THE CHARMER

UK | ITV Network – London Weekend Television

RUNNING TIME: 60 minutes | NUMBER OF EPISODES: 6 | ORIGINAL AIRDATES: 18 October – 22 November 1987

WRITER: Allan Prior | NOVELS: Patrick Hamilton | THEME MUSIC: You’re The Top by Cole Porter Sung by Paul Jones | PRODUCER: Philip Hinchcliffe

Period drama serial The Charmer gave Nigel Havers one of his best roles ever as the suave 1930′s conman Ralph Ernest Gorse – a man with with an eye for the ladies and the main chance lets his schemes get more involved and even deadly but eventually gets his comeuppance.

Wonderfully atmospheric, excellently cast. Bernard Hepton in particular is a delight as the cuckolded real estate agent Donald Stimpson who will not give up in making sure Gorse gets his just desserts after making a fool of the woman Stimpson is in love with. Fiona Fullerton is also something of revelation, very sexy and probably the only character able to play Gorse at his own game.

The serial stays remarkable true to Patrick Hamiltons source novels, which are easily up there with the likes of Graham Greene’s Brighton Rock.

cast

NIGEL HAVERS as Ralph Ernest Gorse

FIONA FULLERTON as Clarice Manners

BERNARD HEPTON as Donald Stimpson

ROSEMARY LEACH as Joan Plumleigh-Bruce

JUDY PARFITT as Alison Warren

ABIGAIL McKERN as Pamela Bennett

THE EPISODES

1. GORSE, THE TEMPTER

2. GORSE, THE INVESTER

3. GORSE, THE DECEIVER

4. GORSE IN THE MIDDLE

5. GORSE, THE IMPOSTER

6. GORSE AT THE END