| The Flame Trees of Thika | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Roy Ward Baker |
| Produced by | John Hawkesworth Verity Lambert Christopher Neame |
| Written by | John Hawkesworth Elspeth Huxley (novel) |
| Starring | Hayley Mills Holly Aird David Robb Ben Cross Mick Chege Sharon Maughan credited as Sharon Mughan Steve Mwenesi John Nettleton |
| Music by | Alan Blaikley Ken Howard Zack Laurence |
| Cinematography | Ian Wilson |
| Editing by | Ralph Sheldon Ann Chegwidden |
| Release date(s) | 1981 (UK) |
| Running time | seven 50-min episodes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | £? |
The Flame Trees of Thika[1] is a British television mini-series of seven 50-minute episodes made by Euston Films for Thames Television in 1981. It was adapted by John Hawkesworth from the 1959 book of the same title by Elspeth Huxley, and is set in and around the town of Thika in Kenya's Central Province. The story deals with the lives of British settlers in this part of East Africa in 1913, when the country was a British colony, up to the start of World War One.
The series stars Hayley Mills (in her first starring role after a six-year performing hiatus), Holly Aird, David Robb and Ben Cross.
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The Flame Trees of Thika was filmed on location in Kenya, directed by Roy Ward Baker and produced by Hawkesworth and Christopher Neame with Verity Lambert as executive producer. The filming included aerial views of the actual Kenya-Uganda railway train as it traveled between Mombasa and Nairobi heading toward Uganda.
The television series was nominated for three BAFTA Television Awards, including Ian Wilson for Best Cinematography.
It was originally transmitted on the ITV network from 1 September to 13 October 1981 and was released on VHS (now deleted).
It is currently available on DVD.