A series of six feature-length crime dramas, shot on film and designed for a cinematic feel.
A series of six self-contained, feature-length teleplays, Armchair Cinema presented a variety of crime and drama stories. The most notable entry was Regan, which introduced the abrasive Flying Squad officer Jack Regan (John Thaw) investigating the death of a colleague. In The Prison, a Parisian magazine editor, Alain Poitaud (James Laurenson), believes his infidelity drove his wife to murder her sister and is consumed by a metaphorical prison of guilt.
Elsewhere, the UK-Australian co-production Tully followed an insurance investigator (Anthony Valentine) as he pursued a cache of stolen art from London to Sydney. The other films were When Day Is Done, the story of an ambitious big band musician, Philip Warne (Edward Woodward), Sea Song with Tom Bell and Kika Markham and In Sickness and In Health starring Patrick Mower as an idealistic doctor in inner city London.
An offshoot of the celebrated Armchair Theatre anthology, Armchair Cinema represented a significant investment by Thames Television and its production arm, Euston Films. Each of the six installments was a feature-length production, shot entirely on 16mm film rather than videotape. The objective was to create a more dynamic and cinematic style of television drama, moving away from the confines of the studio and making extensive use of location shooting.
The experiment’s lasting legacy was secured by Regan. The film’s gritty depiction of police work and its hard-edged protagonist proved so successful that it was immediately developed into the landmark series The Sweeney. While other entries like the international thriller Tully were also considered potential series pilots, none achieved the same cultural traction.
Broadcast: ITV – Thames, 6 Films, 28 May 1974 – 26 November 1975
Production Company: Euston Films for Thames Television
Main Cast: James Laurenson (The Prison), John Thaw (Regan), Dennis Waterman (Regan), Anthony Valentine (Tully), Jack Thompson (Tully), Edward Woodward (When Day Is Done), Rosemary Leach (When Day Is Done)
