Fortunes of War is a 1987 BBC television adaptation of Olivia Manning's cycle of novels Fortunes of War. It stars Kenneth Branagh as Guy Pringle, lecturer in English Literature in Bucharest during the early part of the Second World War, and Emma Thompson as his wife Harriet. Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson met filming the TV series and married in real life. Other cast members included Ronald Pickup, Robert Stephens, Alan Bennett, Philip Madoc and Rupert Graves.
Cast
Emma Thompson as Harriet Pringle
Kenneth Branagh as Guy Pringle
Charles Kay as Dobson
Mark Drewry as Dubedat
Ronald Pickup as Prince Yakimov
Alan Bennett as Lord Pinkrose
Harry Burton as Sasha Drucker
Rupert Graves as Simon Boulderstone
James Villiers as Inchcape
Robert Stephens as Castlebar
Greg Hicks as Aidan Pratt
Ciaran Madden as Angela Hooper
Diana Hardcastle as Edwina Little
Claire Oberman as Mortimer
Esmond Knight as Liversage
Michael Cochrane as Clifford
Richard Clifford as Lawson
Caroline Langrishe as Bella Niculesco
Christopher Strauli as Toby Lush
Desmond McNamara as Galpin
Philip Madoc as Freddi von Flugel
Peter Tilbury as Alan Frewen
Episodes
The Balkans: September 1939
Newlyweds Guy and Harriet Pringle arrive in Bucharest, as does the impoverished Prince Yakimov, who takes a temporary job as a journalist on a British paper to save himself from destitution. Harriet is introduced to her fellow expatriates (making friends with the middle-class Bella, who has married a wealthy local man) and to Guy's Romanian friend and admirer Sophie. Their happy life is interrupted by the assassination of the Romanian prime minister Călinescu and Nazi Germany's invasion of Poland. Rumours fly of a German invasion of Romania and Guy, though absorbed in his work and organising social events, takes steps to protect the family of a Jewish student of his, Sasha Drucker, from the anti-semitic Romanian regime.
Romania: January 1940
Commander Sheppey holds a clandestine meeting to plot against the authorities. Guy feels guilty about not being on active service and is determined to do something productive. When he cancels a lunch arrangement with Harriet, she is worried about his whereabouts. Clarence Lawson, a colleague of Guy, happily entertains a lonely Harriet. Concern for Sasha Drucker and his family intensifies when they go missing. Harriet takes in a stray cat. When Guy and Harriet spend a weekend in the mountains, the feckless Yakimov is left looking after their flat, with tragic consequences. Guy has ambitious plans to stage a production of Troilus and Cressida but casting causes dissent. During the after-show celebration, the British envoy Dobson makes a disturbing announcement about the political situation. Harriet and Guy find Sasha Drucker, who is now in desperate need of their assistance.
Romania: June 1940
The fascist Iron Guard increase their power and the British fall out of favour with the Romanians. Sasha remains in hiding at the Pringles' home and becomes friends with Harriet. Sophie attempts to lure Guy to her apartment and he finally sees through her. Another expatriate, Toby Lush, arrives looking for a job at the university. Yakimov puts his life at risk for the sake of a good meal and a bottle of wine. When Dobson announces that the British Legation recommends that everyone should return home, he receives a mixed reaction. As a result of Yakimov's impropriety, Guy finds himself a wanted man. Harriet attends Sasha's father's trial but has difficulty giving a true account of events. Tension mounts as the fascists take over, and the Pringles, with the help of Clarence Lawson, try to smuggle Sasha out to safety. In the midst of chaos, British academic Lord Pinkrose arrives to give a lecture on Byron. As the violence escalates, the expats plan their escape routes.