The Night Manager? Anyone?

Author
Discussion

Zod

35,295 posts

257 months

Wednesday 30th March 2016
quotequote all
r11co said:
Zod said:
Lewis is too old to start now.
Roger Moore was older than Sean Connery when he got the gig.
Yes, but he should have given up after The Spy Who Loved Me. By a View to a Kill, it was embarrassign to watch him.

Halmyre

11,148 posts

138 months

Wednesday 30th March 2016
quotequote all
Zod said:
r11co said:
Zod said:
Lewis is too old to start now.
Roger Moore was older than Sean Connery when he got the gig.
Yes, but he should have given up after The Spy Who Loved Me. By a View to a Kill, it was embarrassign to watch him.
Yes, but I'll allow him 'For Your Eyes Only', which is IMO one of the better Moores (damning with faint praise?). Actually, one of the better Bond films, full stop.

r11co

6,244 posts

229 months

Wednesday 30th March 2016
quotequote all
Halmyre said:
Yes, but I'll allow him 'For Your Eyes Only', which is IMO one of the better Moores (damning with faint praise?). Actually, one of the better Bond films, full stop.
yes

Zod

35,295 posts

257 months

Wednesday 30th March 2016
quotequote all
Halmyre said:
Zod said:
r11co said:
Zod said:
Lewis is too old to start now.
Roger Moore was older than Sean Connery when he got the gig.
Yes, but he should have given up after The Spy Who Loved Me. By a View to a Kill, it was embarrassign to watch him.
Yes, but I'll allow him 'For Your Eyes Only', which is IMO one of the better Moores (damning with faint praise?). Actually, one of the better Bond films, full stop.
A good movie, even if he's old. Topol is great in it.

Beefmeister

16,482 posts

229 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
quotequote all
Ayahuasca said:
Not really touched on in the film (haven't read the book), but it was very much Arms Dealing = Bad, preventing Arms Dealing = Good.

Not always the case.

Lets say that the arms that a buyer wanted were destined for (say) the anti-Assad forces in Syria.

Government legislation might prevent official sales to a 'non-state actor'.

But the UK Gov wants to support the rebels because it is in the UK's national interest.

What do do?

Enter the 'unofficial' arms dealer.

Our Intelligence services would be rightly pissed off that some low-budget 'law enforcement' operation was jeopardising the deal.

Hence, I guess, in the series the intelligence boys had to be made corrupt too.


Agreed that sometimes it needs to be done. But maybe not with Sarin gas.....

Escapegoat

5,135 posts

134 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
quotequote all
Ayahuasca said:
Not really touched on in the film (haven't read the book), but it was very much Arms Dealing = Bad, preventing Arms Dealing = Good.

Not always the case.

Lets say that the arms that a buyer wanted were destined for (say) the anti-Assad forces in Syria.

Government legislation might prevent official sales to a 'non-state actor'.

But the UK Gov wants to support the rebels because it is in the UK's national interest.

What do do?

Enter the 'unofficial' arms dealer.

Our Intelligence services would be rightly pissed off that some low-budget 'law enforcement' operation was jeopardising the deal.

Hence, I guess, in the series the intelligence boys had to be made corrupt too.


The ends justifies the means (very PH!). Yes, it's wrong.

And that's ignoring the reality, so perfectly demonstrated in Syria, that once sold to your 'good' rebels, the arms simply end up somewhere else. Someone else gets rich and HMG can't do anything about it.

Corruption is a gift that keeps giving.

DS240

4,637 posts

217 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
quotequote all
So, the rumoured second series.... where would the plot go?

- Different characters, new storyline? (Unlikely)
- Roper survived with big money bail out.. being 'kidnapped' at the end was protecting him and the buyers. (Roper at work again, but how would pine be involved again)
- '10 years later'... Ropers son has picked up dads business
- Pine now officially an agent and working on new storyline unrelated.

Any other clues/ideas?

Doofus

25,732 posts

172 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
quotequote all
DS240 said:
So, the rumoured second series.... where would the plot go?

