bill Nighy
, Rachel Weisz
, Michael Gambon
, Tom Hughes
, Ralph Fiennes
, and Judy Davis
. The film had its world premiere on 18 June 2011 at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
. It was broadcast on BBC Two
and BBC HD
on 28 August 2011 in the United Kingdom, and on PBS in the United States on 6 November 2011.
) is a long-serving MI5
officer whose closest friend is also his boss, the Director General of MI5, Benedict Baron (Michael Gambon
). Baron dies of a heart attack at his country home where he lives with his wife (Johnny's ex-wife) and step daughter (Johnny's daughter). Baron's death comes shortly after distributing a highly explosive report to two MI5 officers (Worricker and Jill Tankard—Judy Davis
) and then sharing it with the Home Secretary
. At the meeting with the Home Secretary (Saskia Reeves
), Worricker verbally highlights a note at the foot of page eight alleging that the Prime Minister
is aware that the US administration has been torturing prisoners in secret overseas prisons, and had knowledge of the locations of the prisons. The implication is that the PM had intelligence information that he did not share with the security services, that might have saved British lives.
Johnny feels compelled to carry out the unspoken but obvious wishes of Baron to make the content of the report public. Tankard does not support his actions because she is secretly working for the Prime Minister's office, running a politicized "cowboy" intelligence operation for him. The Prime Minister (Ralph Fiennes
) orders the report to be buried and announces plans to replace MI5 with a US style Homeland Security
organization. The Home Secretary's silence is bought by promoting her to Deputy Prime Minister. Also, Johnny finds out that Tankard's own son was privately funded by Tankard to monitor Johnny's life.
At the same time, Johnny has had a chance or planned encounter with his political activist neighbor Nancy Pierpan (Rachel Weisz
). Their relationship is perhaps the greatest mystery in the entire story. Their encounters appear a bit too staged to be genuine and yet too genuine to be staged. As they grow to know each other (which includes Johnny sharing his love of traditional Jazz and showing Nancy a video of The Sound of Jazz
, while explaining a bit of the relationship between Lester Young
and Billie Holiday
), they appear to create two subtly handled relationships which at first blush appear to be paradoxical. One relationship is the suspected/expected story of a women motivated by seeking justice for her brother by using an MI5 agent which is overtly discussed throughout the drama by several characters, such as Johnny's trusted associate, named Rollo. The second relationship, which is conducted simultaneously yet not overtly discussed, is one of radical honesty and love between Johnny and Nancy even about the nature of their possibly staged relationship (above). Through skillful dialogue whether one or the other, or both the relationships are the truth is left for the eaves droppers (within the story the government via Tankard listening in, but outside the story, we the viewers) to reflect upon (see 'in the end' below)
In the end, Johnny is forced to walk out of his job to uncover the truth. Before leaving, he gives Nancy a painting (by Christopher Wood
) from his valuable art collection. After his disappearance, she hears information about her brother's death on the radio, realises it has been leaked to the media by Johnny, and sees the painting as a clue to his destination which Tankard would not be able to discern.
Parts were filmed in Jesus College, Cambridge
, in which undergraduates and Fellows were recruited as extras.
BBC
The British Broadcasting Corporation is a British public service broadcaster. Its headquarters is at Broadcasting House in the City of Westminster, London. It is the largest broadcaster in the world, with about 23,000 staff...
by the British writer David Hare
David Hare (playwright)
Sir David Hare is an English playwright and theatre and film director.-Early life:Hare was born in St Leonards-on-Sea, Hastings, East Sussex, the son of Agnes and Clifford Hare, a sailor. He was educated at Lancing, an independent school in West Sussex, and at Jesus College, Cambridge...
, his first film as director since the 1989 film Strapless
Strapless
Strapless is a 1989 film written and directed by David Hare.-Plot summary:An expatriate American doctor in London allows herself to lighten up when her freewheeling younger sister and a mysterious man enter her life. Her inhibitions released, the beautiful doctor learns that freedom has its own...
. The cast includes Bill Nighy
Bill Nighy
William Francis "Bill" Nighy is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof...
