Into the Fire

Interesting three part BBC drama inspired partly by Thomas Hardy's The Mayor Of Casterbridge. Local businessman and magistrate Frank Candy is brought to account for his one disgraceful act in an otherwise blameless, respectable life.

That's it really, except for Donal McCann, who is stunning in the lead role. His character study of Frank Candy is a dry run for a Michael Henchard he never lived to play. For that reason alone this film is a valuable record of an important performance.

I doubt it will ever be repeated, or released, but I have fond memories of the bleak finish on McCann's face as he goes down and it's worth searching out a copy for that alone.