It was sad to hear that Dame Diana Rigg had passed away, and I expected there to be broadcasts of her most popular films and TV shows, and it was a few months after her death that this miniseries was repeated. Basically, Kit Vesey (James Wilby), a London barrister, is in a relationship with Angela Turner (Fiona Gillies), a receptionist at an art gallery. She has accepted his proposal of marriage, but he is fearful of breaking the news to his fiercely controlling mother Helena (BAFTA winning Diana Rigg). Kit does eventually introduce Angela to Helena, who is pleasant towards her. But he insists she mentions nothing about going to visit his father Alex (David McCallum), who divorced Helena and remarried many years ago. Helena once threatened to commit suicide when Kit suggested going and living with him, but she has since blocked all mention of Alex from her life and even. Flashbacks also reveal that Helena had a troubled childhood, which included her not going for help when her sibling was on the verge of death. Accepted by Helena, Kit and Angela marry and have two children, and maintain a secret relationship with Alex and his new family. However, when Helena watches an arts television programme about Alex's wife Ruth (Isla Blair), a renowned photographer, she is shattered to see her driver George Batt (James Grout) attending a family function. She sees on television that Ruth has a darkroom, a bunker chamber, in her garden. Calling George, posing as Ruth, she tricks him into "doing a favour" and locking the darkroom door and closing the ventilators, unknowingly trapping Ruth inside. Ruth suffocates to death and Helena contrives evidence to convict George of murder. While visiting Rome, Alex meets American actress Jordan (Cordelia Roche), who he later marries, and she later gives birth to twins. Kit is examined by a doctor, who confirms he has a tumour that needs to be surgically removed. He ends up in a coma following the operation, and Helena regularly visits him in hospital. Over time, Helena uncovers evidence about Angela visiting Alex, and interprets her frequents visits as an affair between them. Helena becomes increasingly unhinged. Visiting Alex in hospital on day, while he is still comatose, she tells him about her plan to kill Alex and Jordan's children for treachery. She researches the plant laburnum, which has same potency as strychnine. She tests the effectiveness of the poison on a neighbour's cat, and subsequently makes marzipan shortbreads with poison. Helena gives them to her grandchildren, knowing that they do not like marzipan and that they will likely give them to the twins at their birthday party. However, Helena's plan fails as Olivia (Naomi Kerbel), a girl at the party, steals one of the biscuits while the guests are gathered outside taking a photo together. The girl is subsequently discovered in a convulsive state in the garden. Angela remembers answering a strange call from a woman posing as someone from the hospital, and realises she must have ben talking to Helena, who poisoned the shortbreads. Helena meanwhile has a complete breakdown, blaming Kit for everything; he has been listening to her plotting but has been unable to move. She embraces Kit before starting to take him off life support. Angela arrives in time as Kit struggles to breathe and nurses are called in. Helena is restrained but it turns out the shock of forced Kit out of his paralysis. The final scene shows Helena in a prison cell, staring emptily at a wall. Also starring Louisa Janes as Young Helena, Deborah Grant as Helena's Mother, Joan Bakewell as TV Commentator, Jonathan Burn as Chief Inspector Strachan, and Trevor Cooper as Sergeant Bear. Rigg absolutely deserved the BAFTA for her brilliant "nutcase" performance, as the elegant but wickedly obsessive mother seeking revenge for her past traumas and becoming more and more deranged. Rigg is the biggest reason to watch this, it an intriguing story, it is thrilling at the right moments, well written, and keeps you guessing and surprised with each turn, a most worthwhile drama. It was nominated the BAFTA for Best Drama Series/Serial, Best Film Editor, and Best Film Sound. Very good!
Review of Mother Love
