A traumatized former WWI soldier becomes a teacher at an elite English boarding school, finding purpose in mentoring students while navigating class divides between his working-class roots a... Read allA traumatized former WWI soldier becomes a teacher at an elite English boarding school, finding purpose in mentoring students while navigating class divides between his working-class roots and the prestigious institution.A traumatized former WWI soldier becomes a teacher at an elite English boarding school, finding purpose in mentoring students while navigating class divides between his working-class roots and the prestigious institution.
- Nominated for 1 Primetime Emmy
- 3 nominations total
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaThe filming at the Milton Abbey School in Dorset, which served as Bamfylde in the series, took place during actual school term. The "real" students at the school happily mixed with the cast and crew and many of the boys who appear in the series are genuine schoolboys.
- GoofsSeveral times, the length of David's tie changes between indoor and outdoor scenes in the same sequence. Example: Episode 8 opens with David walking back to Bamfylde early in the morning. His tie ends well above his belt. When David arrives at his house and talks with Molyneux, David's tie extends below his belt. From there, David goes outdoors to meet Algy and Brigadier Cooper, and his tie is once again short.
- Quotes
[talking about the death of Alcock]
Howarth: That's that, and I hope to God nobody asks me to comment. The thing I find hardest to tolerate is hypocrisy, especially when it takes the form of a sentimental regard for the dead just because they *are* dead. To hear some people talk, you'd think dying was limited to the chosen few.
- ConnectionsFeatured in The 35th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1983)
John Duttine stars as a Welsh veteran of the First World War who has been invalided out of service with a bad leg and shell shock. He arrives at a remote boys' school for a job as a teacher. He has no experience and no degree, but the headmaster (a towering performance by Frank Middlemass) knows instantly that the young man has the makings of a good teacher.
The series follows his years at the school, his marriage, his disappointments, and the many boys who pass through his life. The English settings are beautiful and the school is perfect.
One of the joys of this series is the acting. Duttine and Middlesmass are perfect as Powlett-Jones and Herries. They are joined by Alan MacNaughtan as Howerth, the older English teacher who's always ready with a sardonic jab and a glass of gin, and Belinda Lang as life-loving Beth. There's a nice turn by Neil Stacy as Carter, the very picture of pomposity, Patricia Lawrence as the ever-wise Mrs. Herries, and Tim Wylton as Griff.
Belinda Lang, Frank Middlemass, and Tim Wylton starred together in another terrific series, THE BRETTS in the late 1980s. Middlemass and Wylton also appeared on Judi Dench's long-running series AS TIME GOES BY.
Wonderful series may be kind of hard to find now. Not sure if it's ever been released on DVD.
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Language
- Also known as
- Una vida a su servicio
- Filming locations
- Milton Abbey School, Blandford, Dorset, England, UK(Bamfylde School)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro