Insider Politics, English Style: Stephen Frears's "The Deal" (2003)

"The Deal" (2003), directed by Stephen Frears was the first panel in a Tony Blair trilogy written by Peter Morgan with Michael Sheen (who also played David Frost in "Frost/Nixon" (2008) and Brian Clough in "Damned United" (2009) both also written by Morgan) as the opportunistic, ever-smiling Tony Blair. Frears also directed "The Queen" (2006); Morgan was supposed to direct "The Special Relationship," but dropped out and it was directed by Richard Loncraine (2010).

The teleplay of "The Deal" opens in 1983 with two newly elected Labour Members of Parliament crammed into a small office at the high tide of Margaret Thatcher. The lightweight British one is Tony Blair (Michael Sheen), the heavyweight Scottish one is Gordon Brown (David Morrissey). Both are determined to modernize the Labour Party. Brown underestimates Blair's ambition and believes that Blair will support him when someone of the new generation takes over leadership of the party. Brown's passionateness and doggedness made some enemies and Blair was more photogenic and more convivial. The party desperately wanted a winner, even one whose fidelity to Labour principals was in doubt (the analogy is a "blue dog" Democrat in the US).

Filial piety or calculation of how popular among the party faithful Labour party leader John Smith (Frank Kelly) is holds Brown back from a challenge for leadership Blair pledged he would support in 1992. After Smith dies suddenly (in 1994), Brown expects Blair's support, but Blair sees a chance to lead Labour and occupy Number 10 Downing Street (which he did in 1997).

It seems that the story is historically accurate about Brown not contesting leadership of the party after Blair promised to let Brown run domestic policy (as Chancellor of the Exchequer) and step aside for Brown after at most two elections. When the BBC Channel 4 movie was shot, Brown was still waiting after a third election cycle. Brown finally became Prime Minister (2007-10).

The audience (at least English ones) knows the outcome, just as it knows what will happen in Macbeth or Julius Caesar in Shakespeare's plays. (Tony Blair seems to me a little like Macbeth, less like Julius Caesar, though like him popular with the masses, while Brown has something of Brutus without a dagger to him'"no one is murdered in "The Deal" and there is a lot more humor than in either of those Shakespeare plays.) Americans hazy about the history would be well advised to watch the Stephen Frears bonus feature first.

There is something sinister about the suppressed arrogance of Michael Sheen (as Blair twice and as David Frost) and something of the honorable martyr about Gordon Brown as portrayed by David Morrissey. It seems to me that Morgan is not fond of Blair, though finding him fascinating in the way many have found Richard Nixon.

I'd have welcomed a somewhat longer film (it is 78 minutes), though it (like "Nixon/Frost") has some useful DVD bonus features, including a 22-minute conversation with Frears and a commentary track with Morgan and producer Christine Langan.

The natural(-seeming) lighting gives the movie a docudrama feeling. It is shot almost entirely indoors by Alwin H. Kuchler.

For those enjoying glimpses at (imagined) insider politics and/or fine English actors making the most of a witty and dramatic script, I'd highly recommend "The Deal." "The Queen" has Helen Mirren and a subject of wider interest and "Dangerous Liaisons" has greater ruthlessness on display, but I think "The Deal" is one of the outstanding movies Stephen Frears has directed in a variety of genres (one too many: the western "Hi-Lo Country" IMO).