England Made Me

Peter Duffell has assembled quite a decent British cast here, but sadly he can make little more than an average television movie for his troubles. It doesn’t help that it’s the totally charm-fee Michael York who takes a leading role as visiting Briton “Farrant” who has come to see his sister “Kate” (Hildegard Nell) who works for the unscrupulous businessman “Krogh” (Peter Finch). This is all happening at a time when the Nazis are beginning to make their presence felt and “Krogh” is aware that getting his money, and himself, out of Germany might now be a good idea. Not long after arriving in Berlin, “Farrant” begins to fall for “Liz” (Tessa Wyatt) and he also begins to realise that his new employer is embroiled in some plotting that has attracted the attention of itinerant journalist “Minty” (Sir Michael Hordern) whose downbeat appearance might just be camouflage - but for what and whom? Never far from the mix is the menacing “Haller” (Joss Ackland) and with there being Nazis around, Michael Sheard also has a part, too! As the plot thickens, though, it also becomes stodgy and the characterisations all distinctly undercooked as the senses of threat and peril are presented in this good looking production, but they are certainly not developed. It’s all a rather underwhelming example of style over substance and, for my money, York brings very little to the party beyond being a slightly handsome and softly-spoken man completely out of his depth. Nell and Finch are really only going through the motions, too, and in the end it falls to Sir Michael and Ackland to do what imbuing of the encroaching dangers facing them and the country there is, here. If you are a bit eagle-eyed, you might spot an early outing for Richard Gibson who went on to play “Herr Flick” in the BBC “‘Allo ‘Allo” wartime comedy, but otherwise there isn’t very much to write home about here, sorry,