Scoop (1987 film)

Scoop is a 1987 television film directed by Gavin Millar, adapted by William Boyd from the 1938 satirical novel Scoop by Evelyn Waugh.[1][2] It was produced by Sue Birtwistle with executive producers Nick Elliott and Patrick Garland.[3] Original music was made by Stanley Myers.[4] The story is about a reporter sent to the fictional African state of Ishmaelia by accident.[5]

Scoop
DVD cover
Based onScoop
by Evelyn Waugh
Screenplay byWilliam Boyd
Directed byGavin Millar
StarringMichael Maloney
Denholm Elliott
Michael Hordern
Herbert Lom
Music byStanley Myers
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
Production
Executive producersNick Elliott
Patrick Garland
ProducerSue Birtwistle
Production locationsLondon
Morocco
CinematographyRoger Pratt
EditorDerek Bain
Running time120 minutes
Production companyLondon Weekend Television
Release
Original networkITV
Original release
  • 26 April 1987 (1987-04-26)

Plot

In a case of mistaken identity, a naive young columnist for The Daily Beast is sent to cover a war in Ishmaelia. A confused editor, Mr. Salter (Denholm Elliott), acting on the orders of his much feared 'boss', Lord Copper (Donald Pleasence), tells William Boot (Michael Maloney) to cover the ongoing war as the correspondent for the Beast. Boot normally writes about British country life, but is too timid, and worried about losing his job for good, to say otherwise when he is ordered overseas.

Boot is soon up to his neck in intrigue. All the foreign journalists are confined to the capital of Ishmaelia, and they are not allowed to leave unless permission has been given by the Minister of Propaganda. The journalists stick together, drinking and trying to pass time, but they watch each other jealously for signs that someone may have a story to send home. However, Lord Hitchcock, the correspondent for the Daily Brute, is noticeably absent, and this sends the reporters on an insane quest into the desert in the hope of finding the sought-after 'scoop'.

The story is full of bizarre characters: an insane Swedish diplomat who goes berserk when he drinks too much absinthe, the mysterious Mr. Baldwin (Herbert Lom), and a German woman who claims she somehow or other lost her husband. The hapless William Boot appears to be completely out of his depth in the middle of all this chaos and confusion.

Cast

References
  1. "Scoop (1987)". BFI. Archived from the original on 6 January 2018.
  2. "William Boot: Evelyn Waugh's legendary journalist". the Guardian. 31 May 2010.
  3. "Scoop – Cast & Crew on MUBI". mubi.com.
  4. "Scoop (1987) - Gavin Millar | Cast and Crew | AllMovie" – via www.allmovie.com.
  5. "Scoop (1987)". Radio Times.


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