First viewed : 28 October 1992
This three part adaptation of Joseph Conrad's novel about counter-terrorism and betrayal in late Victorian England was lukewarmly received by critics. It starred David Suchet as Verloc a small time pornographer whose shop is used as a base for exiled European revolutionaries, none of them very dangerous, to meet and talk. Unknown to them he is actually a spy in the pay of the Russian government represented by Vladimir ( Peter Capaldi ). He is not satisfied by Verloc's reports and orders him to organise a terrorist outrage to bring Britain round to repressive measures. When Verloc uses Stevie, the simple-minded brother of wife Winnie ( Cheryl Campbell ) to carry out the deed, his fate is sealed.
I'd read the book about four years earlier and I thought they made a decent job of it. The main problem was a rather lacklustre central performance from Suchet who didn't seem to be doing anything other than glowering over his thick moustache. It's a shame because there were great supporting performances from Capaldi, Patrick Malahide as the indolent police inspector preoccupied with maintaining his social position and David Schofield as the treacherous anarchist with his eyes on Winnie.
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