The Trial of Christine Keeler
Discussion
The Trial of Christine Keeler a drama documentary started on Sunday 30th December and will run for six episodes.
It covers the scandal in 1963 involving John (Jack) Profumo the War minister in MacMillan's government and a young prostitute.
Seems to be quite authentic, although, what do I know?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profumo_affair
It covers the scandal in 1963 involving John (Jack) Profumo the War minister in MacMillan's government and a young prostitute.
Seems to be quite authentic, although, what do I know?
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Profumo_affair
I can normally nit pick period drama but this one has very few anachronisms . I was very young when the scandal broke but its aftermath was huge , a key part of Britain moving away from the staid , grey conformist 50s to the much more exciting 60s . Suddenly the Establishment -people like Harold Macmillan - looked stuffy and ancient .
Wait for the famous Mandy Rice Davies quote , in court - 'He would say that , wouldn't he ?' and the iconic photograph of a naked CK astride a chair
Some nice cars too - very classy Alvis especially . and the girls both look the part .
Wait for the famous Mandy Rice Davies quote , in court - 'He would say that , wouldn't he ?' and the iconic photograph of a naked CK astride a chair
Some nice cars too - very classy Alvis especially . and the girls both look the part .
coppice said:
I can normally nit pick period drama but this one has very few anachronisms . I was very young when the scandal broke but its aftermath was huge , a key part of Britain moving away from the staid , grey conformist 50s to the much more exciting 60s . Suddenly the Establishment -people like Harold Macmillan - looked stuffy and ancient .
Wait for the famous Mandy Rice Davies quote , in court - 'He would say that , wouldn't he ?' and the iconic photograph of a naked CK astride a chair
Some nice cars too - very classy Alvis especially . and the girls both look the part .
Pedant CornerWait for the famous Mandy Rice Davies quote , in court - 'He would say that , wouldn't he ?' and the iconic photograph of a naked CK astride a chair
Some nice cars too - very classy Alvis especially . and the girls both look the part .
"Well, he would wouldn't he" is the correct quote.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mandy_Rice-Davies
coppice said:
Wait for the famous Mandy Rice Davies quote , in court - 'He would say that , wouldn't he ?' and the iconic photograph of a naked CK astride a chair
Well I didn't know that was her. I just thought it was a model, like the tennis player showing her bottom. For years I thought that was Kylie Minogue. How does the show compare with the "Very English Scandal" drama? Are the same production people involved?
It's as good , but lacks the criminally underrated Hugh Grant .
One thing you should know about being ..umm .. the same age as Nelson Piquet (bloody old ) is that sometimes I fall into the trap of assuming everybody knows the same stuff . To my generation the image of Keeler really does merit the oft mis -used accolade of 'iconic ' and thus it seems .incomprehensible others don't !
One thing you should know about being ..umm .. the same age as Nelson Piquet (bloody old ) is that sometimes I fall into the trap of assuming everybody knows the same stuff . To my generation the image of Keeler really does merit the oft mis -used accolade of 'iconic ' and thus it seems .incomprehensible others don't !
Edited by coppice on Tuesday 31st December 09:12
k me’.sgtBerbatov said:
coppice said:
Wait for the famous Mandy Rice Davies quote , in court - 'He would say that , wouldn't he ?' and the iconic photograph of a naked CK astride a chair
Well I didn't know that was her. I just thought it was a model, like the tennis player showing her bottom. For years I thought that was Kylie Minogue. How does the show compare with the "Very English Scandal" drama? Are the same production people involved?
coppice said:
I can normally nit pick period drama but this one has very few anachronisms .
I can't do anachronisms from then, but I did wonder about a couple of pieces. The chap that popped up for Emilia Fox's autograph seemed to disappear when they started walking forward again, and when the McMafia bloke parked his Jaguar outside the flat towards the end of episode 2, when the girls came outside moments later it was gone. ETA - and the way that chap with the gun, standing the width of the mews minus the width of a black cab away, managed to shoot a glass jug on a low cupboard through the first floor window, of course.I did hear the announcer say it concludes on Sunday, but I'm sure the EPG information says Ep x of 6. I'm not sure I'm a big fan of the constant, often unannounced, jumping backwards and forwards in the timeline. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes it isn't.
Edited by droopsnoot on Tuesday 31st December 10:14
droopsnoot said:
I'm not sure I'm a big fan of the constant, often unannounced, jumping backwards and forwards in the timeline. Sometimes it's obvious, sometimes it isn't.
I don't know why they bothered? Couldn't see the point. Obviously it's all done and dusted now, so will just have to put up with a few more I suppose?coppice said:
It's as good , but lacks the criminally underrated Hugh Grant .
