David Troughton Movies

Two women from different worlds are brought together by strange circumstances and forbidden desires in this period-drama. Sue Trinder (Sally Hawkins) was left on her own as a young child when her parents died, and she was forced to fend for herself, living on the street in the company of thieves and confidence men. Sue is given a chance to reform when she's taken in by Mrs. Sucksby (Imelda Staunton), who wants to keep her off the streets, but Sucksby's friend Richard Rivers (Rupert Evans) is familiar with Sue's old circle and lures her into an elaborate criminal scheme. Sue is to get a job as a maid to Maud Lilly (Elaine Cassidy), a young woman who lives with her uncle (Charles Dance) and will claim a large family inheritance when she marries. Sue's role is to act as confidante to Maud, so when Richard attempts to court her, Sue will help convince the young heiress that marrying Richard is the right thing to do. Richard's scheme is to marry Maud, have her sanity called into question, and then take possession of her fortune after she's committed to an asylum, but as Sue becomes close friends with Maud, she begins to wonder if she has the nerve to go through with the plan, especially when her feelings for Maud begin to extend beyond just friendship. As Sue's choice becomes nearly unbearable, fate steps in and she discovers all is not as she'd been led to believe. Fingersmith was produced for the BBC, where it first aired in the spring of 2005. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Haydn Gwynne, Robert Bathurst, and Stella Gonet co-star in the British telemovie The Secret (2002), a melodrama originally produced for (and aired on) the BBC. The story concerns Emma Faraday (Gwynne) -- on the surface, a relatively well-adjusted housewife and mother of two children, but beneath it all, the victim of a devastating and traumatizing childhood event that she has resolutely kept buried and locked away for years. All appears well in Emma's adult life -- until an embittered childhood friend, Nadia (Gonet), turns up and resurrects the past, jovially wielding the deadly weapon of blackmail by bringing Emma's secret back to bear on her and threatening to destroy everything that Emma has worked so carefully and diligently to build for herself. Alrick Riley (MI-5) directs. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide

Originally produced for the BBC and broadcast in the U.S. as part of the PBS series Masterpiece Theatre, this drama tells the story of the Sandringham Company, one of the most unusual teams of fighting men to march on the battlefields of World War I; under the leadership of Captain Frank Beck, the Sandringhams were made up entirely of servants and custodians from the Norfolk estate of King George V. Hoping to serve their king in a time of need, they volunteered for military service and were sent into battle against Turkish forces in 1915's infamous Battle of Gallipoli, during which they disappeared and were never seen again. David Jason plays Capt. Beck, David Troughton portrays George V, and Maggie Smith appears as Queen Alexandra, an ardent supporter of the Sandringham battalion. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this historical drama produced for television, Richard Sharpe (Sean Bean) is an officer in the British Army who has his own way of doing things, but has risen to a rank of power thanks to his bravery and steely intelligence under fire. Sharpe is a Captain of the Battalion of South Essex, a platoon of inexperienced soldiers Sharpe is trying to mold into an efficient fighting force. Much to Sharpe's annoyance, South Essex looses an important battle thanks to the incompetence of Sir Henry Simmerson (Michael Cochrane), and their regimental flag and standard is stolen from them by French forces. The same battle took the life of one of Sharpe's closest friends, so now he's determined to get his revenge by taking from the French their prized standard, a golden eagle. Sharpe's Eagle also features Assumpta Serna as Teresa, a feared Spanish terrorist who is also Sharpe's lover, and Katia Caballero as Josephina, a widow of Sharpe's acquaintance. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Halfway between a sitcom and a dramedy, the British series A Very Peculiar Practice was the story of idealistic, newly divorced young doctor Stephen Decker (Peter Davison). Accepting a position with the Student Health Service of Lowlands University, Stephen tried to do his job to the best of his ability, and to pursue romance with a variety of toothsome young ladies, among them student-policewoman Lyn Turtle (Amanda Hillwood) and fellow doctor Greta Growtowska (Joanna Kanska). Unfortunately, Stephen was surrounded by eccentric, backbiting, and downright incompetent co-workers, including nutty vice-chancellor Ernest Hemingway (John Bird), hypersensitive lesbian Dr. Rose Marie (Barbara Flynn), vainglorious Dr. Bob Buzzard (David Troughton), and chronic drunkand Dr. Jock McCannon (Graham Crowden). An endless succession of bizarre events and surreal running gags paraded through the halls of Lowlands, especially after the college was taken over by corporate-invading American Jack B. Daniels (Michael J. Shannon). Debuting May 21, 1986, A Very Peculiar Practice ran for 14 50-minute episodes, the last of which aired on April 6, 1988. A 90-minute spin-off, A Very Polish Practice, was seen on September 6, 1992. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This darkly haunting slightly fictionalized film is a retelling of the life and death of Ruth Ellis (Miranda Richardson), the last woman to be executed in England. Ellis, a divorcee and ex-prostitute works as a "hostess" in a tacky nightclub. There she meets and begins an obsessive love affair with upper-class David Blakely (Rupert Everett), who eventually discards her. Still obsessed and jealous because of David's upcoming marriage to a woman of his own class, Ellis murders him. Miranda Richardson, in a stark, knock-out performance is outstanding as the cold, calculating Ellis, unscrupulous in her use of everyone to get what she wants. Ian Holm, in an often-overlooked performance, is superb as the man who loves Ellis, supporting her and her teenage son, without ever gaining her love. He is her mainstay and the surrogate father to her teenage son, who Ellis has little time for. In his own, quiet way he is as obsessed as Ellis. The screenplay, adapted by Shelagh Delaney remains faithful to the true story, taking only minor dramatic license. Dance With a Stranger is an uncompromising look at obsessive love and its consequences on others. The story is made even more poignant because of the sad life and eventual suicide of Ellis' real son. ~ Linda Rasmussen, All Movie Guide