, Rachel Weisz
Rachel Weisz
Rachel Hannah Weisz born 7 March 1970)is an English-American film and theatre actress and former fashion model. She started her acting career at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where she co-founded the theatrical group Cambridge Talking Tongues...
, Michael Gambon
Michael Gambon
Sir Michael John Gambon, CBE is an Irish actor who has worked in theatre, television and film. A highly respected theatre actor, Gambon is recognised for his roles as Philip Marlowe in the BBC television serial The Singing Detective, as Jules Maigret in the 1990s ITV serial Maigret, and as...
, Tom Hughes
Tom Hughes (actor)
Tom Hughes is an English actor, best known for his roles as Jonty Millingden in ITV drama Trinity, Chaz Jankel in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Bruce Pearson in Cemetery Junction, and Nick Slade in BBC legal drama Silk....
, Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....
, and Judy Davis
Judy Davis
Judy Davis is an Australian actress best known for her roles in Husbands and Wives, Barton Fink, A Passage to India and in the TV miniseries Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows....
. The film had its world premiere on 18 June 2011 at the Edinburgh International Film Festival
Edinburgh International Film Festival
The Edinburgh International Film Festival is an annual fortnight of cinema screenings and related events taking place each June. Established in 1947, it is the world's oldest continually running film festival...
. It was broadcast on BBC Two
BBC Two
BBC Two is the second television channel operated by the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It covers a wide range of subject matter, but tending towards more 'highbrow' programmes than the more mainstream and popular BBC One. Like the BBC's other domestic TV and radio...
and BBC HD
BBC HD
BBC HD is a high-definition television network provided by the BBC. The service was initially run as a trial from 15 May 2006 until becoming a full service on 1 December 2007...
on 28 August 2011 in the United Kingdom, and on PBS in the United States on 6 November 2011.
Plot
Johnny Worricker (Bill NighyBill Nighy
William Francis "Bill" Nighy is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof...
) is a long-serving MI5
MI5
The Security Service, commonly known as MI5 , is the United Kingdom's internal counter-intelligence and security agency and is part of its core intelligence machinery alongside the Secret Intelligence Service focused on foreign threats, Government Communications Headquarters and the Defence...
officer whose closest friend is also his boss, the Director General of MI5, Benedict Baron (Michael Gambon
Michael Gambon
Sir Michael John Gambon, CBE is an Irish actor who has worked in theatre, television and film. A highly respected theatre actor, Gambon is recognised for his roles as Philip Marlowe in the BBC television serial The Singing Detective, as Jules Maigret in the 1990s ITV serial Maigret, and as...
). Baron dies of a heart attack at his country home where he lives with his wife (Johnny's ex-wife) and step daughter (Johnny's daughter). Baron's death comes shortly after distributing a highly explosive report to two MI5 officers (Worricker and Jill Tankard—Judy Davis
Judy Davis
Judy Davis is an Australian actress best known for her roles in Husbands and Wives, Barton Fink, A Passage to India and in the TV miniseries Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows....
) and then sharing it with the Home Secretary
Home Secretary
The Secretary of State for the Home Department, commonly known as the Home Secretary, is the minister in charge of the Home Office of the United Kingdom, and one of the country's four Great Offices of State...
. At the meeting with the Home Secretary (Saskia Reeves
Saskia Reeves
Saskia Reeves is a British actress perhaps best known for her roles in the films Close My Eyes and ID , and the 2000 miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune....
), Worricker verbally highlights a note at the foot of page eight alleging that the Prime Minister
Prime Minister of the United Kingdom
The Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland is the Head of Her Majesty's Government in the United Kingdom. The Prime Minister and Cabinet are collectively accountable for their policies and actions to the Sovereign, to Parliament, to their political party and...
is aware that the US administration has been torturing prisoners in secret overseas prisons, and had knowledge of the locations of the prisons. The implication is that the PM had intelligence information that he did not share with the security services, that might have saved British lives.