- Different characters, new storyline? (Unlikely)
- Roper survived with big money bail out.. being 'kidnapped' at the end was protecting him and the buyers. (Roper at work again, but how would pine be involved again)
- '10 years later'... Ropers son has picked up dads business
- Pine now officially an agent and working on new storyline unrelated.

Any other clues/ideas?
Exactly. Why can't TV execs use some courage and common sense sometimes? Some stories have a beginning, middle and end, and are best left at that.

So many times, TV companies produce a series, find a success on their hands, and immediately commission a second series, which is crap. A decent series is often such because it's been well written, and properly formed. In that respect, it has a proper ending, and should be left alone.

There's no shortage of other novels to televise. I don't even object to the same actors being allowed to perform in some of them.

SROP RUINING STUFF BY TRYING TO REPEAT A SURPRISE SUCCESS. USE YOUR IMAGINATION, AND DO SOMETHING ELSE NEW!

Halb

53,012 posts

182 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
quotequote all
Zod said:
I'm mildly amused that the British secret services are largely staffed by former comic actors. They're all doing a great job.
LIke the real British SS?

daddy cool

3,996 posts

228 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
quotequote all
DS240 said:
So, the rumoured second series.... where would the plot go?

- Different characters, new storyline? (Unlikely)
- Roper survived with big money bail out.. being 'kidnapped' at the end was protecting him and the buyers. (Roper at work again, but how would pine be involved again)
- '10 years later'... Ropers son has picked up dads business
- Pine now officially an agent and working on new storyline unrelated.

Any other clues/ideas?
Perhaps the sequel could be called “The Secret Agent”.

Jonathan Pine is a secret agent that enjoys his job, serving his superiors, assassinating foreign enemies, no questions asked. However, while at work a hot woman who he’s taken a shine to hands her notice in – saying shes changing careers and becoming a chambermaid. Hes confused and angry and horny, and runs away, to be a secret agent in another country.
Months later he sees the man – Micky Sloper – who was implicated in the career decision of his girl, which stirs the feelings of revenge. Micky is rumoured to be involved in a global chain of executive hotels, but is most famous for his charity work.

Pine is then approached by the hotel reviewer for Trip Advisor (a belligerent woman with an unbelievable regional accent and a pregnancy that seems to last 3 years), who asks if he’d like the job as a Night Manager in Micky’s flagship hotel in order to investigate levels of customer service from the inside. Without a second thought he says yes! But first they have to construct a back story. He begins by moving to Devon where he assumes a new alias while working on reception in a Travel Lodge, and gets a reputation for… truly excellent customer service and communication skills.

Months later, at one of Micky’s hotels in Morocco, Pine "happens to be passing" when a customer is being particularly difficult about paying the bill for the frankly extortionate mini-bar bill, and arguing with the Night Manager. Pine diffuses the situation, but not before getting a slap to the face from the disgruntled guest.
Micky witnesses this, and despite his better judgement and usual insistence on knowing everything about potential employees, offers Pine a job as his new Night Manager – much to the annoyance of the current one, who is slowly sidelined and reassigned to Bellboy.
Over the next years few days, Pine proves a fantastic Night Manager, and forms a closer and closer relationship with Micky. And not just Mickey, but also his vacuous blonde bimbo of a girlfriend (played by Paris Hilton) and its not long before hes doing adult cuddles with her behind Mickys back.

Pine is brought into a deal that Micky is orchestrating with some Arab investors - they need a pretty boy to grin like a retard, that how you do business – and he finds out their plan is truly terrifying. They intend to invest 600 million into a chain of hotels which will bring unparalleled luxury to their guests!

Can Pine stop the deal? Will the Bellboy expose him and Paris Hilton? Will Micky realise his dream of luxury at affordable prices? Will Pine ever get over the girl that became a Chambermaid? Will Olivia Coleman ever have that baby?

Halb

53,012 posts

182 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
quotequote all
GetCarter said:
It's the Bond movie they should have made.
Pretty much. This programme was brilliant, and I look forward to the next instalment! Great acting, writing, good drama and logical.

marcosgt

11,011 posts

175 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
quotequote all
daddy cool said:
DS240 said:
So, the rumoured second series.... where would the plot go?

