Ridley Road (2021) User Reviews

A Political thriller with a romance

[tm-sheehan · 7/10 · 7 November 2021]

My Review - Ridley Road. A new BBC Thriller

My Rating. 6.5 /10

It's a coincidence that the 2 series I'm reviewing today concern stories of anti Jewish Groups and anti Semitic violence . One is set in a fictional America "The Plot Against America." the other based on fact is "Ridley Road ." Set in 1962 Ridley Road is a new BBC four-part drama that covers a little known part of British History ( I certainly wasn't aware of it ) Its both a Political Thriller and a fated love story that takes place in London's East End when far right fascism was on a violent rise .

Based on a novel by Jo Bloom it's the story of the Jewish men and women who fought against the fascists led by Colin Jordan played by Rory Kinnear.

The British National party that would become The National Front were supplemented by the National Socialist Movement led by Colin Jordan.

I read that the series gets its title from the road that housed the headquarters of the coalition of Jewish men known as the 62 Group who took on the National Socialist Movement in retaliation to the groups anti Semitic violence and persecution.

I found the Screenplay by Sarah Solemani at times a trifle improbable and melodramatic especially concerning the romance between Viviene Epstein ( Agnes O'Casey) who follows her boyfriend Jack Morris (Tom Varey) an undercover informer for the 62 Group to London where she also is recruited to join her boyfriend as a spy and convince The National Socialist Group that she will be a valuable and loyal member .

Agnes O'Casey in her first television role is very impressive in this demanding role as she transforms from a shy young mousy Jewish teenager who after a Carnaby Street makeover and intensive undercover spy training eventually talks her way into Colin Jordan's country home headquarters that house the members of his fascist organisation .

There's some thrilling and suspenseful moments in Ridley Road but I got a little bored with the love story it just seemed a little improbable to me that this young girl could achieve what she does seemingly to just impress her boyfriend . The melodrama reaches a climax towards the conclusion of the series . Some of the scenes between Colin Jordan Vivian and his first wife who was Francoise Dior ,the niece of Christian Dior seemed too hysterical .

Then I changed my mind when I read that in fact Francoise also was a Nazi and helped fund various right-wing causes after the war. Their wedding ceremony reportedly involved them both nicking a finger, pressing them together and allowing the drops of blood to fall onto a copy of Mein Kampf.

I enjoyed this series with reservations keep an eye out for it on the ABC I View starting Saturday the 13th of November.

Unconvincing

[martinchambers · 6/10 · 5 October 2021]

I think the writing and plot is weak, unconvincing and unbelievable. No problems with the set, scenery and the use of archive film of street scenes of the period are great. The performances are good too but it it ends there. The plot is thin, superficial and full of holes and appears to be lossely constructed to present set scenes.

I cheered and yelled for the heroine in this absorbing political thriller

[Sasha_Lauren · 8/10 · 21 June 2022]

Very loosely based on true events, not historically accurate, and melodramatic, I nevertheless loved the PBS four-part miniseries Ridley Road to the point of getting up and cheering or yelling, "get out of there," during some of the action sequences.

Vivian Epstein, (alias Jane Carpenter), a twenty-three-year-old Jewish woman from Manchester, England sneaks off to London to follow her boyfriend James, (alias Peter Fox), when he mysteriously leaves town. She wants out of a marriage arranged by her parents and to be with the man she loves.

Vivian, who works as a hairdresser in Soho, learns that James is working undercover in the National Socialist Movement in order to inform resisters of the groups planned actions. The NSM violently targets and kills Jews. Vivian dyes her brunette hair blonde and becomes a spy in the Jewish resistance movement the 62 group, (headquartered on Ridley Road), first to find James, and then because anti-fascists DO rather than just sitting on the sidelines and talking. Vivian, who becomes fearless in her mission to save lives, gains the trust of NSM leader Colin Jordan. This gives her access to private conversations and offices in the NSM headquarters.

The series is a blend of romance, action, and political thriller. Part of the fun and impact of the series is it's unapologetic good versus bad trope, highlighting the bravery of the resistance fighters in general, and Vivian and James in particular.

Agnes O'Casey as Vivian enjoys a rollicking star turn in her first production. I will watch for her in other projects.

Slightly disappointing take on an interesting and important story

[JRB-NorthernSoul · 6/10 · 3 October 2021]

Ridley Road is inspired by a real life clash between UK fascists and Jewish Resisters in London's East End in the early 60's. The contemporary parallels are unmissable with antisemitism and racist hate crimes at record levels.

