Tony Garnett Movies

In this episode of This Life, Anna (Daniela Nardini) gets used to her new job dealing with the dregs of the legal system as she prepares to defend Truelove (Keith-Lee Castle), an out-of-work graphic designer accused of cheating the Housing Authority. His girlfriend, Delilah (Charlotte Bicknell), claims she'll testify on his behalf, but the devious young model is too busy seducing Miles (Jack Davenport) in the courtroom toilets. Meanwhile, Egg (Andrew Lincoln) experiences his own troubles settling into his new job, especially because fellow trainee Warren (Jason Hughes) seems so sorted. Warren's constant therapy-speak gets on Egg's nerves -- until Warren explains the working-class origins of his eagerness to please and helps Egg sort out some of his own issues. Meanwhile, Anna, keen to reduce her share of the rent, places an ad for the final room in the flat she shares with Miles, Egg, and Milly (Amita Dhiri). Warren confides to his therapist (Gillian McCutcheon) that he feels slighted by the close friendship the others share; finally, he plucks up his courage and asks if he can take the extra room. The others agree, but Warren's troubles are just beginning; Kira (Luisa Bradshaw-White), his carefree young cousin, shows up looking for Warren to set her up with a job. Worried that she'll find out he's gay and blab to the family, he gives her the cold shoulder. Meanwhile, Delilah moves in on Miles -- and into the house. Season one, episode two of the cult-favorite British soap, This Life: Happy Families first aired on BBC 2 on March 25, 1996. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

In this episode of This Life, Milly (Amita Dhiri) becomes sexually infatuated with her boss, O'Donnell (David Mallinson), after he punches out a creep who hassles her on the street. When she admits her attraction after a tipsy client dinner, he rejects her out of a sense of professional propriety. Meanwhile, Anna (Daniela Nardini) engages in her own May-December romance -- with Egg's father, Jerry (Paul Copley), who is still staying at the house. Egg (Andrew Lincoln) gets sick of Jerry's presence, especially when Jerry lands an interview with a literary agent. Still unemployed and struggling with his writing, Egg visits Warren's therapist (Gillian McCutcheon) in hopes of sorting out his problems. Meanwhile, Miles (Jack Davenport) defends a flasher who plies his trade on Anna, and Warren (Jason Hughes) comes to grips with Dale's rejection. Season one, episode ten of the cult-favorite British soap This Life: Father Figure first aired on BBC 2 on May 20, 1996. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

In this episode of This Life, Egg (Andrew Lincoln) settles into his unemployment while Milly (Amita Dhiri) does damage control with O'Donnell (David Mallinson). Milly pressures Egg about finding a job, but he seems less than enthused; their sexual and relationship problems continue apace. Anna (Daniela Nardini) frets about money and worries about Milly and Egg's problems. She and Warren (Jason Hughes) prepare a romantic dinner for the quarreling couple. Miles (Jack Davenport) freaks out about the Sharingham case after Hooperman (Geoffrey Bateman) pressures him to ask his father, Montgomery (Michael Elwyn), to testify; Montgomery stonewalls him, and Miles blows up. After a night of sexual adventures, Warren freaks out that Kira (Luisa Bradshaw-White) will find out that he's gay. His worry turns to paranoia after she drops in on a dinner he's sharing with his camp, queeny friend Phil (Richard Cant). Milly counsels him to open up to Kira, but he resists. The truth finally comes out when Kira follows him to the park where he cruises for sex; she is completely accepting and promises not to tell her the rest of their extended family. Afterward, Warren's macho soldier brother, Dale (Mark Lewis Jones), shows up for a visit. Season one, episode six of the cult-favorite British soap, This Life: Family Outing first aired on BBC 2 on April 22, 1996. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

