MovieChat Forums > Defence of the Realm (1986) Discussion > LIZAND RICH IS RIGHT

LIZAND RICH IS RIGHT

posted 16 years ago by ib011f9545i
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Elsewhere on this message board LIZANDRICH says that this film forms a sort of trilogy along with THE FOURTH PROTOCOL and THE WHISLTEBLOWER.

They are all good films.
Politically DEFENCE OF THE REALM was loved by GUARDIAN readers like me,THE FOURTH PROTOCOL was more for COLD WARRIORS (but I loved it)and THE WHISTLEBLOWER seemed to hit all targets,the upper class elite,traitors,the indifference of ordinary people.

Knowing what we now know,that CND was backed by the Soviet Bloc (although to be fair a lot of the membership did not know this)the Americans had an end of the world view of events at the time and MI5/6 and GCHQ did have traitors in their ranks I can almost forgive the actions of the government in the film in trying to defend the realm.

[–] hugh1971 16 years ago

Yes, I think this film sums up the growing paranoia of the liberal intelligentsia during the 1980s under the growth of the special relationship between the Thatcher and Reagan administrations.

Looking back, I think even in 1985 the idea of Savile Row suited 'Sir Humphreys' suavely interrogating journalists and asking them 'if they considered themselves patriots' was a bit unlikely. It played on the fears of the left of a shadowy 'establishment' made up of old boy Tories.

Once Labour was elected in '97, this unlikely scenario became even more ridiculous.

I would imagine nowadays Nick would probably be locked in a basement in Hull and force-fed chips and trifle by John Prescott.