| Defence of the Realm | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | David Drury |
| Produced by | Robin Douet (producer) Lynda Myles David Puttnam (executive producer) |
| Written by | Martin Stellman |
| Starring | Gabriel Byrne Greta Scacchi Denholm Elliott Robbie Coltrane |
| Music by | Richard Harvey |
| Cinematography | Roger Deakins |
| Editing by | Michael Bradsell |
| Distributed by | Hemdale Film Corporation |
| Release date(s) | January 1, 1985 |
| Running time | 96 min. |
| Country | United Kingdom United States |
| Language | English |
Defence of the Realm (US title Defense of the Realm) is a 1985 political thriller directed by David Drury. Starring Gabriel Byrne, Greta Scacchi and Denholm Elliott. The film also featured Robbie Coltrane.
The film takes its title from the 1914 Defence of the Realm Act (DORA), passed in the United Kingdom at the start of the First World War, which gave the Government executive powers to suppress criticism, imprison without trial and commandeer economic resources for the war effort.
Following a crash of a nuclear bomber at an American Air Force base in the English countryside, Dennis Markham (Ian Bannen), a prominent member of Parliament and opponent of the American nuclear presence in the United Kingdom, is reported by a London paper to have been seen leaving a woman's home. When the woman is found to also be familiar with a dignitary from East Germany, his loyalty to his country is questioned, he is hounded by the media and is forced to resign: a case reminiscent of the 1963 Profumo Affair.
The author of the newspaper exposé, Nick Mullen (Gabriel Byrne), continues his work with colleague Vernon Bayliss (Denholm Elliott) who suspects that Markham is being framed for his views. When Vernon dies from a mysterious 'heart attack', Mullen suspects something deeper at work and finds evidence of a complex cover up concerning a near nuclear accident and a secret US Air Force base. With the help of Markham's secretary, Nina Beckman (Greta Scacchi), Mullen continues to investigate the affair despite the best attempts of the British Government to stop him.