So I was expecting something a lot more dynamic and engaging than the first episode which took forever to get going and kept going off on romantic tangents.

Direction and script were most at fault, lots of really tight frame cropping for some reason and the script was heavy with platitudes and clunky exposition and short on action. The score was odd, lots of curious mood music that didn't reflect the period or add much.

Cast were uneven but generally good, the lead character was too passive, it didn't seem to be her story. All in all a bit disappointing.

Superb locations in a haunting piece of English history

[mgumsley · 7/10 · 9 January 2022]

I don't suppose many members of the older generation in the UK remember much about the National Front party fronted by Colin Jordan, but this neat little four part series from the BBC is a timely reminder of how Nazism existed in the early 60's. Jordan seemed to attract mostly disaffected young men, and the Jewish community in the Ridley Road area decided to put up some opposition to their movement. The story follows a young Jewish girl, Viven Epstein who infiltrates the organization and steals incriminating information about National Front activities. Agnes 0'Casey seemed miscast at first, a tentative youngster missing Manchester and all that was familiar to her, but she grew into the role quite well I thought, and by the end of the series I was hooked.

To be honest, it was a trifle slow at times, but the 1960's setting of Swinging London was lovingly crafted, and production values were very high. Rory Kinnear was suitably commanding as Jordan, Eddie Marsan equally convincing as a Jewish activist. There are spells in the story where the action lags, but from the moment Vivien goes to stay at the National Front HQ the action takes off, and the bit where her cover is blown is really fascinating. The overall story was good in parts, and the ending seemed a bit of a let down; for all his activities Jordan only got nine months in jail which seems little for someone who was betraying his country. Nevertheless Red productions have produced an interesting and timely little story, and I was fascinated to learn that Dior's niece was his wife; watch out for her in the series, the actress who plays her has a blast in the role.

I was captivated.

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 31 October 2021]

A young Jewish girl leaves her family home for love in London, when shs gets there however her life takes a very different course.

I thought this was a terrific four part series from The BBC, a fascinating, harrowing and incredible story from Britain's history. Not a story many seem to remember.

It is beautifully made, it looks big budget, with a big cast, great sets, and some terrific fashions. I love how they mix in original footage with the new shots, it looks so good.

Pacing is one of the main strengths, it will keep you gripped, and have you on tenterhooks in equal measure.

The acting is terrific all round, Agnes O'Casey, Sam Spiro, Eddie Marsan, and of course Rory Kinnear, who shows his chilling side, don't think I've seen him play a part such as this.

I loved it, served as a warning from history, 9/10.

Not a bad series

[marktayloruk · 6/10 · 24 October 2021]

Or really accurate historically. There was never any kind of political threat from the likes of Colin Jordan as his electoral performances later proved. Nor did the NSM ever have many members. And in no way could Rockwell have been described as a respected politician !

Nor did Jordan.have any children .

Food For Uncomfortable Thought

[Juneyhod · 10/10 · 6 October 2021]

In 1960 I was 11 years old and living in Manchester. My mother was a great seamstress and we would go into the city centre to buy materials, in and around Stevenson's Square. That was my first introduction to a Jewish community. I asked many questions such as "What is a Jew?", "What is the Jewish religion?," and "Why are there so many tailors & fabric shops in the area?. My mother explained about coming to Britain for safety and then told me about the Holocaust. It was aweful to learn about, but very necessary. My father worked for Home Office Approved Schools at that time and was full of admiration, that there was only one Jewish approved school in the country, and that was never full. The Jews, he said, look after their own and family was everything. I admired that too and wished I'd come from a Jewish community. "Ridley Road" has taught me some uncomfortable truths, that although I thought 'normal' people didn't judge by colour, creed or sexual orientation - and I still think that, nevertheless old prejudices were dangerously held whilst I lived in ignorance. At 72 maybe I still do. Everyone should watch this series. Food for uncomfortable thought indeed.

Colin, Are We the Baddies?

[owen-watts · 6/10 · 16 February 2022]

Adapted from a 2014 novel and loosely based around the actions of the antifascist "62 Group" in early sixties London, Ridley Road is a shallow but intriguing bit of period drama. More than anything I was drawn to it because of the awesome cast - and there are some brilliantly tense moments dotted throughout. Tonally it's more of an uneven romance than it is a historical drama and there's a lack of texture throughout that leaves it feeling rather cheap. The ending is a bit of a muddle as well but it is a relatively unexplored bit of British history with some good actors so it is worth a peek for that at least.

