This made-for-television spy drama – shot on location on the Isle of Wight and broadcast on ITV on 19 October 1980 – was the first in a loosely connected trilogy of films written for London Weekend Television by playwright Dennis Potter. The other two films were Rain on the Roof (1980) and Cream in My Coffee (1980).
Daniel Young (Tom Conti) arrives at a remote country house where septuagenarian Cambridge Don and retired spy Professor Jason Cavendish (Donald Pleasence) lives with his young second wife Linda (Kika Markham), and Christabel (Phoebe Nicholls), his 18-year-old daughter from his first marriage. Also in the house is the professor’s butler-cum-private secretary, Jack Hill (Denholm Elliott).
Daniel says that he is writing a thesis on the way children’s literature can be used as political writing. But is he?
His academic questions begin to take on the tone of an interrogation, and before long, the ghosts of Philby, Burgess and Maclean raise their heads once more.
Daniel seduces Christabel and, unknown to the others, murders Linda. He then reveals to Cavendish that his true name is Daniel Cartwright and that his father, Andrew, was a British intelligence officer who was murdered by Cavendish while escorting a Soviet defector to the British embassy.
Daniel ultimately convinces Cavendish to surrender his memoirs – implicating himself, Jack Hill, and several high-profile MPs as Soviet sympathisers – and shoot himself.
The old man obliges, having grown weary of the enforced secrecy of his final years.
Hill arrives at the summer house to execute Daniel, but the young man reveals he has been sent by the KGB (at Hill’s request) to prevent Cavendish from blowing their cover and that Linda was a sleeper agent for MI6.
Daniel leaves Hill to clean up the mess and leaves.
The film – re-titled Deep Cover for its video release in the USA – was nominated for six BAFTA Awards in 1981, including Best Single Play for director Richard Loncraine, Best Design, Best Film Editor, and Best Film Cameraman. Ultimately, it won two awards: Best Graphics and Best Actor (Denholm Elliott).
Daniel Young Tom Conti Professor Jason Cavendish
Donald Pleasence Linda Cavendish
Kika Markham Christabel Cavendish
Phoebe Nicholls Jack Hill
Denholm Elliott Doctor
Gareth Forwood Andrew Cartwright
Bill Weston Young Daniel
Joel Samuel Newsreader
Alvar Liddell
Daniel seduces Christabel and, unknown to the others, murders Linda. He then reveals to Cavendish that his true name is Daniel Cartwright and that his father, Andrew, was a British intelligence officer who was murdered by Cavendish while escorting a Soviet defector to the British embassy.
