Such a Lovely Man

Such a Lovely Man is the eighth episode of the fifth and final series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 26 October 1975 on ITV.

"Such a Lovely Man"
'Upstairs, Downstairs' episode
Episode no.Season 5
Episode 8
Directed byChristopher Hodson
Written byRosemary Anne Sisson
Production code8
Original air date26 October 1975

Background

Such a Lovely Man was recorded in the studio on 17 and 18 April 1975. John Hawkesworth and Alfred Shaughnessy wished an episode to revolve around Hannah Gordon's character Virginia, and Rosemary Anne Sisson wrote Such A Lovely Man.[1] The character of Sir Guy Paynter was inspired by Sir Philip Sassoon,[1] who was the Conservative Member of Parliament for Hythe from 1912 until his death in 1939, and cousin of Siegfried Sassoon.

Cast

Plot

It is summer 1925, and Richard wants the soon to be vacant post of Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs. He thinks that Sir Guy Paynter, a wealthy and influential industrialist who is also a bachelor, would be able to use his influence to help Richard obtain the post. Virginia agrees, and invites Sir Guy to lunch. However, the lunch ends abruptly when Sir Guy makes a comment regarding death by firing squad for cowardice, not knowing that Virginia's son Michael was court-martialed for such an offense, but reprimanded, sent back into action, and killed. A few days later, Sir Guy sends flowers to Virginia to apologise, and he then takes her to a luncheon. As a thank you, he gives her a signed first edition of Browning's poems.

Virginia then agrees to attend a weekend at Shelburne while Richard is in Paris. Richard tells James that he does not mind Virginia spending time with Sir Guy, but warns him that he is not the "marrying kind". On the Sunday night, all the other guests leave, leaving Sir Guy and Virginia alone. Virginia then drops hints about the Foreign Office post. Shortly after, the gossip columns of the newspapers are filled with rumours about the pair. Richard then asks Virginia not to see so much of him, and Virginia then turns down Sir Guy's invitation to holiday with him. He then comes round and asks for the Browning book back, saying he lent it to her. Moments later, Richard arrives and says he has been offered the post of Under-Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs by Stanley Baldwin. Baldwin had received a note from Sir Guy recommending someone else, saying Richard was too old, and this made Baldwin decide on Richard as he does not like people being in Sir Guy's pocket.

Meanwhile, Ruby answers a newspaper advert for pen pals, and she chooses to write to a Herbert Turner, a 35-year-old post office clerk who lives with his parents in Balham. They soon go to the cinema, and Hudson and Mrs Bridges invite him round for Sunday tea. A few weeks after first meeting, Turner asks Ruby to marry him, but she turns him down, partly because he does not look enough like Rudolph Valentino.

Footnotes
  1. Marson, Richard (2005). "Inside UpDown - The Story of Upstairs, Downstairs". Kaleidoscope Publishing.
  2. Stephen Ismay's non-speaking role was uncredited; "Inside UpDown - The Story of Upstairs, Downstairs". Kaleidoscope Publishing. 2005.

References
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