One thing you should know about being ..umm .. the same age as Nelson Piquet (bloody old ) is that sometimes I fall into the trap of assuming everybody knows the same stuff . To my generation the image of Keeler really does merit the oft mis -used accolade of 'iconic ' and thus it seems .incomprehensible others don't !
Well like I've seen that image, and I'm quite fond of it, but didn't know it was her or related to the Profumo affair. Every day's a school day One thing you should know about being ..umm .. the same age as Nelson Piquet (bloody old ) is that sometimes I fall into the trap of assuming everybody knows the same stuff . To my generation the image of Keeler really does merit the oft mis -used accolade of 'iconic ' and thus it seems .incomprehensible others don't !
Edited by coppice on Tuesday 31st December 09:12
Dr Jekyll said:
sgtBerbatov said:
coppice said:
Wait for the famous Mandy Rice Davies quote , in court - 'He would say that , wouldn't he ?' and the iconic photograph of a naked CK astride a chair
Well I didn't know that was her. I just thought it was a model, like the tennis player showing her bottom. For years I thought that was Kylie Minogue. How does the show compare with the "Very English Scandal" drama? Are the same production people involved?
Profumo was merely a bit-part player in reality. His main offence was lying to the House. That's what obliged his resignation. He was, in many ways, an honourable man. His Mrs, the actress Valerie Hobson, rather captivated my father when he was a chauffeur to a film star in the 40s and 50s. His description of he doesn't tie in with the depiction in the series.
The real victim was Stephen Ward. He was the one selected as the fall-guy. The trial was criticised for bias at the time, rather unusually. The judiciary were normally untouchable. However, it seems that there was little/no evidence for living off immoral earnings as normally charged in those days. Ward did a bit of pimping it seems, but that was dropped.
There was much to criticise in Ward's trial, so much so that an appeal would have been embarrassing for the courts and the government. It was lucky Ward committed suicide, at least for those with lots to lose. It was a shambles in fact. Rice-Davies had lied in a previous court case, but this was not allowed to be put to the jury in Ward's case. Davies and Keeler were the main prosecution witnesses and years later the former was only too happy to put the boot into Ward.
It seems a shame that the one untold story is Ward's, at least on TV. There's a recent book that repays digging out.
Profumo should have resigned. His misdemeanors seem mild by today's standards. Indeed, they might even have made him popular enough to win the elections that Wilson won. He went on to work with down-and-outs in London, and I'm told, elsewhere as well. Hobson stuck with him, and she too did a lot of charity work. I saw Profumo back in the '70s, talking to the Sally Ann van crew at Embankment Gardens, but only from a distance. There was a lot of support for him amongst the older PCs.
It should be called the Ward Affair, as he's the victim in the whole sorry mess. But if you know a lot about film stars, government ministers, judges and such, you need to keep your friends close. His, however, all abandoned the bloke.
Those who quote enquiries for support to their particular point should look to Denning's report on the matter.
The real victim was Stephen Ward. He was the one selected as the fall-guy. The trial was criticised for bias at the time, rather unusually. The judiciary were normally untouchable. However, it seems that there was little/no evidence for living off immoral earnings as normally charged in those days. Ward did a bit of pimping it seems, but that was dropped.
There was much to criticise in Ward's trial, so much so that an appeal would have been embarrassing for the courts and the government. It was lucky Ward committed suicide, at least for those with lots to lose. It was a shambles in fact. Rice-Davies had lied in a previous court case, but this was not allowed to be put to the jury in Ward's case. Davies and Keeler were the main prosecution witnesses and years later the former was only too happy to put the boot into Ward.
It seems a shame that the one untold story is Ward's, at least on TV. There's a recent book that repays digging out.
Profumo should have resigned. His misdemeanors seem mild by today's standards. Indeed, they might even have made him popular enough to win the elections that Wilson won. He went on to work with down-and-outs in London, and I'm told, elsewhere as well. Hobson stuck with him, and she too did a lot of charity work. I saw Profumo back in the '70s, talking to the Sally Ann van crew at Embankment Gardens, but only from a distance. There was a lot of support for him amongst the older PCs.
It should be called the Ward Affair, as he's the victim in the whole sorry mess. But if you know a lot about film stars, government ministers, judges and such, you need to keep your friends close. His, however, all abandoned the bloke.
Those who quote enquiries for support to their particular point should look to Denning's report on the matter.
The Mini once owned by Miss Keeler during the scandal is currently up for sale (warning car content in the TV, Film and Radio section 
)
https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1185825
)https://www.carandclassic.co.uk/car/C1185825
Gassing Station | TV, Film, Streaming & Radio | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff