An Englishman Abroad

Directed by John Schlesinger. This award laden BBC television movie was based on a true incident involving Australian actress Coral Browne and exiled spy Guy Burgess in Moscow.

Adapted by Alan Bennett. In his introduction at the repeat showing in 2023 talked about how the film was an attack on a Britain destroyed by Margaret Thatcher.

Alan Bates plays Burgess as man for whom the Soviet Union is boring, very much like the British Establishment he worked for. The romance of communism was a myth. Wherever you went in 1950s Europe, life was grey for most.

When he turns up at Browne's dressing room during a performance of Hamlet. Burgess throws up and then invites her for lunch in his flat.

Browne eventually manages to find his grubby apartment and sees first hand his gloomy existence.

The very least Browne could do is to comply with his request to send some new clothing over to him upon her return to England.

Filmed in Dundee which doubles for drab Moscow. The film is as charming as Bate's characterisation of Burgess. I'm not sure the real Burgess was as effervescent as that in real life. He might had drunk a lot to pass the time in his Moscow flat.

Bennett peppers his film with some interesting side characters. The two slightly camp men from the British Embassy wanting to know what Burgess wanted from Browne. Sneering and comedic at the same time. The kind of quaint charm that Burgess once engaged with.

In Britain, Browne meets a tailor who still remembers the customer called G Burgess who has gone away. Still happy to rustle up a suit for him that will wear well at his new home with discretion totally assured. On the other hand another shop refused to supply pyjamas to the treacherous traitor.

At the end a dandified Burgess walks around Moscow while Gilbert and Sullivan's For he is an Englishman is played. I wonder if the title An Englishman Abroad inspired the pop singer Sting to write a song about Quentin Crisp.