Jeffrey Archer and Margaret Thatcher in a knockabout comedy-drama? No, we're not joking -- or lying ...

by Ian Bradford, TV Times, November 30, 2002

Laughing at Jeffrey Archer, the Pinocchio of British politics, has become a national pastime. Now this week, in BBC1's Jeffrey Archer -- The Truth, viewers can enjoy a feature-length guffaw at the expense of the disgraced peer.

Written and directed by Guy Jenkin, the man behind C4's hit sitcom Drop The Dead Donkey, the surreal satire is set in 2009. We find Archer looking back over his life and, as someone with more neck than a giraffe, he paints himself as a modest, wonderful  man, who has saved Britain more times than James Bond.

"The story is based on real events, only the facts have been changed," smiles Guy. "It's like a Hollywood bio-pic of Jeffrey -- told by Jeffrey. He sees himself as a superhero, and claims it was he who led the SAS into the Iranian Embassy in 1980, and he who persuaded Margaret Thatcher to send a Task Force to The Falklands. He also told The Beatles that Captain Salt didn't sound quite right and had they considered Sergeant Pepper?"

Playing the dashing athlete, statesman and love machine is Damian Lewis, whose roles in Hearts And Bones, Band Of Brothers and The Forsyte Saga are not remembered for their comedy value. "I had to learn how to hurdle, dance and make love, because, as we all know, these are things that Jeffrey does amazingly," Damian says dryly.

"Damian brings fantastic presence to the film," says Guy, 47, whose early work included Not The Nine O'Clock News and Spitting Image.

"We needed someone who would get stuck in and attack the part. He has no fear, plus both Damian and Greta [Scacchi, who plays Margaret Thatcher] are great comic actors, but haven't been given much chance to show it."

Following his conviction for perjury in July 2001, the real Lord Archer is serving a four-year sentence at Her Majesty's (and almost everybody else's) pleasure. Eligible for parole next summer, he's currently holed-up at HMP Hollesley Bay on the Suffolk coast, an open prison known as "Holiday Bay."

However, although the novelist, playwright and former deputy chairman of the Tory Party is eating humble pie, rather than his own famous shepherd's pie, Guy had few qualms about mocking him. "I was slightly worried about kicking a man when he's down, but I haven't lost any sleep over it. I'd like viewers to be sympathetic to my Jeffrey, as he's the hero of the story, but that doesn't mean they have to be sympathetic to the real one."

Interestingly, the 90-minute film will be interrupted by the BBC news at 10 o'clock. "It would be great publicity if there was a big item about Jeffrey," ponders Guy. "Perhaps we could spring him on that day ... ?"

Caption: Politically incorrect: Damian Lewis and Greta Scacchi as Jeffrey and Maggie.

Who's Who In Jeffrey's World

Damian Lewis is Jeffrey Archer: "It took time to find an actor with sufficient good looks, charm, charisma and stamina to play Jeffrey, but we found our man," says Jane Tranter, head of BBC Drama.

Greta Scacchi is Margaret Thatcher: The Iron Lady is portrayed as a sex bomb, which has caused Lady Thatcher to pronounce Greta's cassting as "inappropriate." Well, she would.

Ben Miller is Roland Moxley-Nemesis: Roland is Jeffrey's fictional nemesis, with the pair duelling for Mary. Ben voiced ITV Digital's Monkey and often works with comedian Alexander Armstrong.

Polly Walker is Mary Archer: Jeffrey and his long-suffering wife were married in 1966. Polly previously co-starred with Greta Scacchi in the 1996 adaptation of Jane Austen's Emma.

Richard Wilson is The Duke Of Edinburgh: You'd better believe it. Although he's best known as Victor Mildrew thanks to One Foot In The Grave, Richard is an accomplished character actor.

Richard Griffiths is Willie Whitelaw: In 1985, Lord Whitelaw warned Margaret Thatcher that Jeffrey Archer was "an accident waiting to happen."

One Man And His Mouse

Forlorn in his prison cell, the fictional Jeffrey is befriended by Nigel, a kindly mouse. The rodent (that's Nigel, not Jeffrey) is an animatronic marvel created by special effects genius, Paul McGuinness.

"Nigel is very basic as animatronic beasts go, but everybody loves him andhe's becoming a star in his own right," Paul told TV Times. "I sculpted him out of clay, then made a latex cast and skeleton. He's operated through a hole in the scenery, using rods and cables which come out of his backside."

Paul's extensive TV work has included Doctor Who and Red Dwarf, and he's currently making rotting corpses for Waking The Dead and Silent Witness. "There's a lot of very odd things going on in Jeffrey Archer -- The Truth," teases Paul. "It was an unusual job because I was asked to create every type of special effect -- atmospherics, 3-D animation, prosthetics and, of course, Nigel."

Caption: Taking the mickey? Jeffrey and his mouse.

Jeffrey Archer -- The Truth

Comedy, BBC1, 9:00 pm

by Ian Bradford, TV Times, November 30, 2002

This romp was still being edited at the time of writing, but we think it will be even more amusing than if, say, Jeffrey Archer was locked in the stocks, instead of a prison. On paper, the satire boasts juicy ingredients: a big-name cast (including Damian Lewis as Archer and Polly Walker as Mary), plus a tinderbox of special effects. Let's hope that, as a very special privilege, prisoner FF8282 is allowed to stay up to watch it. If not, we're sure Mary will tape it for him. * * *

Caption: Taken for a ride: Mary on her wedding day.