The Monocled Mutineer
Encyclopedia
The Monocled Mutineer is a British television
series made by the BBC
in 1986, and shown on BBC1
, the first episode being transmitted on 31 August 1986, intended to head BBC1's autumn season of drama. Viewed by about ten million people, the series caused some controversy at the time, as it drove right-wing newspapers to use it as an example of the BBC's supposed "left-wing" bias.
The four-part serial, written by Alan Bleasdale
and directed by Jim O'Brien, was an adaptation of the 1978 book of the same name by William Allison and John Fairley. A dramatisation of the life of Percy Toplis
, deserter from the British Army
during the First World War, it starred Paul McGann
in the title role and was Bleasdale's first historical drama, and his first adaptation of someone else's work for television.
The series was produced and broadcast in a period of great controversy for the BBC. During 1985 and 1986 the Peacock Committee
was deciding the future of the BBC, which caused renewed pressure on it to take advertising, while at the same time the Chairman of the Conservative Party
, Norman Tebbit
, was monitoring the BBC for evidence of left-wing bias. During the same period there was also much criticism of the BBC's programming; a legal action was brought against the BBC over the Panorama
programme "Maggie's Militant Tendency", which also caused 100 Conservative MPs to sign a motion calling for the resignation of Director General Alasdair Milne
and "the restoration of proper standards at the BBC."
criticised The Monocled Mutineer. He said: "The Étaples 'mutinies' amounted to no more than a few days of disorder, a little disrespect to officers and some loudly-voiced demands for human treatment. The army reacted briskly. It restored discipline by bringing in unaffected troops. It removed the cause of discontent by replacing the worst of the staff with wise men. That is about all there was to the British Army 'mutinies' of the 1914 - 1918 war."
Unfortunately this summary substantively overlooks the fact that, as a direct result of the mutiny, Corporal Jesse Robert Short (Northumberland Fusiliers) was condemned to death; three others soldiers were sentenced to 10 years penal servitude and others were jailed for up to a year's imprisonment with hard labour.
Keegan's piece was followed on 12 September by a statement to the press by Julian Putkowski
, who had acted as a historical advisor to the series. He claimed that the serial was "riddled with error" and the Daily Telegraph reported that "He accused the producer of ignoring his advice ... Mr Putkowski disclaimed all responsibility for what he says are factual errors and misinterpretations in the series. He accused the BBC of failing to consult him on the final version of the script and described the book by William Allison and John Fairley, on which the series is based, as 'a sensational version of the mutiny and Toplis' life.'"
In response to this, series producer Richard Broke admitted that there had been "small examples of dramatic licence [taken]", and went on to point out that "Mr Putkowski did not point out to us at any stage that Percy Toplis was not at Étaples Camp and he never challenged the book he knew we were working from." The BBC's Managing Director of Television, Bill Cotton
, further defended the series on the basis that it expressed "the greater truth about World War I". The BBC's official line was that the series is a drama, not a documentary and made no pretence at being a precise historical record. However, the damage had been done thanks to their original press campaign which had called The Monocled Mutineer a "true-life story"; Alasdair Milne blamed this on their advertising agency.
Finally, the 13 September edition of the Daily Mail
began a campaign against The Monocled Mutineer, branding it "a tissue of lies", while the following day's Mail on Sunday derided the original book that the series had been adapted from. The book's co-author, John Fairley, who was at that time Yorkshire TV's Director of Programmes, took legal advice on the allegations and commented at the time that he and Allison stood by everything in the book, saying that they had documentary evidence of one particular controversial scene. In response to this, the Daily Mail made no comment.
British television
Public television broadcasting started in the United Kingdom in 1936, and now has a collection of free and subscription services over a variety of distribution media, through which there are over 480 channelsTaking the base Sky EPG TV Channels. A breakdown is impossible due to a) the number of...
series made by the BBC
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...
in 1986, and shown on BBC1
BBC One
BBC One is the flagship television channel of the British Broadcasting Corporation in the United Kingdom. It was launched on 2 November 1936 as the BBC Television Service, and was the world's first regular television service with a high level of image resolution...
