Dennis Potter's 'Pennies From Heaven' - 'The Glory Of Love'

Описание: 'Pennies From Heaven' by Dennis Potter. Episode 6: 'Says My Heart'. Counting down the chimes of Big Ben marking the hour her love Arthur (Bob Hoskins) faced the hangman's noose, Eileen (Cheryl Campbell) says her goodbyes ready to leap off Hammersmith Bridge. But a 'surprise' ending captures the play's ambiguous love-conquers-all-spirit. Listen to your heart and you might find Pennies from Heaven.The song has ended but the melody lingers on.

Potter's surprise 'happy ending' caused some consternation among some fans who found it too sweet for such a bitter tale of betrayal, though his viscous sense of humour mixing sweet and pleasant with sour and dark is a hallmark of Potter's work. Filmed on location on 16mm film around Hammersmith Bridge, an important landmark for Potter, Hoskins and Campbell lip-sync and trip the light fantastic to Lew Stone's version of the 'Billy' Hill standard, first recorded by Benny Goodman in 1936. Potter insisted a final credit and roll call of performers from the original dance bands heard throughout the series was an appropriate ending.

Music: 'The Glory of Love'. Lew Stone and His Band.


Dennis Potter's award-wInning 'Pennies From Heaven' (BBC 1978). Directed by Piers Haggard, produced by long-time Potter collaborator Kenith Trodd, with choreography and design by Tudor Davies and Tim Harvey, One of the finest pieces of television the BBC has ever produced.