Review of Britannia Hospital (1982) by Victor M — 23 Jul 2014
As the final chapter in the 'Mick Travis trilogy', which began with if.... and continued through O, Lucky Man!, Britannia Hospital may register as something of a disappointment. But taken on its own terms, this is a strong (if excessively sour) satire of Thatcher's Britain.
Malcolm McDowell, playing Travis of course, is more of a supporting character here, with the lion's share of screen time going to Graham Crowden in a delightfully unhinged performance as Dr Millar (one of the characters he played in O, Lucky Man!), a genius/mad scientist who is hoping to unveil his newest 'creation' for the Queen, who's paying a visit to the titular hospital today.
As luck would have it, the kitchen staff at Britannia Hospital have gone on strike, with other staff members joining them in solidarity. Meanwhile a mob of protestors have assembled outside to protest the fact that a brutal African dictator is being housed in Britannia Hospital's private ward, where he receives first-class treatment.
And as mentioned McDowell himself is on hand as Mick Travis, the cynical exposé journalist attempting to break open a story on Dr Millar. It's all a bit of a mess, but this of course suits the material.
If the film has one major flaw, it's the fact that Miroslav Ondricek wasn't on hand to photograph the film; his replacement, Mike Fash, is a competent cinematographer but doesn't shoot the film like a comedy.
Consequently, a number of gags pass right by the viewer almost without being noticed. It is nevertheless a fascinating film, one that rewards repeat viewings, If you can get past the film's ultra-pessimistic tone.
This review of Britannia Hospital (1982) was written by Victor M on 23 Jul 2014.
Britannia Hospital has generally received mixed reviews.
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