FILM PICK OF THE WEEK
The infamous 2019 Newsnight interview in which Emily Maitlis probed Prince Andrew about his friendship with Jeffrey Epstein has frequently been described as car-crash television. It certainly made for horribly fascinating viewing at the time and this dramatisation gives us some of the back story to it, as well as an uncannily accurate recreation of the interview itself.
Gillian Anderson is on commanding form as Maitlis, capturing her mannerisms, her professionalism and steely, forensic interviewing style. And the actual encounter at Buckingham Palace is a compelling centrepiece to the film. Rufus Sewell, under a lot of prosthetics, is totally convincing as the prince, exuding the kind of entitlement, arrogance and expectation of deference that comes with the territory when you are a senior member of the Royal Family. There is a scene in which Andrew reports a conversation he has had with his mother about doing the interview, saying that she gave him her blessing and trusted his judgement.
Peter Moffat’s script inevitably embellishes the reality but sticks fairly closely to the facts that are known. Billie Piper is excellent as tenacious producer Sam McAlister, a bit of an outsider on the team, who has a nose for a good story and through some deft negotiation with the palace and Prince Andrew’s press office manages to bag the interview. McAlister responds to a press release about a new business mentoring initiative that the prince is looking to promote and from there begins to pave the way to an interview.
The always dependable Keeley Hawes gives an intelligent, layered performance as Amanda Thirsk, Prince Andrew’s loyal private secretary. She believes that there is some merit in a candid interview to confront the criticism that has been levelled at the prince. She agrees to there being no questions off-limits which spectacularly backfires when Maitlis steadily focuses in on his long-standing relationship with a known paedophile.
Such was the prince’s arrogance, he clearly thought the interview would be a breeze. Sewell is spot-on in his portrayal of this and in his bumptious, totally inadequate, responses. Incredibly, afterwards he seems to think it “went rather well” and is not prepared at all for the subsequent fallout. Uncomfortable but riveting viewing.