Thriller: The Eyes Have It (ITV 9 Jun 1973 with Dennis Waterman)

UK / ITV Network – ATV – ITC / 1×75 minute episode / Broadcast 9 June 1973

Writer: Terence Feely / Story: Brian Clemens / Production Design: Stanley Mills / Director: Shaun O’Riordan

Series:Thriller / Season 1 Episode 9

At a Clinical Training School for the blind a trio of would be assassins kill Dr Mullard the sighted director of the school and begin preparations to assassinate a visiting head of state (he will be passing by the school in a motorcade and it offers the assassins the perfect vantage point. The students are under the impression that the men are “plumbers” but eventually begin to get suspicious about what is going on…

A very clever central conceit to hang what is a basic spy/assassination story on. Lots of good names in the cast including Dennis Waterman, Alun Armstrong and a young Sinead Cusack amongst the blind members of the cast, they all manage the look and characteristics of a blind person despite not having that look about the eyes that most blind people have. Peter Vaughan is his usual excellent self as the chief baddie.

Note: When Sally is in the medical room supposedly practicing on a model but what is really the dead Mullard, you can clearly see him breathing!

cast
PETER VAUGHAN as Anderson
DENNIS WATERMAN as Frank
WILLIAM MARLOWE as Jeffries
SINEAD CUSACK as Sally
LESLIE SCHOFIELD as Moore
DAVID JACKSON as Martin
MICHAEL LEES as George Mullard
ALUN ARMSTRONG as Mike
COLIN McCORMACK as Peter
ANGELA WALKER as Pat
CATHERINE CHASE as Jenny
DAVID SANDS as Tom