- Different characters, new storyline? (Unlikely)
- Roper survived with big money bail out.. being 'kidnapped' at the end was protecting him and the buyers. (Roper at work again, but how would pine be involved again)
- '10 years later'... Ropers son has picked up dads business
- Pine now officially an agent and working on new storyline unrelated.

Any other clues/ideas?
Perhaps the sequel could be called “The Secret Agent”.

Jonathan Pine is a secret agent that enjoys his job, serving his superiors, assassinating foreign enemies, no questions asked. However, while at work a hot woman who he’s taken a shine to hands her notice in – saying shes changing careers and becoming a chambermaid. Hes confused and angry and horny, and runs away, to be a secret agent in another country.
Months later he sees the man – Micky Sloper – who was implicated in the career decision of his girl, which stirs the feelings of revenge. Micky is rumoured to be involved in a global chain of executive hotels, but is most famous for his charity work.

Pine is then approached by the hotel reviewer for Trip Advisor (a belligerent woman with an unbelievable regional accent and a pregnancy that seems to last 3 years), who asks if he’d like the job as a Night Manager in Micky’s flagship hotel in order to investigate levels of customer service from the inside. Without a second thought he says yes! But first they have to construct a back story. He begins by moving to Devon where he assumes a new alias while working on reception in a Travel Lodge, and gets a reputation for… truly excellent customer service and communication skills.

Months later, at one of Micky’s hotels in Morocco, Pine "happens to be passing" when a customer is being particularly difficult about paying the bill for the frankly extortionate mini-bar bill, and arguing with the Night Manager. Pine diffuses the situation, but not before getting a slap to the face from the disgruntled guest.
Micky witnesses this, and despite his better judgement and usual insistence on knowing everything about potential employees, offers Pine a job as his new Night Manager – much to the annoyance of the current one, who is slowly sidelined and reassigned to Bellboy.
Over the next years few days, Pine proves a fantastic Night Manager, and forms a closer and closer relationship with Micky. And not just Mickey, but also his vacuous blonde bimbo of a girlfriend (played by Paris Hilton) and its not long before hes doing adult cuddles with her behind Mickys back.

Pine is brought into a deal that Micky is orchestrating with some Arab investors - they need a pretty boy to grin like a retard, that how you do business – and he finds out their plan is truly terrifying. They intend to invest 600 million into a chain of hotels which will bring unparalleled luxury to their guests!

Can Pine stop the deal? Will the Bellboy expose him and Paris Hilton? Will Micky realise his dream of luxury at affordable prices? Will Pine ever get over the girl that became a Chambermaid? Will Olivia Coleman ever have that baby?
I'm in! They just need to get Andrew Davies to direct and set it in oooh 17th century Versailles... And cut it to 3 episodes, as a viewer I can't cope with as many as 6!

M

Ayahuasca

27,427 posts

278 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
quotequote all
Some time ago, the Defence Attache at the British embassy somewhere that was involved in a little war and subject to a UN arms embargo asked a relative of mine to act as a middleman for the sale of some missiles by a UK manufacturer to the government of said foreign country.

Sadly, my relative didn't want to get involved. We could have been Dicky Roper!

As well as moral qualms about being involved in arms sales, he thought the risk of doing something illegal, even on behalf of HM Government, was too high. Somebody else did it.

Shows it goes on.

Edited by Ayahuasca on Thursday 31st March 15:58

CardinalFang

639 posts

167 months

Thursday 31st March 2016
quotequote all
daddy cool said:
Perhaps the sequel could be called “The Secret Agent”.

Jonathan Pine is a secret agent that enjoys his job, serving his superiors, assassinating foreign enemies, no questions asked. However, while at work a hot woman who he’s taken a shine to hands her notice in – saying shes changing careers and becoming a chambermaid. Hes confused and angry and horny, and runs away, to be a secret agent in another country.
Months later he sees the man – Micky Sloper – who was implicated in the career decision of his girl, which stirs the feelings of revenge. Micky is rumoured to be involved in a global chain of executive hotels, but is most famous for his charity work.

