THE GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR
UK, 2005, 115 minutes, Colour.
Mark Rylance.
Directed by Peter Kosminsky.
The Government Inspector is a topical drama, written for television, particularly pertinent to the events leading up to the Iraq war, Tony Blair’s action in deciding to go to war following the information about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. However, the film focuses on a government inspector, Dr David Kelly who was revealed as a source of information to BBC reporter Andrew Gilligan. While Dr Kelly’s name was kept out of the public eye for some time, the Labour Party in England allowed it to be revealed. The effect for Dr Kelly, a quiet retiring scientist, was that he had to give testimony at an inquiry and later committed suicide.
Shakespearian actor and manager of the Globe Theatre for many years, Mark Rylance, portrays Dr Kelly with some asperity as well as with sympathy. Actors portray reporter Andrew Gilligan as well as Jonathan Cape portraying Alistair Campbell, the adviser to Tony Blair, very well remembered for his capacity as a spin doctor.
The film recreates the activities of Dr Kelly and his work as an inspector in Iraq. It also shows many of the Iraqi scientists and the interactions with Dr Kelly leading to his suspicions about their activities.
The film does not present the government sympathetically and is also critical of the role of the BBC.
The film is an interesting record of public feeling in the United Kingdom in the years immediately after the attack on Iraq.
The film was written and directed by Peter Kosminsky, a veteran director of political dramas for television on such themes as the Falkland wars and the Afghan war. He also directed on Hollywood film, White Oleander, with Michelle Pfeiffer.
1. An example of political cinema? Made and exhibited soon after the events it portrays? Polemical political cinema? History?
2. The topicality, the events, the Iraq war, the stance of Tony Blair, the advice about weapons of mass destruction in Iraq? The role of David Kelly, his suicide? The inquiries?
3. How much did the film depend on audience knowledge of the characters and events? The dossiers advising the British government, the war in Iraq, the weapons of mass destruction, David Kelly’s role in the 90s as an examiner? Andrew Gilligan and his reports? Tony Blair, the spin of Alistair Campbell, his clash with the BBC? The heads of the BBC?
4. Audience response to the Iraq war, to the fact that no weapons of mass destruction were found? The scenes in Iraq, the contrast with David Kelly at home, at the beach? London, the BBC, Downing Street, the Foreign Office? The musical score and the chant? The religious dimensions?
5. The portrait of David Kelly at work, with the Foreign Office, with MI6, his scientific background, the examinations in Iraq? His background of discovering the nuclear material in Russia and his ability to negotiate its destruction? The tributes made to him because of this work? His being trusted in Iraq?
6. The structure of the film: how well did it portray the linear events of 2002 and 2003? The flashbacks to the 1990s, the Gulf War, the aftermath, the search for mass destruction weapons, Iraq in the 90s, at the beginning of the 21st century? The information about the first dossier, the construction of the second dossier, the lack of consultation with the Foreign Office, Alistair Campbell’s influence? Rushing it through? The issue of the forty-five minutes’ readiness for weapons? The BBC, the tapes, Gilligan’s own interview? The Nightline interview? The inquiries, the fuss, the hearings? The culmination with David Kelly’s suicide and Tony Blair being informed on the plane back from his successful visit with George Bush?
7. The perspectives of the film, the political stances, towards the BBC, towards David Kelly, towards the government, towards Andrew Gilligan? Kelly as a prickly character yet his integrity? The BBC and mismanagement? The government and wanting to win at all cost? Andrew Gilligan and his seeming lack of responsibility?
8. The portrait of David Kelly, in the 90s, his beliefs about the weapons, the science woman, her training in England, her being a Dr Death? His friend and his not believing him about the weapons? Seeing Kelly in action, the aftermath? 2002 and his not being permitted to go to Iraq, the visa questions and Kuwait and his return? His angry reaction? A private personality, his relationship with his wife, her illness? The preparation for the wedding, relation to his children, his going for walks in the countryside? His manner, taciturn? His talking to the reporter from Nightline? With Andrew Gilligan? His stances and motivation, his wanting to be honest, his explanation about being Baha’i and the compulsion to tell the truth? The source of information, not seeing himself as the source of discrediting the dossier? Going to New York, his return, his MI6 friend and the warnings, her discussions with him, the visit? The issues of truth and lies? Nick coming to his home, his loss of faith in him? Going to the beach to avoid the media? The television hounds? The Foreign Office and the discussions, his being the sacrifice for the government, his feeling that he was being used? The dramatic build-up to motivation for his suicide?
9. Andrew Gilligan, his methods of reporting, slipshod, notes, waking up in the morning, rushing to do his interview, the phrase of “sexing up” the dossier? His relationship with the BBC? His computer, altering the notes? Listening to the hearings and Kelly’s statements and feeling justified, the BBC and his being caught out?
10. Susan Watts, Nightline, talking to David Kelly, scenes of her at home, their sessions, the broadcast, her protecting her sources, her reaction to his death?
11. Tony Blair and the government, the dossier, the forty-five minutes, the pressure to go to war, the second dossier and no contact with the Foreign Office, Sir John Scarlett and the reaction about this? Tensions within government? Alistair Campbell and his phone calls, wanting the identity of David Kelly to be released? The reaction of Tony Blair, with President Bush, being told of the death on the way home?
12. Sir John Scarlett, the intelligence organisations, the Ministry of Defence, the personnel and the politics?
13. Andrew Gilligan as a person and personality, the pressures, the BBC, the contacts with David Kelly, his feeling himself vindicated?
14. The role of BBC management, the criticism in the report, the consequences and the resignations?
15. The film giving an insight into the workings of politics, government, advice, the use of advice, spin? The vindictiveness of some members of government in order to win?
16. The issue of the Iraq war and its justification – or not?