In this episode of This Life, Miles (Jack Davenport) discusses his doubts about the Sharingham case with Graham (Cyril Nri). Egg (Andrew Lincoln) continues to have problems at work, which leads to emotional and sexual problems with Milly (Amita Dhiri). The sexual hijinks between Miles and Delilah (Charlotte Bicknell), however, continue -- even though the rest of the house more or less agrees with Anna (Daniela Nardini) that she's bad news. After Delilah continues to steal his food, even the sympathetic Warren (Jason Hughes) gets sick of her shenanigans. When the house unites to kick Delilah out and confront Miles about her behavior, he lashes out and calls Warren a "vaseline-arsed fairy." Kira (Luisa Bradshaw-White) gets hired on at Moore, Spencer, Wright after Kelly (Sacha Craise) goes on sick leave. When Anna reveals that Truelove (Keith-Lee Castle) is a heroin user, Warren counsels Miles to get an HIV test. Season one, episode four of the cult-favorite British soap, This Life: Sex, Lies and Muesli Yoghurt first aired on BBC 2 on April 8, 1996. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

Often described as a more realistic alternative to Friends (or a less comprehensively gay Queer as Folk), this 1996-1997 British television hit tracked the sexual, personal, and professional misadventures of a quintet of young lawyers living together in a South London flat. Created by writer Amy Jenkins, who collaborated on the first three episodes with director Sam Miller, the show's high-drama, party-hard ethos brought the acid-house generation back into the TV fold and paved the way for a number of subsequent twentysomething soaps, from the aforementioned Queer as Folk to the Internet-themed Attachments. Although American audiences didn't get to see the show until it was broadcast in seemingly perpetual reruns on BBC America a few years later, only the program's Brit-pop- and trip-hop-heavy soundtrack seemed dated. The 11-episode first series, from 1996, chronicles the lives of brash, boozy junior barrister Anna Forbes (Daniela Nardini); Miles Andrews (Jack Davenport), Anna's posh, public-school arch nemesis/soul mate; Andrew "Egg" Cook (Andrew Lincoln), Miles' boyish, football-loving best friend; Milly Nassim (Amita Dhiri), Egg's cool, conflicted, control-freak of a girlfriend; and their therapy-addicted, working-class, defiantly gay friend, Warren Jones (Jason Hughes). Although these five characters share the same alma mater, it isn't until they all end up working at a pair of London legal firms that they enter the domestic constellation that will drive the program's drama. Some American audiences may not grasp the class and professional intricacies that add nuance to the characters' lust, envy, love, and friendship; others will savor the irony that crisp Milly is a more experienced solicitor than her inexperienced boyfriend; that hardworking "pouf" Warren is initially such a threat to likably laddish Egg; and that rich Miles and by-the-bootstraps Anna both long for the same exalted position as successful barristers. Indeed, professional intrigue, as much as sex, drives This Life's plot lines; Egg ditches his job in hopes of finding himself, leading to domestic tension with Milly and ultimately a new career; Anna angles for better cases any way she can, including a cozy friendship with a lesbian barrister; Miles finds himself on the opposite side of the courtroom from his manipulative father and feels threatened by Anna's burgeoning success; Milly indulges in a flirtation with her '60s-survivor boss and nurses a deep hatred of a beautiful blonde co-worker; and Warren finds his brash sexuality in conflict with his profession -- and with his desire not to scandalize his family. By the end of its first series, cult-favorite This Life had grown into a bona fide hit; but after 1997's 21-episode second series -- which featured heavier contributions from the supporting cast of Ramon Tikaram, Luisa Bradshaw-White, Steve John Shepherd, and Natasha Little -- the BBC decided not to continue. Some fans still trace rumors of a forthcoming third series, while others express gratitude that their favorite program went out on top. None of the principal participants besides Davenport (The Talented Mr. Ripley) has found further high-profile success, although Nardini, Jenkins, and Miller re-teamed for the similarly themed British film Elephant Juice. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

In this episode of This Life, Miles (Jack Davenport) gives Anna (Daniela Nardini) a tongue-lashing for her behavior at Hooperman's birthday party, while Jo (Steve John Shepherd) apologizes to Anna for his treatment of her. Would-be writer Egg (Andrew Lincoln) learns that his newly single father, Jerry (Paul Copley), has written a novel of his own; he spends his time trying to patch up his parents' marriage and find a job. Milly (Amita Dhiri), meanwhile, continues working late with O'Donnell (David Mallinson). Warren (Jason Hughes) grows infatuated with Ferdy (Ramon Tikaram), a leather-clad, half-Mexican bike messenger. The two share a passionate night together, leading Warren to predict a happy-ever-after ending. However, Ferdy claims he was merely sexually confused -- and that he's engaged to be married and wants nothing to do with Warren. Warren also spends time with his brother, Dale (Mark Lewis Jones), but Dale is horrified when Warren reveals his sexual orientation to him. Season one, episode nine of the cult-favorite British soap This Life: Just Sex first aired on BBC 2 on May 13, 1996. ~ Brian J. Dillard, All Movie Guide

