WHO BOMBED BIRMINGHAM? (TV)

Summary

This British docudrama begins with the following onscreen message explaining its focus: "On the night of 21st November 1974, two Birmingham public houses (pubs) were bombed by the IRA. Twenty-one people were killed and 162 injured. Six men were convicted. They have been in prison since 1974. In 1985, three journalists from the television programme, 'World in Action,' began examining the case. Drawing on court transcripts, taped interviews and contemporary statements, this film is a reconstruction of their investigation into the true story behind the bombings." Moving back and forth between re-enactments of the events of 1974 and of the 1985 "World in Action" investigation, this film makes a strong case that the six men jailed for the bombings are innocent. Freelance journalist and MP candidate Chris Mullin (who wrote the book "Error in Judgement" based on this investigation), researcher Charles Tremayne, and program producer Ian McBride become passionately involved in a reinvestigation of the case when they begin to question many elements of the case against the six men. Their investigation leads them to a questionable forensics report examining substances found on the men's fingers; photographic evidence of police brutality when the men were arrested; a whole police department of retired cops that won't talk; the realization that the bomb locations noted in the four signed confessions don't jibe with the actual placement of the bombs in the pubs; the fact that the IRA never claimed responsiblity for the bombings, though an IRA code was used in a bungled warning called in before the explosions; and interviews with the aging Birmingham Six in prison: Hughie Callaghan, Paddy Joe Hill, Gerry Hunter, Ian McBride, Richard McIlkenny, and Billy Power. Chris Mullin's investigation leads him to Dublin and a shadowy world of secret meetings with IRA members, as he comes to believe that finding the real bombers is the only way to prove the innocence of the six.

Details

• NETWORK: ITV (United Kingdom)
• DATE: 1990
• RUNNING TIME: 1:44:34
• COLOR/B&W: Color
• CATALOG ID: T:20229
• GENRE: Docudrama
• SUBJECT HEADING: Criminal justice, administration of; Docudrama; International Collection - United Kingdom; Ireland; Irish Question - Drama
• SERIES RUN: ITV (United Kingdom) - TV, 1990
• COMMERCIALS: N/A

CREDITS

• Ray Fitzwalter … Executive Producer
• Mike Beckham … Producer, Director
• Leslee Udwin … Co-Producer
• Rob Ritchie … Writer
• Shaun Davey … Music by
• Rita Connolly … Singer, "The Deer's Cry" sung by
• John Hurt … Cast, Chris Mullin
• Martin Shaw … Cast, Ian McBride
• Roger Allam … Cast, Charles Tremayne
• Brendan Cauldwell … Cast, Hughie Callaghan, Long Lartin Prison
• Ciaran Hinds … Cast, Richard McIlkenny, Full Sutton Prison
• Brendan Laird … Cast, Billy Power, Full Sutton Prison
• Vincent Murphy … Cast, Gerry Hunter, Long Lartin Prison
• Niall O'Brien … Cast, Johnny Walker, Long Lartin Prison
• Niall Toibin … Cast, Paddy Joe Hill, Gartree Prison
• John Kavanagh … Cast, "Z," the Second Bomb Planter
• Robert Lang … Cast, Det. Supt. Ibison
• Patrick Malahide … Cast, Mike Mansfield
• Donal McCann … Cast, "X," the First Bomb Planter
• Bob Peck … Cast, Chief Supt. Tom Meffern
• Leslie Phillips … Cast, Lord Chief Justice Lane
• Terence Rigby … Cast, Det. Supt. George Reade
• David Ryall … Cast, Dr. Frank Skuse
• John Woodvine … Cast, Tom Clarke
• David Bamber … Cast, David Mellor MP, Home Office
• James Berwick … Cast, Joe Cahill
• Brid Brennan … Cast, the Sister of the IRA Man
• Heather Chasen … Cast, The Rt. Hon. Margaret Thatcher
• Tony Doyle … Cast, Richard Ferguson QC
• Diane Fletcher … Cast, Gareth Peirce
• Julian Glover … Cast, Igor Judge QC
• Peter Gowen … Cast, Eamon O'Connor
• David Howey … Cast, Bob Clay MP
• John Keegan … Cast, the IRA Prisoner
• John Lynch … Cast, the IRA Man in the Cottage
• David Lyon … Cast, Dr. Brian Caddy
• Ian McElhinney … Cast, the Sinn Fein Leader
• Sean McGinley … Cast, "A," the Young Bomb Planter
• Gerard McSorley … Cast, Paddy McIlkenny
• Mark Mulholland … Cast, "Y," the Second Bomb Maker
• Maurice O'Callaghan … Cast, Bishop Daly
• Donald Pickering … Cast, Douglas Hurd, Home Secretary
• Struan Rodger … Cast, the Ex-IRA Man
• Elaine Turrell … Cast, Ex-Policewoman Joyce Lynas
• Bernard Alexander … Cast
• Ray Ashcroft … Cast
• Martin Aylott … Cast
• Geoffrey Banks … Cast
• Ellie Bertram … Cast
• Andy Bradford … Cast
• Anthony Benson … Cast
• Ian Blower … Cast
• Joan Campion … Cast
• Simon Carter … Cast
• Bill Croasdale … Cast
• Harry Goodier … Cast
• Graham Davies, John … Cast
• Joyce Grundy … Cast
• Alan Hagan … Cast
• John Jardine … Cast
• Gabriel Kern … Cast
• Chris Larner … Cast
• Rodney Lichfield … Cast
• Ron Meadows … Cast
• Colin Meredith … Cast
• Jonathan Miles … Cast
• David J. Nicholl … Cast
• John Pickles … Cast
• Jim Pope … Cast
• Martin Reeve … Cast
• Stephen Tomlin … Cast
• Philip Whitchurch … Cast
• Hughie Callaghan
• Paddy Joe Hill
• Gerry Hunter
• Douglas Hurd
• Ian McBride
• Richard McIlkenny
• Billy Power
• Margaret Thatcher
• Charles Tremayne
• Johnny Walker