Pine is then approached by the hotel reviewer for Trip Advisor (a belligerent woman with an unbelievable regional accent and a pregnancy that seems to last 3 years), who asks if he’d like the job as a Night Manager in Micky’s flagship hotel in order to investigate levels of customer service from the inside. Without a second thought he says yes! But first they have to construct a back story. He begins by moving to Devon where he assumes a new alias while working on reception in a Travel Lodge, and gets a reputation for… truly excellent customer service and communication skills.

Months later, at one of Micky’s hotels in Morocco, Pine "happens to be passing" when a customer is being particularly difficult about paying the bill for the frankly extortionate mini-bar bill, and arguing with the Night Manager. Pine diffuses the situation, but not before getting a slap to the face from the disgruntled guest.
Micky witnesses this, and despite his better judgement and usual insistence on knowing everything about potential employees, offers Pine a job as his new Night Manager – much to the annoyance of the current one, who is slowly sidelined and reassigned to Bellboy.
Over the next years few days, Pine proves a fantastic Night Manager, and forms a closer and closer relationship with Micky. And not just Mickey, but also his vacuous blonde bimbo of a girlfriend (played by Paris Hilton) and its not long before hes doing adult cuddles with her behind Mickys back.

Pine is brought into a deal that Micky is orchestrating with some Arab investors - they need a pretty boy to grin like a retard, that how you do business – and he finds out their plan is truly terrifying. They intend to invest 600 million into a chain of hotels which will bring unparalleled luxury to their guests!

Can Pine stop the deal? Will the Bellboy expose him and Paris Hilton? Will Micky realise his dream of luxury at affordable prices? Will Pine ever get over the girl that became a Chambermaid? Will Olivia Coleman ever have that baby?
10/10. Just needs to spend at least one episode setting Pine up as the straw man, perfectly placed to be the sacrificial lamb & completely hiding Micky, the dubious hoteliers & the cynical civil service from any involvement, only for TripAdvisor to find in the last 20 minutes, a crumpled mini bar bill, fully incriminating all parties involved & thus making the whole straw man ploy a complete waste of time...

unrepentant

21,212 posts

255 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
They've just finished airing this on AMC in the USA. I thought it was brilliant, the best thing I've seen this year. Laurie was utterly believable as the villain IMHO and I'm not surprised that the bookies have stopped taking bets on Hiddleston to be the next 007.

carl_w

9,154 posts

257 months

Friday 27th May 2016
quotequote all
unrepentant said:
They've just finished airing this on AMC in the USA. I thought it was brilliant, the best thing I've seen this year. Laurie was utterly believable as the villain IMHO and I'm not surprised that the bookies have stopped taking bets on Hiddleston to be the next 007.
I'm reading the book now and the Hugh Laurie and Tom Hollander casting was spot on IMHO.

Trevatanus

11,109 posts

149 months

Friday 18th January 2019
quotequote all
Tom Hiddlestone was on Radio 2 this morning saying that the John Le Carre family as looking at writing a follow up to this.

cuprabob

14,419 posts

213 months

Saturday 16th January 2021
quotequote all
Thread revival smile

Watched this back in 2016 when it was aired and noticed that it was on iPlayer so decided to watched it again to see if it was as good as I remembered and I'm glad to say it is.


popeyewhite

19,622 posts

119 months

Saturday 16th January 2021
quotequote all
cuprabob said:
Thread revival smile

Watched this back in 2016 when it was aired and noticed that it was on iPlayer so decided to watched it again to see if it was as good as I remembered and I'm glad to say it is.
I think I'll revisit this too. Having just finished The Little Drummer Girl (similar in theme to TNM), I'd like to see other worthwhile Le Carre adaptations. I know the cinematography is quite sumptuous and the plot stretched a bit for TV but I remember it being quite watchable when it first aired.

Lynchie999

3,421 posts

152 months

Saturday 16th January 2021
quotequote all
... It has Princess Diana in it now... well the same actress...