In this three-part drama, a financial advisor’s life unravels when he gambles away his clients’ money.
Leo Hopkins (Hugh Laurie) is a seemingly respectable financial advisor entrusted with the life savings of his close friends, including Marion (Pippa Guard), Rebecca (Caroline Quentin), and Duncan (Steve Steen). Secretly, however, he has gambled and lost their entire portfolio on a horse race. With his life and career on the brink of collapse, Leo constructs an elaborate deception to hide the catastrophic loss from both his clients and his wife, Jane (Jessica Turner). He desperately attempts to win back the money through further reckless schemes, a path that leads him into the orbit of a sinister professional gambler, Giles (Bob Monkhouse). As his lies compound, Leo finds himself in a frantic battle to maintain his façade.
A compact and cynical morality tale, this serial was a notable dramatic vehicle for an actor, Hugh Laurie, then almost exclusively known for his comedy work. His performance as the feckless, self-deluding Leo is a study in quiet desperation, a precursor to the more complex roles that would later define his career. The production is also distinguished by the casting of veteran entertainer Bob Monkhouse, who delivers a chilling performance that plays against his familiar public persona. Guy Andrews’ script constructs a tense, character-driven thriller, less about the mechanics of finance and more about the corrosive effect of deceit on a comfortable middle-class life.
Broadcast: ITV – Carlton, 3 Episodes, 3 December – 17 December 1993
Written by: Guy Andrews
Director: Andrew Grieve
Producer: Brian Eastman
Main Cast: Hugh Laurie (Leo Hopkins), Jessica Turner (Jane Hopkins), Pippa Guard (Marion), Caroline Quentin (Rebecca), Steve Steen (Duncan), Bob Monkhouse (Giles), Phyllida Law (Mrs Timpson)
