Written by Patrick Gale
Directed by Michael Samuels
Michael (to Thomas): "The love I feel for you is beyond my control. I love you, Thomas. I've always loved you. I see that now. Tell me I'm not too late."
I watched this miniseries back in 2017 when it originally aired on BBC1 during the summer of that year. However, I never got around to reviewing it, so of course I was determined to amend that after watching it again last night.
Split into two episodes and with an interconnecting generational story, you've got the past informing the present quite a bit. The first half focused on the forbidden love story between two World War II era soldiers - Captain Michael Berryman (Oliver Jackson-Cohen) and Thomas March (James McArdle). It's a compelling love story but marred by the era it's based in.
Michael had a cottage and after the war ended, there was a weekend of bliss where both him and Thomas were able to be a couple. Then the crushing reality of Michael having to marry school teacher, Flora Talbot (Joanna Vanderham) set in and things weren't quite the same between Michael and Thomas.
In fact, it's an entire cycle of everyone being miserable. Flora found herself married to a gay man she couldn't leave and had a son with him. Thomas did a spell in prison because he was a gay man and Michael almost had the courage to run away with Thomas but bolted at the last minute. The performances from the three leads here are sublime and do elevate the somewhat expected outcomes for these characters.
Then we cut to modern times where a much older Flora (Vanessa Redgrave) has been a widow for a long time and now has a testy relationship with her grandson, Adam (Julian Morris). In this episode, while Flora's prejudices do rear their head, there's more of an attempt to be understanding to her grandson.
Gifting Adam that cottage where Michael and Thomas were their truest brought up the past for Flora. She had to open up about Michael being gay to Adam and her role in sabotaging Michael and Thomas's relationship. Flora did however try to mend Adam's relationship with architect Steve (David Gyasi).
The Adam and Steve relationship was a stark contrast to Michael and Thomas. Adam's sex addiction and overuse of hook up apps nearly killed it. Then there was Steve's relationship with art dealer, Casper (Julian Sands). Their union was more of a representation of some modern relationships beyond the culture of hook up apps.
The second half of this miniseries managed to keep the momentum of the first half and looping back Michael's poignant love letter to Thomas was such a great way of getting Adam and Steve to reconnect. Arguably, it felt a little easy but it worked nonetheless, ending this miniseries on a nicely positive note.
- There's some nice supporting performances from Laura Carmichael, Paul Clayton, Frances De La Tour, Angel Coulby and Phil Dunster to name a few.
- Keeping with the title, Michael did wear an orange shirt and was painted by Thomas. The painting was hidden under the cottage one. Michael died in his 60s.
- The series didn't shy from the sex scenes with the male cast one bit, especially with Adam in the second half.
- Some of this miniseries was based on writer Patrick Gale's own real life.
- This miniseries was part of the BBC's Gay Britannia season in 2017, marking the 50th anniversary of the decriminalisation of homosexuality in Britain.
- Chronology: World War II era Italy and London and 2017 London and the countryside.
Man In An Orange Shirt might have some slightly expected moments but I can honestly, it's a beautiful miniseries with two equally compelling love stories. The parallels between Michael/Thomas and Adam/Steve are presented well and the performances from Oliver Jackson-Cohen, James McArdle, Julian Morris and David Gyasi are sublime.
Rating: 9 out of 10
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