Legacy (2013 film)

Legacy is a British thriller television film that broadcast on BBC Two on 28 November 2013. It is an adaptation of Alan Judd's 2001 spy novel of the same name.[1]

Legacy
GenreDrama
Based onLegacy
by Alan Judd
Written byPaula Milne
Directed byPete Travis
Starring
Theme music composerRuth Barrett
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
ProducerRob Bullock
EditorStuart Gazzard
Running time90 minutes
Production companySlim Film + Television
Release
Original network
Original release
  • 28 November 2013 (2013-11-28) (UK)

Plot

Charles Thoroughgood (Charlie Cox), a young spy, discovers the truth about his father's past. After leaving the army, he starts training at the Secret Intelligence Service when Viktor Koslov (Andrew Scott), a Soviet diplomat, gets him on a case. Charles' bosses want to exploit Viktor. When Charles makes contact with him, Viktor tells him information that he does not want to believe. Charles is also in a relationship with the wife of another agent.[2][3]

Cast

Production

The screenplay was written by Paula Milne and directed by Pete Travis.[2][3] Paula Milne said:

Legacy falls well within the genre of the British spy thriller but has an extraordinary personal twist. For what is espionage if not betrayal at the most fundamental level of human interactions? When that occurs within a family... It's dynamite![2][5]

The television film was commissioned by Ben Stephenson, controller of drama commissioning for the BBC, and Janice Hadlow, controller of BBC Two.[2] The executive producers are Crawford Collins, Paula Milne and Alan Judd for Slim Film + Television and Lucy Richer for the BBC.[2] Rob Bullock is the producer and Rebecca Ferguson the script executive.[2] The television film was commissioned as part of BBC Two's Cold War season.[2]

The production filmed in Deal, Kent, which doubled as a Suffolk village towards the end of the film where Charles follows Viktor. Deal Pier was also used for the scenes where Charles and Anna walk down the pier watching Viktor with his wife, who are being closely followed by the Russian KGB as well as the night scene where Charles and Viktor meet under the pier and discuss the KGB's plans to attack the Power Station.[6]

Reception

Ratings

Overnight figures showed that Legacy was watched by 7.3% of the viewing audience, with 1.59 million viewers.[7] Official figures raised the number of viewers to 1.85 million.[8]

Critical reception

The Independent journalist Gerard Gilbert said: "I guess I'm just not sure that I entirely saw the point of Legacy beyond the fact that the BBC had decided to have a season of programmes about the Cold War."[9] Keith Watson of Metro said that "despite great performances, Legacy got caught up in cloak-and-dagger cliché".[10] The Daily Telegraph's Gerard O'Donovan gave it three out of five stars and said he wished "the characters had been better drawn."[11] Grace Dent of The Independent found the film boring and said "everyone in this Cold War thriller was brilliant, but I still fell asleep".[12]

References
  1. Dowell, Ben (10 October 2013). "BBC2 unveils first look at new dramas including Legacy and Line of Duty series 2". Radio Times. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  2. "Paula Milne's new Cold War thriller, Legacy, recruits stellar cast for BBC Two". BBC. 4 July 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  3. "Legacy: A gripping new espionage thriller for BBC Two". BBC. 4 November 2013. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  4. Romola Garai Early life and acting career
  5. "Romola Garai and Charlie Cox head BBC2's all-star Legacy". IndieLondon. Retrieved 9 November 2013.
  6. Kent Film Office. "Kent Film Office Legacy Film Focus".
  7. Eames, Tom (29 November 2013). "'I'm a Celebrity' dips but still tops Thursday ratings with 8.7m". Digital Spy. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  8. "Viewing data". BARB. Retrieved 23 December 2013.
  9. Gilbert, Gerard (28 November 2013). "Legacy: TV review - clichés spoil a reds-under-the-bed spy story with shades of le Carré". Independent. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  10. Watson, Keith (29 November 2013). "Despite great performances, Legacy got caught up in cloak-and-dagger cliché". Metro. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  11. O'Donovan, Gerard (28 November 2013). "Legacy, BBC Two, review". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
  12. Dent, Grace (29 November 2013). "Grace Dent on TV: Legacy, BBC2". Independent. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
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