Salting the Battlefield

*Salting the Battlefield*
Salting the Battlefield
Genre	Drama, Thriller, Crime, Action
Written by	David Hare
Directed by	David Hare
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
Production
Producer	Celia Duval
Running time	93 minutes
Production companies	Carnival Films; Heyday Films; Beaglepug; Masterpiece;
Original release
Network	BBC Two; BBC Two HD;
Release	27 March 2014
Related
	Turks & Caicos

Salting the Battlefield is a 2014 British political thriller television film, written and directed for the BBC by the British writer David Hare. It follows Page Eight, which aired on BBC Two in August 2011 and Turks & Caicos, which aired in 2014.^[1]^[2]^[3]^[4]

Plot

Following their flight from

Deputy Prime Minister Anthea Catcheside (Saskia Reeves

) and offers her services in aiding Catcheside's embattled husband.

Johnny and Margot separate on their way back into Britain to confound their pursuers. While Johnny disappears and travels via the

Cambridge. Johnny contacts Belinda Kay (Olivia Williams), editor-in-chief of The Independent

and details the workings of the financial deals surrounding Beasley, Rogers and The Bridge. Kay's publication of the information causes Rogers to resign from the foundation and admit to his misdeeds, despite Beasley's assurances.

Julianne contacts Margot after learning that her boyfriend (

Consul General to Iran, with American funding and UN cover. Johnny is then summoned to a meeting with Tankard, who reveals that she engineered Beasley's downfall after seeing the extent of the Page Eight

, the intelligence that started the scandal. Through her burying of Bill Catcheside's legal troubles, Tankard has Anthea, Beasley's planned successor, in her pocket. Tankard asks Johnny to return to MI5, an offer he reluctantly accepts in return for Julianne and Margot's safety and Maverley's reinstatement into MI5.

Back in Margot's apartment, Johnny sees Margot leaving for Hong Kong to work in a start-up. Margot mentions that Julianne is in labour, accompanied by her mother. The film closes with scenes of Margot leaving, Johnny walking across London to the MI5 headquarters, and Julianne giving birth to her child.

Cast

Bill Nighy as Johnny Worricker, former MI5 analyst
Helena Bonham Carter as Margot Tyrrell
Rupert Graves as Stirling Rogers
Ralph Fiennes as Alec Beasley MP, Prime Minister
Ewen Bremner as Rollo Maverley
James McArdle as Ted Finch
Judy Davis as Jill Tankard, Acting Director General of MI5
Felicity Jones as Julianne Worricker
Valeria Vereau as Elisabeth
Saskia Reeves as Anthea Catcheside MP, Deputy Prime Minister
Olivia Williams as Belinda Kay, editor-in-chief of The Independent
Leanne Best as Amber Page, an MI5 officer pursuing Johnny and Margot
Pip Carter as Freddy Lagarde
Daniel Ryan as Bill Catcheside
Kate Burdette as Allegra Betts
Shazad Latif as Jez Nichols
Malcolm Sinclair as Reverend Bernard Towers

References

^ Jeffery, Morgan (3 May 2013). "Bill Nighy, Christopher Walken for BBC Two's 'Page Eight' sequels". Digital Spy. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
^ Williams, Holly; Finamore, Emma (29 December 2013). "Coming soon in 2014: A look at the year ahead in arts". The Independent. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
^ Power, Vicki (15 February 2014). "From heart-tugging wartime sagas to gritty cop shows: 10 dramas you must see this spring". Daily Express. Retrieved 16 February 2014.
^ "Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy to play ex-lovers in West End play". BBC News. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.

External links

Salting the Battlefield at
IMDb

[1] Jeffery, Morgan (3 May 2013). "Bill Nighy, Christopher Walken for BBC Two's 'Page Eight' sequels". Digital Spy. Retrieved 16 February 2014.

[2] Williams, Holly; Finamore, Emma (29 December 2013). "Coming soon in 2014: A look at the year ahead in arts". The Independent. Retrieved 16 February 2014.

[3] Power, Vicki (15 February 2014). "From heart-tugging wartime sagas to gritty cop shows: 10 dramas you must see this spring". Daily Express. Retrieved 16 February 2014.

[4] "Carey Mulligan and Bill Nighy to play ex-lovers in West End play". BBC News. 14 February 2014. Retrieved 16 February 2014.

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