The Ploughman's Lunch (1983)

44% of users liked it
(49 ratings)

A writer displays a troubling streak of opportunism in his personal and professional lives in this British drama. As the Falkland Islands war rages, journalist and aspiring historical writer James Penfield (Jonathan Pryce) is working on a book that will examine the 1965 Suez crisis in a manner… More A writer displays a troubling streak of opportunism in his personal and professional lives in this British drama. As the Falkland Islands war rages, journalist and aspiring historical writer James Penfield (Jonathan Pryce) is working on a book that will examine the 1965 Suez crisis in a manner compatible with the current political climate. James is also pursuing Susan Barrington (Charlie Dore), a documentary filmmaker whose mother Ann (Rosemary Harris) is a noted expert on the Suez crisis and an outspoken leftist. While James has assured his publisher that his book will take a conservative view, he tells Susan and Ann that he's a socialist and that his book will reflect that position as he attempts to glean information from them. James also sleeps with Ann as his relationship with Susan hits a rough patch, but he isn't especially forgiving when he discovers that Susan has had a fling with Jeremy Hancock (Tim Curry), a tabloid journalist who has worked with both of them. The Ploughman's Lunch includes a sequence where the characters attend the 1982 Conservative Party conference, which was shot at the actual event (and includes a speech Margaret Thatcher delivered to the assembled Tories). ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: R, 1 hr. 47 min.
Directed By: Richard Eyre
Genres: Drama

In Theaters: Oct 19, 1984 Wide
On DVD: Sep 13, 2005

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

I love Tim Curry, which is the reason I thought this might be a decent movie, but it's so slow and boring, I couldn't watch the whole thing, and Curry's only got a scene here and there. The story is very political and talky, I didn't find anything interesting… More
I love Tim Curry, which is the reason I thought this might be a decent movie, but it's so slow and boring, I couldn't watch the whole thing, and Curry's only got a scene here and there. The story is very political and talky, I didn't find anything interesting since I don't know much of anything about politics. Overall, I did not like this movie.

Cast

            Jonathan Pryce as James Penfield

            Tim Curry as Jeremy Hancock

            Rosemary Harris as Ann Barrington

            Frank Finlay as Matthew Fox

            Charlie Dore as Susan Barrington

            David de Keyser as Gold

            Bill Paterson as Lecturer

            Polly Abbott as Gold's Assistant

            Bob Cortland as Editor

            Tim Cuny as Jeremy Hancock

            Ken Drury as Young Man at Poetry Reading

            Christopher Fulford as Young Journalist

            Nat Jackley as Mr. Penfield

            Paul Jesson as Journalist

            William Maxwell as Journalist

            Andy Rashleigh as Journalist

            Ken Shorter as Squash Coach

            Peter Walmsley as Bob Tuckett

            Anna Wing as Woman at Poetry Reading

            Simon Stokes as Edward

            Orlando Wells as Tom Fox

            Clare Sutcliffe as Jill

            Vivienne Chandler as Mom in Commercial

            Sandra Voe as Carmen

            Peter Birch as Barman

            Pearl Hackney as Mrs. Penfield

            Cecily Hobbs as Carol

            Allan Mitchell as Junior Minister

            David Lyon as Newsreader
See full cast

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The Ploughman's Lunch (1983)

No Critic Reviews Found…

Featured Audience Ratings

AJ V

Cast

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