Not the Ridley Road I know so well.

[info-996-828544 · 5/10 · 7 October 2021]

Having been brought up about 500 yds from Ridley Rd, I looked forward to seeing this. Having seen the first episode, I am reminded of the wise words of Mark Twain, "The difference between truth and fiction, is that fiction has to be believable. This was not.

I am old enough to remember both Colin Jordan and Oswald Mosley, and in particular, the 1962 "visit" by the latter to Ridley Rd in 1962. This ended within minutes with Mosley receiving a police escort to get him out of the area. I'm not certain, but If that was not his last public appearance, it must have been close to it.

What I don't recall from that period, was that there was a Dalston office of Mossad operating in the area. I know that may seem harsh, but the problem I have with it, is that even as "Faction", it doesn't work for me. When it's gets as specific as naming a real place and a real date, you'd expect to see bits that you can recognise as being "based on a true story". But so far, I've seen nothing of the sort. This bears no resemblance to my recollections of Ridley Road and events in 1962.

A clever drama

[glenn-aylett · 9/10 · 31 October 2021]

I really enjoyed Ridley Road and a sign after the COVID 19 disruption the BBC is making drama you want to watch, and with an original subject, the clashes between Jews in the East End of London and neo Nazis.( Colin Jordan and his National Socialist Movement did exist for real in the sixties),

While part of the first episode was slow, the story started to really pick up when Jewish hairdresser, Vivienne Epstein, played convincingly by little known Agnes O Grady, finds her boyfriend has infiltrated the NSM and is persuaded to join him. Dying her hair blonde and turning up at Jordan's headquarters, she offers her support to the NSM and Jordan allows her to join.

A well acted drama, Rory Kinnear plays the part of Jordan quite chillingly and Gillian Taylforth is excellent as one of the Jews fighting the NSM. Also the NSM is shown as a ragbag of misfits, boot boys and fanatics like Jordan who are prepared to kill people and resort to terrorism when they bomb a Jewish organisation. Colin and Vivienne are finally outed in the last episode: Colin is beaten up and taken to a remote location to be shot, but manages to persuade a misguided young Nazi to let him go, while Jordan kidnaps Vivienne on a train when he finds she has stolen documents about the NSM's weapons stash and paramilitary training. She is saved when Jordan starts attacking her when she tries to escape and a group of men pull him away and he is arrested.

No real gripes about Ridley Road, as the characterisations are good, just watch past the first rather slow thirty minutes and enjoy a drama that is based on true events. Out of interest, Colin Jordan, the so called world Fuhrer, was jailed in 1962 for real for setting up a paramilitary organisation and jailed again in 1968 for stirring up racial hatred.

Ridley Road does have a happy ending as Vivienne's parents pay for her emigrate to Israel and she is joined by Colin on the plane.

Unhistorical

[fdbjr · 20 August 2022]

I write to endorse the views of another reviewer of this series as to its basic unhistoricality. The BBC and major US media providers are showing an increasing tendency to disregard the actual historical events and cultural realities, in the interest of importing entirely unrealistic racial, ethnic, and cultural themes artificially into those times. Lest anyone suspect my sympathies, I also lived through the 60's and my wife is Jewish, her entire family lost to the Holocaust and other anti-Semitic atrocities of World War II.

Plainly put, there was no widespread Fascist movement in either the US or Great Britain in 1962. Does anyone seriously think that the British constabulary, less than two decades after World War II, in which many fought and had comrades died, would have any sympathy at all for a British Nazi Party? The prosaic fact is that they had none at all.

In the US, George Lincoln Rockwell, the American Nazi, had a following in the dozens. To be sure, in the American South, society clung to an increasingly outdated racial bigotry. But it was increasingly under attack by larger forces. 'To Kill a Mockingbird' won the Pulitzer Prize that year, and the Civil and Voting Rights Acts were passed just two years later.

A drama about Fascist movements that emphasized their aberrance and potential criminality might be acceptable. However, the notion that they had any widespread social appeal is not only incorrect, but slanderous, and somewhat dangerous in itself. You don't redo history simply because it's convenient,.

Racism Drama

[celt007 · 7/10 · 27 October 2021]

Anti Semitism post WWll England , good girl and dangerous lover from literally bad side of the tracks .

Its well acted , production values are good . Its ok not great .

Not much here .

What was the ending all about?

