''Mosley'' was a 1998 television serial (or mini-series) produced for

Channel 4 Channel 4 is a British free-to-air public broadcast television network operated by the state-owned enterprise, state-owned Channel Four Television Corporation. It began its transmission on 2 November 1982 and was established to provide a four ...

based on British fascist Sir Oswald Mosley's life in the period between the two world wars. The series was directed by Robert Knights, from a screenplay by Laurence Marks and Maurice Gran, both better known for their television comedy series. It was based on the books ''Rules of the Game'' and ''Beyond the Pale'' by Nicholas Mosley, Mosley's son. The series was released on VHS and DVD.

Episode details

The series was in four parts. Part 1: Young Man in a Hurry (1918–1920) In 1918, as Britain rejoices at winning the

First World War World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fig ...

, a young army officer, Tom Mosley (Oswald), decides to run for Parliament. Using friends to gain entry to the most important houses, Mosley soon finds himself introduced to the Prime Minister

David Lloyd George David Lloyd George, 1st Earl Lloyd-George of Dwyfor, (17 January 1863 – 26 March 1945) was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1916 to 1922. He was a Liberal Party politician from Wales, known for leading the United Kingdom during ...

and indebted to a sharp-edged American, Maxine Elliott, who in turn will see her debt repaid in the bedroom. Mosley is elected as the youngest member of

Parliament In modern politics, and history, a parliament is a legislative body of government. Generally, a modern parliament has three functions: representing the electorate, making laws, and overseeing the government via hearings and inquiries. ...

and raises his profile by attacking more senior politicians, including his own Prime Minister. Seeing an opportunity to step up in the world by seducing Cynthia (Cimmie) Curzon, the second daughter of

Lord Curzon George Nathaniel Curzon, 1st Marquess Curzon of Kedleston, (11 January 1859 – 20 March 1925), styled Lord Curzon of Kedleston between 1898 and 1911 and then Earl Curzon of Kedleston between 1911 and 1921, was a British Conservative statesman ...

, he unashamedly seduces her stepmother on the way. Part 2: Rules of the Game (1924–1927) Mosley's marriage no more guarantees his faithfulness to Cimmie than his election as a Conservative MP guarantees his loyalty to the Party. Deeply immersed in a relationship with

Jane Bewley Jane may refer to: * Jane (given name), a feminine given name * Jane (surname), related to the given name Film and television * ''Jane'' (1915 film), a silent comedy film directed by Frank Lloyd * ''Jane'' (2016 film), a South Korean drama fil ...

, the wife of a

Tory A Tory () is a person who holds a political philosophy known as Toryism, based on a British version of traditionalism and conservatism, which upholds the supremacy of social order as it has evolved in the English culture throughout history. The ...

MP, Mosley's politics take him to the left and the new spirit of the Labour Party. But the Party finds Mosley's concepts of economic regeneration unrealistic. Nevertheless, he stands for and wins a front bench seat with the opposition Labour Party, although a blatant sexual scandal may cripple his prospects for the future. Part 3: Breaking the Mould (1929–1933) Mosley and Cimmie both run for seats with the Labour Party and win as the Party sweeps the old Conservative rule from power. Disappointed that he is not appointed to their newly formed cabinet, Mosley finds comfort in forming his own New Party and forming an attachment with

Diana Guinness Diana, Lady Mosley (''née'' Freeman-Mitford; 17 June 191011 August 2003) was one of the Mitford sisters. In 1929 she married Bryan Walter Guinness, heir to the barony of Moyne, with whom she was part of the Bright Young Things social group o ...

. It is not long before Cimmie and Mosley's old comrades find themselves at odds with the New Party - both its politics and its methods of enforcement by appointed "stewards." Meanwhile,

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in ...

's rise to power in Italy encourages Mosley to remake himself in the mold of a

Fascist Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and the ...

, once again turning with an opportune tide. Part 4: Beyond the Pale (1933–1940) Mosley is distraught at the decline in health of his wife Cimmie who, after years of his philandering, has lost the will to live. Financially supported by Mussolini in Italy, Mosley decided to establish the

British Union of Fascists The British Union of Fascists (BUF) was a British fascist political party formed in 1932 by Oswald Mosley. Mosley changed its name to the British Union of Fascists and National Socialists in 1936 and, in 1937, to the British Union. In 1939, ...

in her honour. While Diana Guinness establishes relationships with Dr.

