House of Cards Trilogy (1990-1995)

House of Cards is a delicious tale of greed, corruption and burning ambition. At its heart is Francis Urquhart (Ian Richardson, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy), a black-hearted villain with a smiling face, who shares with the viewers his estranged humor and innermost thoughts to destroy each of his political rivals. One by one his opponents tumble, until at last there is just one wild card left in the pack…

Director: Paul Seed
Cast: Ian Richardson, Susannah Harker, Miles Anderson, Alphonsia Emmanuel, Malcolm Tierney, Diane Fletcher, Colin Jeavons, Damien Thomas, William Chubb, Kenneth Gilbert, Christopher Owen, David Lyon, Kenny Ireland, James Villiers, Isabelle Amyes, John Hartley, Nicholas Selby, Tommy Boyle, John Arnatt, Richard Braine, Hugh Dickson, Angela Rippon, Vivienne Ritchie, Eric Allan, Jan Winters, Robin Wentworth, Kenneth Hadley, Peter Gale, Raymond Mason, Geoffrey Bateman




Extras:
- Audio commentary from screenwriter Andrew Davies and star Ian Richardson on House of Cards Episode 1
- Audio commentary from screenwriter Andrew Davies and star Ian Richardson on To Play the King Episode 1
- Audio commentary from screenwriter Andrew Davies and star Ian Richardson on The Final Cut Episode 1

Disc 1: House of Cards
Episode 1: 18th November 1990
Episode 2: 25th November 1990
Episode 3 2nd December 1990
Episode 4: 9th December 1990

Disc 2: To Play the King
Episode 1: 22nd November 1993
Episode 2: 29th November 1993
Episode 3 5th December 1993
Episode 4: 13th December 1993

Disc 3: The Final Cut
Episode 1: 5th November 1995
Episode 2: 12th November 1995
Episode 3 19th November 1995
Episode 4: 26th November 1995




Disc 4: Bonus Material
"Andrew Davies on To Play the King Controversy" - 1993 BBC Biteback report and studio debate
"Westminster: Behind Closed Doors" - To celebrate the 700th anniversary of Parliment, Tony Benn has been taking his video camera around the Palace of Westminster. He films some of the people who work behind the scenes and visits places the public never see. (First broadcast BBC2 11th December 1995)

IMDb

Francis Urquhart is the chief whip of the Conservative party. When Margaret Thatcher resigns as leader, he remains neutral and after a general election where the conservatives are returned with a reduced majority, he fully expects the new Prime Minister, Henry Collingridge, to give him his just reward: a senior Cabinet post. When he's informed that he is to stay in his current position, he devises a plot to unseat Collingridge and ensure his own election as party leader which would make his Prime Minister.
~ garykmcd

"House of Cards" is an entertaining and frightening tale. Ian Richardson, playing the intelligent and ruthless Francis Urquhart, immediately draws the viewer into the tale with his wry comments to the camera, discreet confidences just between the two of you, and compels you to accompany him as the tale moves from an amusing political fantasy to something altogether darker.

The writing and acting is spot on (I must give kudos to Susannah Harker whose fine performance as Mattie Storin has, I think, been overlooked by many viewers), and the pace of the show doesn't slow until the final, shocking end.

I am constantly recommending "House of Cards" to friends, to the point of hosting viewing parties at my place every few months, and I'm not tired of watching it, yet! :) I find that anyone who enjoys such pieces as "I, Claudius" or any other involuted, political drama, will enjoy "House of Cards".
~ Johanna Mead

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