, the first episode being transmitted on 31 August 1986, intended to head BBC1's autumn season of drama. Viewed by about ten million people, the series caused some controversy at the time, as it drove right-wing newspapers to use it as an example of the BBC's supposed "left-wing" bias.
The four-part serial, written by Alan Bleasdale
Alan Bleasdale
Alan Bleasdale is an English television dramatist, best known for writing several social realist drama serials based on the lives of ordinary people.The Bleasdales live in prescot,liverpool,wales and london.-Early life:Bleasdale is an only child; his father worked in a food factory and his mother...
and directed by Jim O'Brien, was an adaptation of the 1978 book of the same name by William Allison and John Fairley. A dramatisation of the life of Percy Toplis
Percy Toplis
Francis Percy Toplis was a British criminal and imposter active during the First World War. He is sometimes claimed to have taken a major part in the Étaples Mutiny, as "The Monocled Mutineer", during the war, although there is some dispute as to whether he was actually present.Toplis was born in...
, deserter from the British Army
British Army
The British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
during the First World War, it starred Paul McGann
Paul McGann
Paul McGann is an English actor who made his name on the BBC serial The Monocled Mutineer, in which he played the lead role...
in the title role and was Bleasdale's first historical drama, and his first adaptation of someone else's work for television.
The series was produced and broadcast in a period of great controversy for the BBC. During 1985 and 1986 the Peacock Committee
Peacock Committee
The Peacock Committee, was a review into financing of the BBC. It was initiated by the Conservative government of Margaret Thatcher on March 27, 1985 and reporting on May 29, 1986. The committee was led by Professor Alan Peacock. The other 6 members were Samuel Brittan, Judith Chalmers, Jeremy...
was deciding the future of the BBC, which caused renewed pressure on it to take advertising, while at the same time the Chairman of the Conservative Party
Chairman of the Conservative Party
In the United Kingdom, the Chairman of the Conservative Party is responsible for running the party machine, overseeing Conservative Central Office. When the Conservatives are in power, the Chairman is usually a member of the Cabinet being given a sinecure position such as Minister without Portfolio...
, Norman Tebbit
Norman Tebbit
Norman Beresford Tebbit, Baron Tebbit, CH, PC , is a British politician. A member of the Conservative Party, he served in the Cabinet from 1981 to 1987 as Secretary of State for Employment...
, was monitoring the BBC for evidence of left-wing bias. During the same period there was also much criticism of the BBC's programming; a legal action was brought against the BBC over the Panorama
Panorama (TV series)
Panorama is a BBC Television current affairs documentary programme, which was first broadcast in 1953, and is the longest-running public affairs television programme in the world. Panorama has been presented by many well known BBC presenters, including Richard Dimbleby, Robin Day, David Dimbleby...
programme "Maggie's Militant Tendency", which also caused 100 Conservative MPs to sign a motion calling for the resignation of Director General Alasdair Milne
Alasdair Milne
Alasdair David Gordon Milne is a former BBC producer who became Controller of BBC Scotland, the BBC's Director of Programmes and then Director-General of the BBC in July 1982. His resignation was forced by the BBC Governors in January 1987, following pressure from the Thatcher government...
and "the restoration of proper standards at the BBC."