Joseph Goebbels Paul Joseph Goebbels (; 29 October 1897 – 1 May 1945) was a German Nazi politician who was the '' Gauleiter'' (district leader) of Berlin, chief propagandist for the Nazi Party, and then Reich Minister of Propaganda from 1933 to ...

in Germany, Mosley develops a relationship with Cimmie's sister Alexandra (Baba) in France. At a major meeting of the new organization, hecklers in the audience are beaten to the ground by the Fascist

Blackshirts The Voluntary Militia for National Security ( it, Milizia Volontaria per la Sicurezza Nazionale, MVSN), commonly called the Blackshirts ( it, Camicie Nere, CCNN, singular: ) or (singular: ), was originally the paramilitary wing of the Natio ...

who salute their leader with

Roman salute The Roman salute, alternatively called the Fascist salute, is a salute, gesture in which the right arm is fully extended, facing forward, with palm down and fingers touching. In some versions, the arm is raised upward at an angle; in others, it ...

s. On a visit to Germany, Mosley marries Diana Guinness in the company of Joseph Goebbels and

Adolf Hitler Adolf Hitler (; 20 April 188930 April 1945) was an Austrian-born German politician who was dictator of Nazi Germany, Germany from 1933 until Death of Adolf Hitler, his death in 1945. Adolf Hitler's rise to power, He rose to power as the le ...

. But the health of the party will not last long.

Cast

* Jonathan Cake as Sir Oswald 'Tom' Mosley, 6th Bt. * Jemma Redgrave as Lady Cimmie Curzon *

Hugh Bonneville Hugh Richard Bonneville Williams (born 10 November 1963) is an English actor. He is best known for portraying Robert Crawley, Earl of Grantham, in the ITV historical drama series '' Downton Abbey''. His performance on the show earned him a n ...

Bob Boothby Robert John Graham Boothby, Baron Boothby, (12 February 1900 – 16 July 1986), often known as Bob Boothby, was a British Conservative politician. Early life The only son of Sir Robert Tuite Boothby, KBE, of Edinburgh and a cousin of Rosalind ...

* Flora Montgomery as Baba (Lady Alexandra Curzon Metcalfe) * Ralph Riach as Ramsay MacDonald *

Windsor Davies Windsor Davies (28 August 1930 – 17 January 2019) was a British actor. He is best remembered for playing Battery Sergeant Major Williams in the sitcom '' It Ain't Half Hot Mum'' (1974–1981) over its entire run. The show's popularity resulted ...

*Gresby Nash as Fruity Metcalfe *Karl Draper as Makin * Emma Davies as Diana Mitford Guinness *Roger May as John Strachey *

Paul Ireland Paul Ireland (born 1970) is a Scottish actor from Ardrossan, North Ayrshire, Scotland. He is best known for his role as Superintendent Duncan Hayes in '' Neighbours''. Career Ireland originally started off as a fishmonger in his father's sho ...

as Allan Young *

Orlando Wells Orlando Wells (born 9 June 1973) is an English actor and writer. Career As an actor, Wells is best known for starring as Alex Stanton in the Channel 4 drama '' As If'', and playing Irwin in Alan Bennett's ''History Boys''. Wells has written f ...

Cecil Beaton Sir Cecil Walter Hardy Beaton, (14 January 1904 – 18 January 1980) was a British fashion, portrait and war photographer, diarist, painter, and interior designer, as well as an Academy Awards, Oscar–winning stage design, stage and costume de ...

* Ken Jones as J.H. Thomas *Eric Allan as Philip Snowden *

Berwick Kaler Berwick Kaler (born 31 October 1946) is a British actor most famous for playing the dame in York Theatre Royal's annual pantomime, which he also wrote and directed. He has been awarded the freedom of the city, and in 2002 received an honorary de ...

Arthur Henderson Arthur Henderson (13 September 1863 – 20 October 1935) was a British iron moulder and Labour politician. He was the first Labour cabinet minister, won the Nobel Peace Prize in 1934 and, uniquely, served three separate terms as Leader of t ...

