The Brothers: The Race (BBC-1 27 Oct 1974, Murray Hayne)

In The Race David manages to persuade the Hammond board to finance his motor racing exploits into Formula Ford by way of advertising sponsorship and a large delegation from Hammond’s go to his first race to wish him luck, Bill is very keen and gets on board as David’s race engineer, whilst Jill is David’s time keeper.

Meanwhile Nicholas Fox and Ann are back from Amsterdam and he is making it very plain that he thinks she should go back to Brian. Fox then pays a visit to Brian and tries to persuade him to take Ann back but Brian makes it clear that’s not going to happen. Matters come to a head when Nicholas tells Ann he is going to New York and he wants her out of his life. Ann, bereft, turns up on David and Jill’s doorstep.

Interesting action with the race taking centre stage for much of the first half with lots of talky bits between Ann and Nicholas Fox. The racing sequences are well done but the editing leaves a lot to be desired, the trackside commentary saying that David is in the lead whilst in the shot he has two cars in front of him, in the end David comes in ninth. By the end of the episode Jill makes it clear that she doesn’t want him involved in anymore races.

production details
UK / BBC One / 1×60 minute episode / Broadcast 27 October 1974

Writer: John Pennington / Production Design: Michael Edwards / Director: Roderick Graham

Series: The Brothers / Season 4 Episode 9

guest cast
MURRAY HAYNE as Martin Farrell
JONATHAN NEWTH as Nicholas Fox
JOHN ROLFE as Haughton
ANTHONY MARSH as Race Commentator