Food for Ravens

The story of Nye Bevan's final days, who's most notable achievement was giving Britain The NHS, told in his own words.

I wanted to love this drama, as it really does tell an important story, the problem though, the pacing. Despite a sublime performance from Brian Cox, I didn't fully care for the way his story was told, the whole experience was tedious to say the least. Choosing to focus on Bevan's final days, I didn't care for it, it made the whole thing too depressing.

It's definitely a fascinating story, almost everyone in The UK uses or has used The NHS, I'm not too sure that many know if how it came about, we owe a lot to Nye Bevan.

The telling of the story was definitely a little different, and it does take a couple of minutes to work out who the young boy he's talking to is.

Aneurin Bevan surely ranks as one of Britain's most influential and important politicians, what he did for the health of this nation is quite something. I shudder to think what he'd think of the state of it in 2023.

You cannot fault Brian Cox, a great actor with strong political beliefs, he was perfectly cast.

5/10.

Oscar nominated writer and polemicist Trevor Griffiths makes his directorial debut with Food for Ravens.

It is a lyrical biopic celebrating the life of Welsh Socialist firebrand Aneurin Bevan the founder of the National Health Service.

Brian Cox plays Nye Bevan in his dying days, as he imagines himself in conversation with his younger self. His family has not told him that he was dying and Nye himself had visions of leading the Labour Party. In his opinion Hugh Gaitskell was not up to the task.

This was a subdued piece, Griffiths use of flashbacks are meant to convey where Bevan the fighter for the marginalised came from. Unfortunately as director he could not bring his work to life.

Despite the best efforts of Cox and Sinéad Cusack this was a disappointment. I really did not get a feel for Nye Bevan, a man so celebrated that I have a relative named after him.

The BBC buries this went it was broadcast nationally. Griffiths has not worked for the BBC since then.

This is a fantastically written and fantastically acted piece. From Trevor Griffiths, from Brian Cox and Sinead Cusack, as well as the supporting cast.

The range of the honesty, the beauty, and the pain.

The pacing is perfect, taking all the time it needs to honour both Nye Bevan and Jennie Lee as people, not only politicians.

The line 'oh god why did you make your world so beautiful and the life of man so short' resonates (though nowadays I guess we'd say 'humans' not just man). I'd thought it must be Dylan Thomas or someone ... no, Trevor Griffiths. And throughout, there's a strong, quiet poetry.