*Arturo Venegas as Count Grandi Part 1 *Debora Weston as Maxine Elliott *Philip Dunbar as

Philip Sassoon Sir Philip Albert Gustave David Sassoon, 3rd Baronet, (4 December 1888 – 3 June 1939) was a British politician, art collector, and socialite, entertaining many celebrity guests at his homes, Port Lympne Mansion, Kent, and Trent Park, North L ...

* Robert Lang as

Devon Scott Devon Patricia Scott (born November 29, 1958) is a former American actress and daughter of actor/producer George C. Scott. She starred in the first season of ''The Tony Randall Show'', which ran from 1976 to 1978; she was replaced for the secon ...

as Lady Grace Curzon * Hugh Simon as Winston Churchill * Richenda Carey as Lady Mosley * Dermot Martin as Sgt. O'Sullivan Part 2 * Caroline Langrishe as Jane Bewley *

Jeremy Child Sir Coles John Jeremy Child, 3rd Baronet (20 September 1944 – 7 March 2022) was a British actor. Early life Coles John Jeremy Child was born on 20 September 1944 in Woking, Surrey, son of Foreign Office diplomat Sir Coles John Child, 2nd ...

as Major Bewley * Roger Brierley as

Neville Chamberlain Arthur Neville Chamberlain (; 18 March 18699 November 1940) was a British politician of the Conservative Party who served as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from May 1937 to May 1940. He is best known for his foreign policy of appeasem ...

* Edward Highmore as Derek Johnson Part 3 * Jonathan Coy as

Harold Nicolson Sir Harold George Nicolson (21 November 1886 – 1 May 1968) was a British politician, diplomat, historian, biographer, diarist, novelist, lecturer, journalist, broadcaster, and gardener. His wife was the writer Vita Sackville-West. Early li ...

*Ben Pullen as Peter Howard * Sonya Walger as Barbara Hutchinson * David Henry as

William Morris William Morris (24 March 1834 – 3 October 1896) was a British textile designer, poet, artist, novelist, architectural conservationist, printer, translator and socialist activist associated with the British Arts and Crafts Movement. He ...

Part 4 *Stephen Gressieux as

* Nigel Davenport as

Lord Rothermere Viscount Rothermere, of Hemsted in the county of Kent, is a title in the Peerage of the United Kingdom. It was created in 1919 for the press lord Harold Harmsworth, 1st Baron Harmsworth. He had already been created a baronet, of Horsey in t ...

*Colum Convey as

William Joyce William Brooke Joyce (24 April 1906 – 3 January 1946), nicknamed Lord Haw-Haw, was an American-born fascist and Nazi propaganda broadcaster during the Second World War. After moving from New York to Ireland and subsequently to England, ...

*Mike Burnside as

Neil Francis Hawkins Neil Lanfear Maclean Francis Hawkins (September 1907 – 26 December 1950) was a British writer and politician who was a leading proponent of British fascism in the United Kingdom both before and after the Second World War. He played a leading ro ...

* Brigitte Kahn as

Margherita Sarfatti Margherita Sarfatti (née Grassini; 8 April 1880 – 30 October 1961) was an Italian journalist, art critic, patron, collector, socialite, and prominent propaganda adviser of the National Fascist Party. She was Benito Mussolini's biographer as w ...

*Anouschka Menzies as Unity Mitford * Stephan Grothgar as Putzi Hansfstaengl *John Straiton as James Maxton *Reinhard Michaels as Adolf Hitler * Erich Redman as Joseph Goebbels *William Boscaven as Nicholas Mosley

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Mosley (Tv Serial) Films about fascists 1998 British television series debuts 1998 British television series endings 1990s British drama television series 1990s British television miniseries Channel 4 television dramas Channel 4 miniseries Television series by Fremantle (company) Cultural depictions of Oswald Mosley Cultural depictions of Winston Churchill Cultural depictions of David Lloyd George Cultural depictions of Benito Mussolini Cultural depictions of Adolf Hitler Cultural depictions of Joseph Goebbels English-language television shows Television shows set in London Television series set in the 1930s Films directed by John Alexander