Gravy Train, The (Channel 4 1990, Christoph Waltz, Ian Richardson)

In the superbly funny comedy drama serial The Gravy Train an idealistic new Euro MP gets a rude awakening when he joins an EEC department in Brussels. Tom Sharpe like in its flights of comedic fancy and a series full of brilliant performances not least Alexei Sayle as the well dodgy Eu-Russia trader Milcic and the always brilliant Ian Richardson whose performance is the real major highlight amongst many.

The Gravy Train was a massive pan European co-production job filmed on location in England, Austria, Germany and Belgium (and Pinewood Studios) and made with input from the TV stations Britanne 2, Channel 4, ORF, RAI, rtve, SRG and ZDF. There was a follow up called The Gravy Train Goes East.

classic quote
“All I expect from my employees is hard work and dog like devotion.”

production details
UK / Channel 4 – Portman / 4×60 minute episodes / Broadcast 27 June – 8 July 1990 on Wednesdays @ 10.00pm

Writer: Malcolm Bradbury / Production Design: Roger Murray-Leach / Director of Photography: Ken Westbury / Costumes: Emma Porteous / Music: John Keane / Executive Producers: Tom Donald, Victor Glynn

cast
CHRISTOPH WALTZ as Dr Hans Joachim (Dorfmann)
IAN RICHARDSON as Michael Spearpoint
ALMANTA SUSKA as Nadine
ALEXEI SAYLE as Milcic
JACQUES SERYS as Villeneuve
ANITA ZAGARIA as Gianna
SABINE WEBER as Christa
JUDY PARFITT as Hilda
GEOFFREY HUTCHINGS as Gustave
RON DONACHIE as Hatted Man
MANDY MEALING as Delise
JULIA DEARDEN as Maria Theresa
CLARE CLIFFORD, SIOBHAN REDMOND, CHARLOTTE WEST-ORAM as British Wives