House of Cards (British TV series)
House of Cards | |
---|---|
Based on | House of Cards by Michael Dobbs |
Written by | Andrew Davies Michael Dobbs |
Directed by | Paul Seed |
Starring | Ian Richardson Susannah Harker Miles Anderson Alphonsia Emmanuel Malcolm Tierney Diane Fletcher Colin Jeavons Damien Thomas Kenneth Gilbert David Lyon Kenny Ireland James Villiers Isabelle Amyes |
Music by | Jim Parker |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of episodes | 4 |
Production | |
Producer | Ken Riddington |
Running time | 55 minutes |
Production company | BBC |
Original release | |
Network | BBC1 |
Release | 18 November 9 December 1990 | –
Related | |
To Play the King The Final Cut |
House of Cards is a 1990 British political thriller television serial in four episodes, set after the end of Margaret Thatcher's tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It was televised by the BBC from 18 November to 9 December 1990. Released to critical and popular acclaim for its writing, direction, and performances, it is considered one of the greatest British television shows ever made.
The story is centred on the sudden and manipulative rise to power of the
Andrew Davies adapted the story from the 1989 novel of the same name by Michael Dobbs, a former chief of staff at Conservative Party headquarters. Neville Teller also dramatised Dobbs's novel for the BBC World Service in 1996, and it had two television sequels (To Play the King and The Final Cut). The opening and closing theme music for this TV series is entitled "Francis Urquhart's March", by Jim Parker.[1]
House of Cards was ranked 84th in the
Overview
The antihero of House of Cards is Francis Urquhart, a fictional Chief Whip of the Conservative Party, played by Ian Richardson. The plot follows his amoral and manipulative scheme to become leader of the governing party and, thus, Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
Michael Dobbs did not envisage writing the second and third books, as Urquhart dies at the end of the first novel. The screenplay of the BBC's dramatisation of House of Cards differs from the book, and hence allows future series. Dobbs wrote two following books, To Play the King and The Final Cut, which were televised in 1993 and 1995, respectively.[3]
House of Cards was said to draw from Shakespeare's plays Macbeth and Richard III,[4] both of which feature main characters who are corrupted by power and ambition. Richardson has a Shakespearean background and said he based his characterisation of Urquhart on Shakespeare's portrayal of Richard III.[4]
Urquhart frequently talks through the camera to the audience, breaking the fourth wall.[5]
Plot
The ruling
Urquhart begins an affair with Mattie Storin, a junior political reporter at a Conservative-leaning
As Collingridge's image suffers, Urquhart encourages
In the ensuing leadership race, Urquhart feigns unwillingness to stand before announcing his candidacy. Urquhart makes sure his competitors drop out of the race:
The first ballot leaves Urquhart to face Woolton and
Seeing contradictions in the allegations against Collingridge and his brother, Mattie begins to dig deeper, while falling in love with Urquhart and blinding herself to his possible role. On Urquhart's orders, O'Neill vandalises her car and throws a brick with a threatening letter through her window. O'Neill becomes increasingly uneasy with what he is being asked to do, and his addiction adds to his instability. When he threatens to go to the police, Urquhart invites him to his home in
Mattie's colleague, John Krajewski, insists that Urquhart was the only one with the means, motive and opportunity. Knowing that Urquhart as Chief Whip was adroit at gaining information sensitive enough to blackmail almost anyone, Mattie realises that he is responsible for O'Neill's death and the downfall of his rivals. She confronts Urquhart on the roof garden of the
Deviations from the novel in the series
In the first novel, but not in the television series:
- Urquhart never speaks directly to the reader; the character is written solely in a third-personperspective.
- When alone, Urquhart is much less self-assured and decisive.
- Mattie Storin works for The Daily Telegraph. (In the television series she is a journalist with the fictional Chronicle newspaper.)
- Mattie Storin does not have a relationship with Urquhart; she does not even talk to him frequently. She does, however, have a sexual relationship with John Krajewski.
- Urquhart's wife is called Miranda and is a minor character, not sharing in his schemes. (In the later novels, Elizabeth" and plays a larger role, as in the television series.)
- The Conservative party conference is held in Bournemouth. (In the television series it is held in Brighton.)
- The minor character Tim Stamperis introduced for the on-screen adaptation.
