Sword of Honour (Channel 7 1986 with Andrew Clarke and Tracy Mann)

Australia / Channel 7 – Simpson Le Mesurier / 4×120 minute episodes / Broadcast 1986

Writers: Roger Simpson, Kathy Mueller, Peter Kinloch, Tom Hegarty / Camera: David Connell / Design: Bernard Hides / Costume: Jane Hyland / Music: Greg Sneddon / Producer: Roger Le Mesurier / Executive Producer: Roger Simpson / Directors: Pino Amenta, Catherine Millar

Period drama serial. During the 1960’s the life of Esse Rogers (as she goes to university and campaigns against the Vietnam War) contrasts with that of her childhood sweetheart Tony Lawrence (who fights in the war and wins the military award The Sword of Honour).

The series was pretty lavish with a budget of $5 million and was filmed in Sydney, Melbourne, Queensland as well as South-East Asia. The storyline has no relation to the Evelyn Waugh trilogy of the same name which has also been adapted for television (several times in fact and most recently in 2011 with Daniel Craig).

cast
ANDREW CLARKE as Tony Lawrence
TRACY MANN as Esse Rogers
NIKKI COGHILL as Viv Lawrence-Vittorio
PAULINE CHAN as Tam
ALAN FLETCHER as Frank Vittorio
ANDREW SHARP as Jo Hale
JULIA BLAKE
LINDA NEWTON
WYN ROBERTS
DOUG BOWLES
MARK MITCHELL
GEORGE MALLABY
TOM RICHARDS