History
The BBC had originally approached Bleasdale in 1981 to adapt William Allison and John Fairley's 1978 book The Monocled Mutineer, which had at the time of its publication prompted questions in Parliament about the events of the Étaples Mutiny, which led to the discovery that all records of the Étaples Board of Enquiry had been destroyed long since. However, Bleasdale had at the time turned it down saying, "I don't do adaptations." He eventually changed his mind, finding some personal resonances in the story. As he commented: "My grandfather died on the Western Front six months before my father was born, and I found that a great pull to the story ..."Criticism
On 9 September the Daily Telegraph's Defence Correspondent John KeeganJohn Keegan
Sir John Keegan OBE FRSL is a British military historian, lecturer, writer and journalist. He has published many works on the nature of combat between the 14th and 21st centuries concerning land, air, maritime, and intelligence warfare, as well as the psychology of battle.-Life and career:John...
criticised The Monocled Mutineer. He said: "The Étaples 'mutinies' amounted to no more than a few days of disorder, a little disrespect to officers and some loudly-voiced demands for human treatment. The army reacted briskly. It restored discipline by bringing in unaffected troops. It removed the cause of discontent by replacing the worst of the staff with wise men. That is about all there was to the British Army 'mutinies' of the 1914 - 1918 war."
Unfortunately this summary substantively overlooks the fact that, as a direct result of the mutiny, Corporal Jesse Robert Short (Northumberland Fusiliers) was condemned to death; three others soldiers were sentenced to 10 years penal servitude and others were jailed for up to a year's imprisonment with hard labour.
Keegan's piece was followed on 12 September by a statement to the press by Julian Putkowski
Julian Putkowski
Julian Putkowski is a British university teacher, historian, researcher and broadcaster. He has written extensively on military executions in World War I.-Published works:...
, who had acted as a historical advisor to the series. He claimed that the serial was "riddled with error" and the Daily Telegraph reported that "He accused the producer of ignoring his advice ... Mr Putkowski disclaimed all responsibility for what he says are factual errors and misinterpretations in the series. He accused the BBC of failing to consult him on the final version of the script and described the book by William Allison and John Fairley, on which the series is based, as 'a sensational version of the mutiny and Toplis' life.'"
In response to this, series producer Richard Broke admitted that there had been "small examples of dramatic licence [taken]", and went on to point out that "Mr Putkowski did not point out to us at any stage that Percy Toplis was not at Étaples Camp and he never challenged the book he knew we were working from." The BBC's Managing Director of Television, Bill Cotton
Bill Cotton
Sir William Frederick "Bill" Cotton, CBE was a British television producer and executive, and the son of big-band leader Billy Cotton....
, further defended the series on the basis that it expressed "the greater truth about World War I". The BBC's official line was that the series is a drama, not a documentary and made no pretence at being a precise historical record. However, the damage had been done thanks to their original press campaign which had called The Monocled Mutineer a "true-life story"; Alasdair Milne blamed this on their advertising agency.
Finally, the 13 September edition of the Daily Mail
Daily Mail
The Daily Mail is a British daily middle-market tabloid newspaper owned by the Daily Mail and General Trust. First published in 1896 by Lord Northcliffe, it is the United Kingdom's second biggest-selling daily newspaper after The Sun. Its sister paper The Mail on Sunday was launched in 1982...
began a campaign against The Monocled Mutineer, branding it "a tissue of lies", while the following day's Mail on Sunday derided the original book that the series had been adapted from. The book's co-author, John Fairley, who was at that time Yorkshire TV's Director of Programmes, took legal advice on the allegations and commented at the time that he and Allison stood by everything in the book, saying that they had documentary evidence of one particular controversial scene. In response to this, the Daily Mail made no comment.
Cast
- Paul McGannPaul McGannPaul McGann is an English actor who made his name on the BBC serial The Monocled Mutineer, in which he played the lead role...
as Percy ToplisPercy ToplisFrancis Percy Toplis was a British criminal and imposter active during the First World War. He is sometimes claimed to have taken a major part in the Étaples Mutiny, as "The Monocled Mutineer", during the war, although there is some dispute as to whether he was actually present.Toplis was born in...