Johnny feels compelled to carry out the unspoken but obvious wishes of Baron to make the content of the report public. Tankard does not support his actions because she is secretly working for the Prime Minister's office, running a politicized "cowboy" intelligence operation for him. The Prime Minister (Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Fiennes
Ralph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....
) orders the report to be buried and announces plans to replace MI5 with a US style Homeland Security
United States Department of Homeland Security
The United States Department of Homeland Security is a cabinet department of the United States federal government, created in response to the September 11 attacks, and with the primary responsibilities of protecting the territory of the United States and protectorates from and responding to...
organization. The Home Secretary's silence is bought by promoting her to Deputy Prime Minister. Also, Johnny finds out that Tankard's own son was privately funded by Tankard to monitor Johnny's life.
At the same time, Johnny has had a chance or planned encounter with his political activist neighbor Nancy Pierpan (Rachel Weisz
Rachel Weisz
Rachel Hannah Weisz born 7 March 1970)is an English-American film and theatre actress and former fashion model. She started her acting career at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where she co-founded the theatrical group Cambridge Talking Tongues...
). Their relationship is perhaps the greatest mystery in the entire story. Their encounters appear a bit too staged to be genuine and yet too genuine to be staged. As they grow to know each other (which includes Johnny sharing his love of traditional Jazz and showing Nancy a video of The Sound of Jazz
The Sound of Jazz
"The Sound of Jazz" is a 1957 edition of the CBS television series Seven Lively Arts, and was one of the first major programmes featuring jazz to air on American network television....
, while explaining a bit of the relationship between Lester Young
Lester Young
Lester Willis Young , nicknamed "Prez", was an American jazz tenor saxophonist and clarinetist. He also played trumpet, violin, and drums....
and Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday
Billie Holiday was an American jazz singer and songwriter. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and musical partner Lester Young, Holiday had a seminal influence on jazz and pop singing...
), they appear to create two subtly handled relationships which at first blush appear to be paradoxical. One relationship is the suspected/expected story of a women motivated by seeking justice for her brother by using an MI5 agent which is overtly discussed throughout the drama by several characters, such as Johnny's trusted associate, named Rollo. The second relationship, which is conducted simultaneously yet not overtly discussed, is one of radical honesty and love between Johnny and Nancy even about the nature of their possibly staged relationship (above). Through skillful dialogue whether one or the other, or both the relationships are the truth is left for the eaves droppers (within the story the government via Tankard listening in, but outside the story, we the viewers) to reflect upon (see 'in the end' below)
In the end, Johnny is forced to walk out of his job to uncover the truth. Before leaving, he gives Nancy a painting (by Christopher Wood
Christopher Wood (English painter)
John Christopher Wood , often called Kit Wood, was an English painter born in Knowsley, near Liverpool.-Biography:-Early life:Christopher Wood was born in Knowsley to Doctor Lucius and Clare Wood...
) from his valuable art collection. After his disappearance, she hears information about her brother's death on the radio, realises it has been leaked to the media by Johnny, and sees the painting as a clue to his destination which Tankard would not be able to discern.
Cast
- Bill NighyBill NighyWilliam Francis "Bill" Nighy is an English actor and comedian. He worked in theatre and television before his first cinema role in 1981, and made his name in television with The Men's Room in 1991, in which he played the womanizer Prof...
as Johnny Worricker - Rachel WeiszRachel WeiszRachel Hannah Weisz born 7 March 1970)is an English-American film and theatre actress and former fashion model. She started her acting career at Trinity Hall, Cambridge, where she co-founded the theatrical group Cambridge Talking Tongues...
as Nancy Pierpan - Michael GambonMichael GambonSir Michael John Gambon, CBE is an Irish actor who has worked in theatre, television and film. A highly respected theatre actor, Gambon is recognised for his roles as Philip Marlowe in the BBC television serial The Singing Detective, as Jules Maigret in the 1990s ITV serial Maigret, and as...
as Benedict Baron - Tom HughesTom Hughes (actor)Tom Hughes is an English actor, best known for his roles as Jonty Millingden in ITV drama Trinity, Chaz Jankel in Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll, Bruce Pearson in Cemetery Junction, and Nick Slade in BBC legal drama Silk....
