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TO SERVE THEM ALL MY DAYS

BBC DVD / 6 disc set / Region 4 / Released April 2008

Featuring John Duttine, Nicholas Lyndhurst, Frank Middlemass, Belinda Lang

Back in the late 1960's and early 70's writer R.F. Delderfield was king of the doorstep novel, his epic tales of everyday life, mostly set in the early decades of the 20th century were prime fodder for the BBC drama team who over the years adapted most of his novels. To Serve Them All My Days, released this month in a very handsome 6 disc set, was without question the most popular of them.

Produced in 1980 the 13 part serial was re-worked for the small screen by uber adapter Andrew Davies (then only really just starting to make his mark in TV land) and shot John Duttine to stardom in the title role of David Powlett-Jones. The story opens with Powlett-JOnes being invalided out of the army towards the closing days of world war one and taking up a post as a teacher at Bamfylde boarding school in sleepy West Devon. With shades of Mr Chips and taking in over two decades Powlett-Jones becomes a truly inspirational teacher, belying his background in a working class Welsh mining family. Along the way we take in lots of key history such as the General strike, the rise of socialism, the great Depression and the coming of World War II.

The kind of series that the BBC does best, with that classic videotaped vintage vibe. Duttine is excellent in the lead and there are roles too for the likes of Nicholas Lyndhuhrst (as a young pupil at the school) as well as the likes of Belinda Lang and Frank Middlesmass.

There are quite a few extras too which take the shape of a biog and bibliography of Delderfield, production notes, cast filmographies and an image gallery.

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