Cause célèbre

Cause célèbre was essentially a television vehicle for Helen Mirren made by Anglia Television for ITV. It was made during the phase of Mirren's career where she would only keep her clothes on the screen for artistic merit.

Inspired by the true life murder of architect Francis Rattenbury in 1935. This was an adaptation of the play written by Terence Rattigan. It is not a television movie as it was shot on video. More a feature length drama.

As one of the main characters was still alive in 1987, some of the names have been fictionalised.

David Morrissey plays George Bowman. An immature, angry 18 year old man who is employed as a chauffeur for the Rattenbury's. He becomes obsessed with crooner Alma Rattenbury (Mirren) who is in her 30s but married to the much older Francis Rattenbury (Harry Andrews) who she met in Canada.

Both George and Alma embark on a torrid affair. George getting increasingly jealous of Alma's husband. When Francis is found bludgeoned to death, both stand trial for murder.

Told in flashbacks, this is a dreary drama. There was no vigour in it and neither was it salacious enough. There is a good cast here but they are wasted. To me it did not work as a mystery or a courtroom thriller.