A Classic is Born...on Masterpiece Contemporary

guest review

A traditional spy drama, taut with suspense, Page Eight almost feels sophisticated in its darkness, with undercurrents of danger lurking in the shadows and veiled threats being made from unexpected quarters, wholly reminiscent of—

—Noir when it was king.

Long-time military intelligence analyst Johnny Worricker (Nighy) is a passionate man, about his art collection, jazz records and the many women he has wooed—some of whom he’s married, though none for very long. His boss, the Director General of MI5 (Gambon) is married to one of Johnny’s ex-wives, but as his best friend, the DG is the longest sustained relationship he’s ever had. In fact, Johnny’s made an art out of steering clear of true intimacy with anybody—including his former wives and daughter—and never discussing matters involving faith or politics. He may be alone, but he sleeps through the night.

Michael Gambon is the Director General of MI5.

Filled with top-notch talent, this remains Nighy’s show. His contained portrayal of a desk-spy called to action is a plum role for the actor and a far cry from his characters in the vampire Underworld features, the over-the-top Pirates of the Caribbean films, or as the aging rocker in the romantic comedy Love Actually. It’s more in line with the editor-in-chief he played in the BBC miniseries State of Play (being reshown this fall on BBC America’s Dramaville—another don’t-miss if you did first time around)

Ralph Fiennes as Britain’s Prime Minister in the PBS drama
Page Eight.

Make sure you check your local PBS listings for tonight’s airing and look for it on Blu-ray and DVD after November 8th.

Postscript: Originally intended for the big screen, David Hare had difficulty getting Page Eight financed. (Too much talking and not enough violence and lovemaking, he was told.) He persisted, eventually deciding to produce it for television. It was a labor of love for him and many of his cast members. HERE’s an interview with Hare and Nighy about how the project came to be.