The Glorious Dead

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“The Glorious Dead”

'Upstairs, Downstairs' episode

Rose and Mrs Bridges

Episode no.

Season 4
Episode 8

Written by

Elizabeth Jane Howard

Directed by

Raymond Menmuir

Production no.

Original airdate

2 November 1974

Episode chronology
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"If You Were The Only Girl In The World"	"Another Year"

List of Upstairs, Downstairs episodes

"The Glorious Dead" is the eighth episode of the fourth series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It was first broadcast on 2 November 1974 on ITV.

1 Background
2 Cast
3 Plot
4 Reception
5 Footnotes
6 References

[edit] Background

"The Glorious Dead" was filmed on 11 and 12 July 1974. While Elizabeth Jane Howard was credited as the writer, the script editor Alfred Shaughnessy largely rewrote Howard's script.^[1] The episode was set in 1916.

[edit] Cast

Angela Baddeley - Mrs Bridges
Gordon Jackson - Hudson
Jean Marsh - Rose
Meg Wynn Owen - Hazel Bellamy
Simon Williams - James Bellamy
Jacqueline Tong - Daisy
Eileen Way - Madame Francini
Helena McCarthy - Mrs Speedwell
Graham Leaman - Mr Price

[edit] Plot

Rose gets a letter from Captain Peter Graham, Gregory's company commander telling her that her fiancé Gregory has been killed. He was shot by a sniper while returning from morning patrol. Mrs Bridges comforts Rose and tells her how when she was a kitchen maid over 30 years ago, she fell for a groom called Frederick, who later died of a fever in Sudan while was acting as a batman. Mrs Bridges then advises that Rose goes to see a spiritualist called Madame Francini, but when Waltzing Matilda plays, Rose breaks down and runs out of the house.

Also, James is awarded the Military Cross and comes home on leave. Just before he arrives home, Hazel reads in the newspaper that Lt. Jack Dyson MC has been killed in an aerial battle, but immediately has to comfort Rose when she comes back from Madame Francini's. Then James arrives home and Hazel has to hide her grief. A depressed James tells Hazel about the war, and he gives Hazel an account he has written that he wants published if he is killed. Meanwhile, James speaks to Rose and tells her how proud she should be of Gregory. Later, when James opens a draw he sees the letters from Jack Dyson and photo of him, but he closes the draw and says nothing.

[edit] Reception

In The Evening News, Richard Afton wrote that the programme was "running downhill fast". He said that "The Glorious Dead", "with its sordid intrigues, mumbo-jumbo sense and long, philosophical speeches was a bore".