Part two of Alan Ayckbourn's Norman Conquests trilogy is subtitled "Living Together." Though not precisely a sequel to part one, part two finds Norman (Tom Conti) continuing his romantic pursuit of various female in-laws in the parlor of his family home. Heads of the household Richard Briers and Penelope Keith persist in their efforts to maintain decorum in a household full of inebriates and libertines. The 93-minute Living Together was originally produced for British television. It was telecast in the US on various PBS and cable outlets. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Created by Barry Thomas, the weekly British drama series Wings was set during WWI. The series' 26 episodes dealt with the exploits of the Royal Flying Corps, specifically the division commandeered by Alan Farmer (Tim Woodward), Charles Gaylion (Michael Cochrane), and Richard Bravington (David Troughton, son of Doctor Who star Patrick Troughton). Naturally, these courageous aviators found time to dally with various damsels, among them Alan's wife Molly (Anne Kristen) and the toothsome Lorna Collins (Sarah Porter). Premiering January 2, 1977, Wings lasted two seasons. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the second episode of the four-part story "The Curse of Peladon," the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) and Jo (Katy Manning) investigate a murder which may ruin the planet Peladon's bid for membership in the Galactic Federation. It turns out that the killer may be the resurrected spirit of the sacred Pel beast known as Aggedor -- but who has summoned the beast from its eternal rest? Written by Brian Hayles, "The Curse of Peladon, Episode 2" first aired on February 5, 1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In the conclusion of the four-part story "The Curse of Peladon," the Doctor (Jon Pertwee) discovers that the much-feared sacred Pel beast Aggredor is actually as timid and docile as a lamb. He also realizes at last that neither Aggredor nor the dreaded Ice Warriors are responsible for sabotaging the planet Peladon's efforts to gain acceptance in the Galactic Federation. But if all this is true, then who is the villain of the peace? The part of King Peladon is played by David Troughton, the son of Patrick Troughton, Jon Pertwee's predecessor in the role of the Doctor. Written by Brian Hayles, "The Curse of Peladon, Episode 4" first aired on February 19,1972. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide