Screen One: The Accountant (BBC-1 1989, Alfred Molina, Tracie Hart)

When put upon Edgware accountant Lionel Ellerman tries to help old friend Bernard Hampton with a debt he is owed he very quickly finds himself mixed up with some very unsavoury characters.

He has discovered that the company that owes Hampton money is caught up in some high level tax-dodges. He realises he might be getting out of his depth when his car is broken into and then his office is ransacked. Whilst en route to the caterers who are organising the food at his sons barmitzvah he is kidnapped and taken to Napoli where are a group of Mafiosi are keen to find out what he knows.

When the Mafia boss realises just what he good accountant Lionel actually is he insists that he stay on and help him…. whether he wants to or not. Meanwhile his family back home have no idea where he is and are getting increasingly frantic.

When the Mafia boss realises how much his son’s barmitzvah means to him he makes sure he gets back to Edgware in time and ends up being guest of honour.

Alfred Molina is brilliant as Lionel and the script from Geoffrey Case is also top notch.

Molina, who became a household name in the ITV series EL CID soon after, was nominated for a BAFTA award for his performance.

production details
UK / BBC One / 1×95 minute episode / Broadcast 24 September 1989

Writer: Geoff Case / Composer:Carl Davis / Design:Jim Grant / Costume Design:Rita Reekie / Producer:Paul Knight / Director: Les Blair

Series: Screen One Season 1 Episode 3

cast
ALFRED MOLINA as Lionel Ellerman
TRACIE HART as Marsha Ellerman
GEORGIA MITCHELL as Sharon
CLIVE PANTO as Bernard Hampton
DAVID GRAHAM as Malcolm Druce
IVANO STACCIOCI as D’Amico
FINTAN McKEOWN as Anthony Larrabietti
TIM STERN as Max
JAMES DUGGAN as McMichael
NADIO FORTUNE as Carlo
LARA STEELE as Louise Ellerman
LEONARD BENDEL as David Ellerman
RAJ PATEL as Roland Sharma
ROLY LAMAS as Mr Shrikkanth
PEPE LEMER as Anjelica
GEOFF ATWELL as Eric
MALCOLM RENNIE as Forsyth
STELLA RICHMAN as Mrs Ellerman
STANLEY DAVIES as Uncle Maurice
RACHEL JACOB as Charlotte
MATTHEW KING as Marco
TONY MARTELL as Mr Levy
DEBORAH HALL as Newsreader
RICHARD KERSHAW as TV Presenter

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