[normanemailer · 5/10 · 15 October 2021]

A mixed bag of actors. Some classy ones and some not so classy. But the script was full of cliches and this adaptation lacked credibility. The neo Nazis seemed more like a dark version of the Keystone Cops. Like Vigil this is another BBC series that promised much but failed to deliver mostly because of the storylines.

Very good but.....

[dfwalls12 · 7/10 · 17 October 2021]

Just finished watching Ridley Rd - I think it was a very good antifascist drama, unfortunately spoiled at the end by the happy couple heading off to an apartheid state founded on ethnic cleansing - how paradoxical!! Exactly what they were fighting against!!

Fascists meet the Midwife

[ikanboy · 6/10 · 15 May 2022]

The whole tone of this series reminded of "Call The Midwife" in it's unpolished portrayal of what should have been a tense drama. Older viewers might be reminded of the "Bulldog Drummond" series with it's overwrought simplistic view of heroes and heroines doing battle with evil. Colin Jordan comes across as a fatuous fascist, as dangerous as a used Volkswagen salesman in Berchtesgaden. It all ends up with a ludicrous chase scene with our heroine lugging a suitcase around from pillar to post, across walls, in attics, in a train, and using it as a weapon of escape from the bad guys. Only for Jordan to get a few months in jail.

The highlight is Eddie Marsan getting to do a cockney taxi driver.

Rita Tushingham

[rchrdcorteel1 · 9/10 · 10 November 2021]

Very good series, but Rita Tushingham acts circles around everyone: she is outstanding...we don't see enough of her. I lived in England at the time depicted, a lot of memories come back.

Riddled with nostalgia

[xmasdaybaby1966 · 7/10 · 14 October 2021]

I enjoyed the first episode so much I bingewatched the remainder of the series on BBC iPlayer prior to TV transmission.

The first episode has plenty of nostalgia with music and the look from the 60s but, after that, it does rather concentrate on the story which also might reflect on what's happening in the UK today.

There are some well known faces and a great new one in Agnes O' Casey but do we need an Irish actress taking a role that many northern actresses might have been crying out for?

The Irish film foundation has helped fund it so perhaps this was part of the agreement. This will be a great platform for Agnes but it could have been a platform for one of our own actresses instead.

A great watch just the same.

Tough to take?

[joboroking · 9/10 · 4 October 2021]

A disproportionate amount of low scores, not based on the quality of story or acting but perhaps because of an uncomfortable feeling while watching.

People in meetings saying 'we want our country back' portrayed as the bad guys. How can this be?

Important story- resonates with the current political climate. Reinforces how dangerous this mindset can be.

First time I've seen movie/miniseries better than the book...

[lazygafiltafish · 7/10 · 2 September 2023]

I watched the miniseries and then read the book (book was completely different and boring). It's clear the miniseries took liberties to make it match the politics of what has been happening in the UK and the US along with trying to do some virtue signaling.

I thought the acting was very good from everyone including the supporting staff. Some reviews are saying how bad the main actress was. The character is supposed to be a mousy, shy, timid girl and she did that. To me though the writers made the Jewish characters very stereotypical which I found strange due to wanting to avoid stereotypes.

One of the reviewers here mentioned that it made no sense was Vivian would have had the Bible with her given that she ended up infiltrating Jordan's group but she moved to London, she didn't know she would be doing that. (In the book the landlord is a middle aged Jewish woman).

I liked that the miniseries was definitely exciting having real people from history in it but they should have kept things more true to what we actually knew about them (Jordan had no child and the wife was banned from the UK). There were also quite obvious "how convenient" parts like Vivian having her business card in her pocket where the nosey housekeeper found it as Vivian denied that the card was hers. This was dumb because when the housekeeper went to the salon, no one said that Jane was a stylist there, however Vivian left her unusual coat there which the housekeeper naturally saw. What else.... Oh yeah Vivian finding Peter/Jack in London at a rally she just sort of stumbled to. The antifascist crew largely consists of Vivian's estranged relatives where her uncle immediately recognizes her at a distance without seeing her in a number of years.

Parts that weren't explained or simply made no sense: -How did Jack become involved in the first place?

-Why did Vivian use her cousin's passport to go to Israel?

-Why was Jane even allowed to go to Jordan's secret meetings with neo nazi leaders?

-How long was Jordan aware that Jane was Vivian?

-What was Jordan's plan for Vivian?

-Why did Vivian and Jack go to Israel together?