as Ralph Wilson - Judy DavisJudy DavisJudy Davis is an Australian actress best known for her roles in Husbands and Wives, Barton Fink, A Passage to India and in the TV miniseries Life with Judy Garland: Me and My Shadows....
as Jill Tankard - Saskia ReevesSaskia ReevesSaskia Reeves is a British actress perhaps best known for her roles in the films Close My Eyes and ID , and the 2000 miniseries Frank Herbert's Dune....
as Anthea Catcheside - Ewen BremnerEwen Bremner-Early life:Bremner was born in Edinburgh, the son of two art teachers. He attended Davidson's Mains Primary School and Portobello High School. He originally wanted to be a circus clown, but was offered a chance in show business by television director Richard D. Brooks. One of his first notable...
as Rollo Maverley - Rakhee Thakrar as Muna Hammami
- Felicity JonesFelicity JonesFelicity Jones is an English actress from Birmingham. She is best known to television audiences for her role as the school bully Ethel Hallow in the first series of The Worst Witch and its sequel Weirdsister College...
as Julianne Worricker - Richard LinternRichard LinternRichard Lintern is a British actor. He played a young Muhammad Ali Jinnah in the 1998 film Jinnah, and an American cop in the TV movie Lost Souls. He was also in The Bank Job in 2008 playing an MI5 officer ordered to retrieve the embarrassing proceeds of a bank robbery in 1970s London...
as Max Vallance - Ralph FiennesRalph FiennesRalph Nathaniel Twisleton-Wykeham-Fiennes is an English actor and film director. He has appeared in such films as The English Patient, In Bruges, The Constant Gardener, Strange Days, The Duchess and Schindler's List....
as Alec Beasley - Kate Burdette as Allegra Betts
- Holly Aird as Anna Herve
- Andrew Cleaver as Brian Lord
- Alice KrigeAlice KrigeAlice Maud Krige is a South African actress. Her first feature film role was as the Gilbert and Sullivan singer Sybil Gordon in the 1981 Academy Award-winning film Chariots of Fire...
as Emma Baron - Bruce Myers as Joseph Pierpan
- Marthe KellerMarthe KellerMarthe Keller is a Swiss actress and opera director. She studied ballet as a child, but stopped after a skiing accident at age 16...
as Leona Chew - Aisling LoftusAisling LoftusAisling Loftus is an English actress. She is the daughter of Irish parents, Paddy and Eileen, and has an older sister, Aoife....
as Melissa Legge - James McArdleJames McArdleJames McArdle is a British actor from Glasgow. Having worked as a child actor in films he trained at RADA graduating in 2010. In his graduation year he appeared in Macbeth at The Globe and starred in the summer smash hit Spur of the Moment by Anya Reiss at the Royal Court Theatre in London, since...
as Ted Finch - Jay BenedictJay BenedictJay Benedict is an American actor, best known in the United Kingdom for his role as Captain John Kieffer in Foyle's War .He has lived and worked in Europe since the 1960s...
as Master of the college - Surendra Kochar as Mrs Ashanti
- Bijan DaneshmandBijan DaneshmandBijan Daneshmand is a writer, director, actor based in England.He was educated in England at Eastbourne College, a graduate of King's College London, and trained for acting at the London Centre For Theatre Studies and Philippe Gaulier, Paris...
as Cambridge don - Kriss Dosanjh as Minicab owner
- Hywel Morgan as Priest
- Rory Morrison as Radio announcer
- Charlotte GreenCharlotte GreenCharlotte Green is a British radio continuity announcer and news reader for BBC Radio 4. Since 1998 she has specialised in news reading, including reading the news on Radio 4 flagship Today, and reading news items on The News Quiz...
as Radio announcer
Parts were filmed in Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College, Cambridge
Jesus College is a constituent college of the University of Cambridge, England.The College was founded in 1496 on the site of a Benedictine nunnery by John Alcock, then Bishop of Ely...
, in which undergraduates and Fellows were recruited as extras.