Every Prime Minister Needs a Willie: Or How to Be a Deputy
- TV Movie
- 2007
- 55m
YOUR RATING
Photos
Storyline
Featured review
Interesting but not that fascinating or memorable
In theory it should be the second most powerful job in the country, the Deputy Prime Minister, the person who is in charge of the country when the Prime Minister is away. However with Prescott basically a political lame-duck after many gaffs and his latest affair with his diary secretary, Julia Hartley-Brewer looks at the historical pitfalls of this position as well as the tremendous fall of Prescott.
If the title sounds a bit crude then it should be remembered that it is a quote from Margaret Thatcher about the importance of her own deputy when she was in power. As such I was looking for an interesting piece that looks at the standing of the role and what it actually does. I was worried at first though as the film lingered on the tabloid glee around the revelations about Prescott's affair and indeed seemed to be aiming to operate at the same level as the Daily Mirror (which I do not personally think is a good thing). However after that we jump back to WWII when Clement Atlee was Churchill's deputy and follows it from there to modern times. This makes for an improvement but the film never has the depth or factual delivery necessary to make it a gripping subject. It is rather populist in approach which makes it an easy watch but does rather have this effect where it feels a bit tacky and not that intelligent or interesting. This isn't particularly helped by spending the last ten minutes on Prescott again.
True he is an interesting political figure because of how he manages to survive every single gaff things that would have taken lessen men down but the film doesn't get beyond the tabloid level at any point. Overall then a reasonably interesting documentary on a good subject. It is rather undone by the populist tone and the lack of sharp delivery but, despite neither being all that fascinating or memorable, it is a fun watch.
If the title sounds a bit crude then it should be remembered that it is a quote from Margaret Thatcher about the importance of her own deputy when she was in power. As such I was looking for an interesting piece that looks at the standing of the role and what it actually does. I was worried at first though as the film lingered on the tabloid glee around the revelations about Prescott's affair and indeed seemed to be aiming to operate at the same level as the Daily Mirror (which I do not personally think is a good thing). However after that we jump back to WWII when Clement Atlee was Churchill's deputy and follows it from there to modern times. This makes for an improvement but the film never has the depth or factual delivery necessary to make it a gripping subject. It is rather populist in approach which makes it an easy watch but does rather have this effect where it feels a bit tacky and not that intelligent or interesting. This isn't particularly helped by spending the last ten minutes on Prescott again.
True he is an interesting political figure because of how he manages to survive every single gaff things that would have taken lessen men down but the film doesn't get beyond the tabloid level at any point. Overall then a reasonably interesting documentary on a good subject. It is rather undone by the populist tone and the lack of sharp delivery but, despite neither being all that fascinating or memorable, it is a fun watch.
helpful•00
- bob the moo
- Feb 24, 2007
Details
- Runtime55 minutes
- Color
Contribute to this page
Suggest an edit or add missing content
Top Gap
By what name was Every Prime Minister Needs a Willie: Or How to Be a Deputy (2007) officially released in Canada in English?
Answer