samkydd

Great performance by David Walliams, but I'd rather it focussed a bit more of Frankie's life and career generally rather than overly long graphic detail of homosexual acts. If you'd never seen or heard of Frankie before you'd be none the wiser who he was after watching this programme.

"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"

faginsgirl

I agree with all that. I`m sure there were other events which happened in his life other than all those sexual acts. The man must have been exhausted and not seen day light if this programme is anything to go by, surely!!!

We`re changin` lodggggggggings!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

oxfam1uk

I didn't watch this (the content is not my cup of tea at all), but plenty of showbiz people have written that, when Frankie was well into his Sixties, he was still in the habit of locking the door, dropping his trousers, and inviting them to "rub his back".

And this was entirely straight men that he was propositioning !

He was a really funny man on stage. But, off it, he just sounds pathetic and sad.

GRAEME

He'd be less pathetic and sad, of course if he'd been propositioning young girls.

All men leak.

Mark O

Caught up with this yesterday evening, I found it all a bit dull to be honest, and I thought Rafe Spall gave the better Acting performance, but I guess Frankie Howard is a hard act to follow, one of those situations where it's virtually impossible to be the 'Star' you need to impersonate, a bit like Kate Beckinsale 'being' Ava Gardner, nothing against Kate's acting ability, but Ava, as Frankie, just can't be copied!

Mark

GRAEME

I thought it was the best of the series - I didn't see the Hancock (been there got the T-shirt!).

This one worked nicely as a bio-pic drama and a love story (of sorts). It also was the happiest of the plays.

I don't think it fitted with the "Curse of..." tag at all. Here was a hugely talented man who doesn't alienate all around him, is able to establish and maintain a long term relationship, rebuilds his career and gets back to the top, and gains a whole new generation of fans twice!

Yes, he has difficulties and yes, he has sexual/psychological hang ups - but they don't destroy him. His relationship is rocky at times - whose isn't? But at the end - they are together.

I was hugely impressed with Walliams - I've never had any time for him before and was dreading a camp impersonation - it was a measured and touching performance, tortured but lultimately still loveable.

Frankie elicits our sympathy and our admiration and, unlike the other protagonists in the series, never becomes a monster.

I was very pleased it didn't take us to the bitter end. It left a glow, like the man himself.

All men leak.

torillian

I really enjoyed this ... DW pulled it off ('scuse the pun) brilliantly :)

I still can't believe that people didn't think he was gay (not that it should have mattered towards the end of his life) ..

I really enjoyed this one .. the only one that was a let down for me was the Steptoe one ... The other 3 brilliant ...

Do you think they will do any more ? Sid James maybe :P

samkydd

I think the difference is that in TV land that if a person is straight there's no real shock factor, I mean like in the Hughie Green play his philandering was shown but not in great graphic in-your-face detail. But if the subject is gay then it's always used as an excuse to try and shock the audience, and try and get away with "breaking new ground" a la lesbianism in Brookside/Eastenders etc a few years ago, but it's really not very interesting! The TV interpretation is saying that if you're a gay man then you are a sexual predator who thinks of nothing else but sex morning, noon and night and that any old smelly dirty public lavatory will do!

I don't think many people are that interested in other people's sex lives anyway, famous or otherwise, because it's no longer post-war 1950s Britain with "Vicar Runs Off With Verger's Wife!" shock horror Sunday newspaper headlines to keep the middle-classes titilated over their toast and marmalade!

"...the chairman of Littlewoods stores made a Keynote speech!"

Joenoir

Perhaps I saw a different programme, because I didn't see all that much sex in the show. However, I didn't see the need to show it, as I didn't see the point of showing Hughie Green humping the chamber maid. Oh for those waves crashing on the beach!

Start every day with a smile and get it over with.

batman

Or the raindrops flowing down the window and merging as one at the bottom (of the window).

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"

scholes

Good old Frankie
Who gives a s**t about his sex-life.
He was hugely entertaining.

Edward G

What about a flock of birds bolting from a tree at the "climactic moment"?

I'm as mad as hell and I'm not gonna take it anymore!

Hugo

Hitchcock of course topped them all with his aerial shot of a train going into a tunnel in North By Northwest.

batman

And it was funny too!

"Boom boom a baby .... Banham Zoo .... Banana pants! Hahahaha"