There's also a number of clips showing London in the 60s which was kind of cool but they were thrown in randomly not really fitting the scene from right before or the scene that followed.

Don't get me wrong I enjoyed it and found it exciting but it could have been much better especially in the last 2 episodes.

Also to give you more of an idea of the book.... In the book you see things from the perspective of Vivian, Jack, and Stevie. Vivian is like Rochelle in Rochelle, Rochelle! Jack is nearly left in a coma but recovers and marries Vivian. Stevie is obsessed with Vivian despite hardly knowing her. Jordan is merely spoken about and none of the characters even meet him. Roza was also a supporting character in the miniseries but there is no character in the book. Also in the book Vivian is an orphan and plays so role in 62 and is honestly a boring character. There's also a lot more character development with the hair stylists that Vivian works with. The book definitely felt more like it was for the YA audience and not adults.

'Carry On Colin'......Only needs Sid,Ken and Babs...

[ianlouisiana · 5/10 · 8 October 2021]

"Ridley Road" gives far too much importance to Colin Jordan and a couple of hundred fascist thugs,who,for a short while, brawled,shouted and sneered through Dalston Market in the early 1960s.

It might make an interesting 30 minute documentary - but that's about it.

Mosley's brief attempt at a comeback was also stifled by the very people he so disdained.

I saw him and his son Max rescued by Special Branch coppers and thrown into a coach full of Old Bill to get them away from a vengeful crowd,many of whom were holding their arms up and pointing at their death camp tattoos.

That was effectively the end of serious attempts to revive fascism in this country.

Jordan,the National Front and the British National Party were merely swivel - eyed sideshows who will no doubt now be gratified to be given so much airtime,the very oxygen of any political movement no matter,however marginalised.

But I assume this new BBC serial is well - intentioned - just rather inept and underwhelming.

Does it want to be 'Call the Midwife with its soporific rose - coloured nostalgia and paternal attitudes or something rather more gritty and edgy?

Full of 'Swinging Sixties' cliches,taxis,Red Buses,Trafalgar Square etc etc long before the sixties was sanctified and merely an extension of the distinctly unswinging fifties.

A cast of Cockney and Manc stereotypes camp about madly to no good effect unfortunately.

I laughed a lot when I shouldn't have.

And that's never a good sign for a programme that's wishing to be taken seriously.

Standard Ealing Studios circa 1950 Jewish Family schtick,a fair bit of scenery chewing and not particularly sympathetic leads - not a recipe for a huge success I'm afraid.

Which is a pity because recent events have shown Anti - Semitism still flourishes throughout he political spectrum.

Make your own mind up

[rattyrat · 10/10 · 25 October 2021]

Not since the end of the World War Two has the threat of far right extremism been so evident ,this show is useful in reminding us all that it should never rear its ugly head in any society again .i applaud the cast, acting and set. Totally gripping . Lest we forget .

Tepid thriller about interesting moment in history.

[mrood · 6/10 · 4 August 2022]

I have to agree with others that there's something oddly unsatisfactory about this drama, despite the compelling material. Thank you, DoctorStrabismus, for your insight as someone who lived in the location and the era. As someone who lived in areas where the Klan and Nazis were active in the U. S. about 20 years later, I was a bit startled to learn that the fascist movement had so much traction in England in the early 60s. I had would have though Britain's all-consuming struggle with Germany, there wouldn't have been much public investment in or tolerance for fascism. Yes, the local Nazi leader in the area where I grew up was the object of mostly ridicule, so I believe Dr. S. when he says that giving Colin Jordan this level of perverse stature or attention is unwarranted.

That's not to say it isn't worth watching; the cast is top-notch, the period scenery provides interest, and it does have some expository scenes that help viewers understand what would make some British people susceptible to fascism when it feels counterintuitive that they would be. You just need to watch with limited expectations.

not sure

[vanlorryjf · 5/10 · 21 October 2021]

It's like everything 60s is shoveled into this before it happened, the dressers got carried away again?. Eddie Marsan stands out, as ever, with a great performance, the others, mostly...mabye, they were just killing time till the pub opened? It's all a bit BBC with compromise writ large, which sadly, makes the story and characters suffer at the end of the day. I'd advise getting better writers and a motivated cast. The BBC used to do this stuff so well.

Gripping drama

[Gav-7 · 9/10 · 28 October 2021]

Wonderful actors and a gripping storyline. A powerful story brought to life with an amazing lead actress. I binged watched it in a day. Would recommend.