(4 episodes) - Bill Fellows as Geordie (3 episodes)
- Matthew MarshMatthew Marsh (actor)Matthew Marsh is an English actor. Matthew Marsh is the older brother of Jon Marsh of English dance band The Beloved. He has appeared in the films Alambrado, Spy Game, An American Haunting, Hawking and Bad Company, and guest-starred in the sixth series of the spy drama Spooks in 2007 and the...
as Charles Strange (3 episodes) - Anthony CalfAnthony CalfAnthony Calf is a British actor, born in Hammersmith, London, England. He studied acting at the London Academy of Music and Dramatic Art . He has recurring roles in the television medical drama Holby City, as Michael Beauchamp, and New Tricks as Strickland...
as Guinness (3 episodes) - Jane Wood as Annie Webster (2 episodes)
- Ron Donachie as Strachan (2 episodes)
- Timothy WestTimothy WestTimothy Lancaster West, CBE is an English film, stage and television actor.-Career:West's craggy looks ensured a career as a character actor rather than a leading man. He began his career as an Assistant Stage Manager at the Wimbledon Theatre in 1956, and followed this with several seasons of...
as Brigadeer-General Andrew Thomson (2 episodes) - Dave HillDave Hill (actor)David "Dave" Hill is a British actor. He was born in Skipton, North Yorkshire. He attended Ermysted's Grammar School for boys in Skipton. He has appeared in The Full Monty as well as many other TV series and films...
as Frank Webster (2 episodes) - Penelope WiltonPenelope WiltonPenelope Alice Wilton, OBE is an English actress.-Life and career:Penelope Alice Wilton was born in Scarborough, North Riding of Yorkshire, to a former actress mother and a businessman father. She is a niece of actors Bill Travers and Linden Travers and a cousin of the actor Richard Morant...
as Lady Angela Forbes (2 episodes) - Jerome FlynnJerome FlynnJerome Flynn is an English actor best known for his role as Corporal Paddy Garvey of the King's Fusiliers in the ITV series Soldier Soldier....
as Franny (2 episodes) - Cherie LunghiCherie LunghiCherie M. Lunghi is an English film, television and theatre actress. She is probably best known for her role as Guinevere in the 1981 film Excalibur, as football manageress Gabriella Benson in the 1990s television series The Manageress and for starring in a series of adverts for Kenco coffee. She...
as Dorothy (2 episodes) - David Allister as General Asser (2 episodes)
- Geoff Morrell as Aussie Gas Mask (2 episodes)
- Louis MellisLouis MellisLouis Mellis is a Scottish actor and screenwriter. Along with David Scinto, he wrote the screenplay for the 2000 film Sexy Beast and the 2009 film 44 Inch Chest....
as Scots Gas Mask (2 episodes) - Philip McGoughPhilip McGoughPhillip McGough is an English television actor best known for his 2010 role of Dr. Charlie Bradfield in the BBC Birmingham based soap opera, Doctors.-Career:...
as Edwin Woodhall (2 episodes) - Patrick DoylePatrick DoylePatrick Doyle is a Scottish musician and film score composer. A longtime collaborator of actor/director Kenneth Branagh, Doyle is known for his work scoring such critically acclaimed films as Henry V , Sense and Sensibility , Hamlet , and Gosford Park , as well as noteworthy blockbusters as Harry...
as Gilzean (2 episodes) - Aran Bell as Fellows (2 episodes)
- Billy Clarke as Dorothy (2 episodes)
- Terry Cundall as Bertam (2 episodes)
- Peter Hutchinson as Norman (2 episodes)
- Ted Richards as PC Fulton (2 episodes)
- Richard Ireson as Inspector Richie (2 episodes)
- David Miller as Spruce (2 episodes)
Episodes
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Awards
- BAFTABritish Academy Television AwardsThe British Academy Television Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . They have been awarded annually since 1954, and are analogous to the Emmy Awards in the United States.-Background:...
(1986) awarded to composer George FentonGeorge FentonGeorge Fenton is a British composer best known for his work writing film scores and music for television, although he also writes music for the theatre. His real name is George Howe but he is better known by his pseudonym of George Fenton.-Selected film and television credits:Fenton has composed...
for "Best Original Film Score" (the series also received 9 other BAFTA nominations)