The Brothers: Manoeuvres (BBC1 1976, Judith Fielding)

In Manoeuvres David and Jane are going behind the back of the rest of the Hammond board in order to ensure that Jane’s idea about the expansion of the air freight side of the business goes ahead. If they pull it off it will both of them having to sell their shares in Hammonds and more than likely have to leave the company altogether. However as soon as Merroney gets wind of the scheme he puts a major spanner in the works with the bank.

David calls a family conference and it is Brian who comes up with a plan to ensure that Paul backs down and re-thinks the idea is given a rethink by the Hammond’s and Van Der Merwe holding group. This would mean that Jane would get her planes and Felixstowe would still be able to go ahead too. When Brian makes it clear that the entire board is behind this Merroney has no choice but to go along with it.

Meanwhile Gwen is finding that the playgroup is giving her a real out let for the first time in a long time and is considering starting her own group leaving Bill more than a little worried about the prospect of lots of little feet trampling through the house.

Lots of shenanigans and furtive dealings at the beginnings of the episode when it looks like David and Jane are planning to form a break away company nicely paced with domestic moments between Gwen and Bill and Ted and Jenny. The latter pair are going through something of a rough patch and seemingly growing apart from each other at the moment, Ted didn’t even tell Jenny that he had dinner with April (the sneaky Paul did that!)

production details
UK / BBC-1 / 1×60 minute episode / Broadcast 3 October 1976

Writer: Brian Finch / Production Design: Gavin Davies / Director: Timothy Combe

The Brothers Season Seven Episode Five

main cast
JEAN ANDERSON as Mary Hammond
RICHARD EASTON as Brian Hammond
ROBIN CHADWICK as David Hammond
JENNIFER WILSON as Jennifer Hammond
DEREK BENFIELD as Bill Riley
KATE O’MARA as Jane Maxwell
COLIN BAKER as Paul Merroney
MARGARET ASHCROFT as Gwen Riley
LIZA GODDARD as April Merroney

guest cast
TERENCE FRISBY as Simon Winter
JUDITH FIELDING as Beryl