‘Hanlon’ in the black

Press, 18 July 1985, Page 15

‘Hanlon’ in the black

By

BRAD TATTERSFIELD

Television New Zealand’s new period drama, “Hanlon,” has been a roaring success before even hitting our screens.

The seven-part series about the life of Alf Hanlon, King’s Counsel, a prominent Dunedin lawyer at the turn of the century, has been sold to Paramount Television in America for close to 52 million.

The sale is the largest ever for a T.V.N.Z. drama, ahead of “Hunter’s Gold” which is soon to begin its third run on the 8.8. C. It puts T.V.N.Z. in profit already for the series, which reportedly cost about ?1.5 million to make, and should help dispel doubts about T.V.N.Z.’s ability to make expensive period productions after the controversial series, “The Governor.” The contract gives Paramount world rights to the production for 15 years, excluding New Zealand and the three American network channels, A.8.C., C. 8.5., and N.B.C. They would have to

pay extra to T.V.N.Z. to screen the series. Paramount bought “Hanlon” after seeing a rough edit of the first episode about the infamous alleged baby murderer, Minnie Dean, at Cannes in April this year.

The same 90-minute episode was warmly received at a premiere in Dunedin last week, attended by journalists, Dunedin lawyers, members of Hanlon’s family, and others who helped in researching the series.

Many at the premiere applauded the quality of Ken Catran’s script and the performances of the actors. Some of those present knew Hanlon, so T.V.N.Z. was bound to get some nit-pick-ing criticism — for example, some commented that Hanlon did not have an Irish accent, despite British actor David Gwillim’s portrayal. The Minnie Dean episode, which screens on Sunday at 8.30 p.m. on One, establishes

the historical setting and portrays Hanlon as a stirring, if florid orator. Minnie Dean, the only woman ever hanged in New Zealand, was Hanlon’s first major case and the only one he lost. The remaining six hour-long episodes deal with five of his other defences. T.V.N.Z. publicity say that Marshall Hall, the English Queen’s Counsel, was the only British Commonwealth lawyer held in higher regard than Hanlon. The Canadian producer, Lex van Os, said Hanlon was one of New Zealand’s important historical char-

acters. “He was a great lover of Shakespeare and gave great orations in his summations of a trial, dazzling with his rhetoric.” The series covers 20 years of Hanlon’s life, from 1895 until 1914, and touches on his private life as well as his trials. Filming took place over seven months in 1983-84 at numerous locations around the South island, including Ashburton, Ferrymead, Rangiora, Dunedin, Oamaru, Ohir, Matakanui and the Waitaki River Mouth; Courtroom scenes were shot at T.V.N.Z.’s location facility.

David Gwillim, who plays Hanlon, has had roles in “Lillie Langtry,” “The Barchester Chronicles,” “The Citadel,” and a recent 8.8. C. series, “The Invisible Man.” Another foreign import is Robyn Nevin, an Australian actress who plays Minnie Dean. She is known for her role as Shasta in the series “Water Under the Bridge.” An Auckland actress, Sylvia Rands, has the role of Polly Hanlon, Alf’s wife. A Christchurch actor, David Bridges, appears in the first epidosde as Minnie Dean’s husband, Charles. «