- Earle's rent boyappears in person at an important speech of Earle's, distracting him; subsequently, Earle is harassed by reporters who have been told of his indiscretion.
- In the final confrontation scene Urquhart throws himself from the roof terrace and Mattie survives.
Before the series was reissued in 2013 to coincide with the release of the US version of House of Cards, Dobbs rewrote portions of the novel to bring the series in line with the television series and restore continuity among the three novels.[6] In the 2013 version:
- Urquhart murders Mattie Storin, throwing her off the roof after she confronts Urquhart about his actions.
- Mattie Storin does not scream "Daddy" as she falls.
- Urquhart covers up his murder of Mattie Storin by claiming she was an obsessed stalker who was mentally ill and vows to make mental health amongst the young a priority.
- Mattie Storin works for newspaper The Chronicle, per the TV series.
- Urquhart's wife Miranda is changed to Mortima.
- Tim Stamper, though present in the serial, does not appear in the revised version of the novel.
- Urquhart makes asides to the audience in the form of epigraphs at the beginning of each chapter (the original novel has no chapters).
Reception
The first instalment of the TV series coincidentally aired two days before the Conservative Party leadership election.[4] During a time of "disillusionment with politics", the series "caught the nation's mood".[7]
Ian Richardson won the
The series ranked 84th in the
American adaptation
The Urquhart trilogy has been adapted in the United States as
The series, produced and financed by independent studio
In popular culture
The drama introduced and popularised
A variation on the phrase was written into the TV adaptation of Terry Pratchett's Hogfather for the character Death, as an in-joke on the fact that he was voiced by Richardson.
During the first Gulf War, a British reporter speaking from Baghdad, conscious of the possibility of censorship, used the code phrase "You might very well think that; I couldn't possibly comment" to answer a BBC presenter's question.
A further variation was used by Nicola Murray, a fictional government minister, in the third series finale of The Thick of It.
In the US adaptation, the phrase is used by Frank Underwood in the first episode during his initial meeting with Zoe Barnes, the US counterpart of Mattie Storin.
See also
- List of House of Cards trilogy characters
- Politics in fiction
- A Very British Coup, a similar drama of fictional contemporary British politics from a left-wing perspective
- Yes Minister (and its sequel Yes, Prime Minister), a satirical sitcom about a generic British government
- List of fictional prime ministers of the United Kingdom
References
- ^ "Jim Parker: Francis Urquhart's March".
- ^ a b "British Film Institute list of 100 Greatest British Television Programmes, No. 84". Archived from the original on 27 May 2008. Retrieved 4 June 2008.
- ^ "BBC Four Drama – House of Cards". BBC.
- ^ a b c d "Richardson's rule in House of Cards". London: BBC. 9 February 2007. Retrieved 4 June 2008.
- ISBN 978-0521614863.
- ^ "Sourcebooks Releases 'House of Cards'". www.publishersweekly.com. Retrieved 24 December 2018.
- ^ Kirby, Terry (10 February 2007). "Ian Richardson, the PM who couldn't possibly comment, dies aged 72". The Independent. London. Retrieved 16 July 2009.
- ^ Itzkoff, Dave (4 October 2012). "Netflix Sets February Premiere for 'House of Cards'". The New York Times. Retrieved 13 November 2012.
- ^ "House of Cards". netflix.com. 17 March 2011. Retrieved 7 August 2011.
- ^ "Netflix To Enter Original Programming With Mega Deal For David Fincher-Kevin Spacey Series House of Cards". deadline.com. 15 March 2011.
- ^ "Netflix Builds a 'House of Cards' That Could Knock Down the Networks". aoltv.com. 18 March 2011. Retrieved 8 July 2011.
- ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 8 March 2019.
- ^ "House of Commons Hansard Debates for 11 Mar 1998 (pt 46)". publications.parliament.uk.
- ^ "Lords Hansard text for 27 Nov 2000 (201127-04)". publications.parliament.uk.
- ^ "House of Commons - Treasury - Minutes of Evidence". publications.parliament.uk.
- ^ Kay, John (4 February 2014). "Prince Charles visits Somerset levels". BBC News. Retrieved 28 August 2023.
External links
- House of Cards at IMDb
- House of Cards at BBC Online
- House of Cards at British Film Institute Screen Online