In this alternately somber and witty coming-of-age drama, a pair of teenage boys growing up in a working-class neighborhood become aware of their homosexuality. Introspective Jamie (Glen Berry) is the son of Sandra (Linda Henry), a tough but warm-hearted barmaid who lives in a public housing block in a rough-and-tumble section of South London. Living a few doors away is Jamie's classmate Ste (Scott Neal), an athletic type who often has to take a beating from his hard-drinking father and hard-headed brother. One night, Jamie and Sandra discover that Ste has been kicked out of the apartment and has nowhere to spend the night; Jamie lets him stay at his place, and a casual closeness eventually stirs sexual feelings. While both were vaguely aware they might be gay, neither had ever acted on their impulses, and once Jamie and Ste decide that they're attracted to each other, neither is sure just what to do. Tony (Ben Daniels), Sandra's boyfriend, doesn't know what to think about Jamie's new lifestyle. Meanwhile, Jamie and Ste are themselves a bit puzzled by their neighbor Leah (Tameka Empson), a teenager obsessed with the life and music of Mama Cass Elliott. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

"Fat Man" and "Little Boy" were the nicknames given the atomic bombs that were dropped over Hiroshima and Nagasaki in the waning days of World War II. This elaborately assembled film is the story of the events leading up to the dawn of the atomic age. Paul Newman plays General Leslie Groves, a hard-nosed career soldier who in 1942 finds himself the reluctant "nursemaid" to a group of idealistic scientists in Los Alamos, New Mexico. As the military head of the top-secret Manhattan Project, Groves intends to have the operation run by the book--and failing that, to have things his way at all costs. The film's storyline narrows down to a battle of egos between Groves and atomic scientist J. Robert Oppenheimer (Dwight Schultz), in his own way as contentious and childishly single-purposed as the general. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

British director Tony Garnett's American film debut is a tale of revenge that criticizes American gun culture. Karen Young plays Kathleen Sullivan, an idealistic Boston educator who travels to Texas to teach. In her new home town she meets Larry Keeler (Clayton Day), a handsome lawyer who is obsessed with guns. On their first date together, things seem to go swimmingly, but on their second date, Larry brings his gun along and Kathleen finds herself raped with a firearm pointed at her head. Kathleen becomes consumed with vengeance; she learns how to handle a gun, becomes a crack shot, and goes forth to seek revenge for her rape. ~ Paul Brenner, All Movie Guide

In this drama with a pseudodocumentary look, the life and unfortunate times of a London prostitute are held up against the life of a female social worker, and the laws of the land. Sandra (Eleanor Forsythe) gets involved in the business of sex for sale while living in Birmingham. Naive all the way through, she feels that a turn in London might set her up with some rich Arab clients and allow her an easier life of leisure. Meanwhile, her friend Louise (Kate Crutchley) is a welfare worker with a new mission. Based on Sandra's own experiences, she is determined to reform the country's antiquated prostitution laws. As both women try to attain their goals, a cold dose of reality is dashed on their hopes, and the built-in biases against women in society are skillfully unmasked. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Not to be confused with the long-running American TV series of the same name, Law and Order was a four-part British miniseries, created by popular crime novelist G.F. Newman. Focusing on a small handful of criminal cases, Newman and director Les Potter illustrated the workings of a metropolitan police and judicial system as seen through the eyes of a detective, a crook, a lawyer, and a police officer. In demonstrating how crime and punishment tended to feed off each other, and how the cops weren't all that different from the bad guys in terms of technique and methodology, Newman stirred up a hornet's nest of controversy, resulting in a large public outcry and shouts of condemnation and accusation from the House of Commons. Perhaps in consequence, Law and Order had remained steadfastly in the vaults of BBC2 since its one-and-only TV run in 1978. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide