CineScope
A Dance to the Music of Time

A Dance to the Music of Time

1997 - 1997

The Twenties

9th October 1997
Episode 1
The first film looks at the life of Kenneth Widmerpool, a tubby, much-teased boy at school who is to grow into a determined influence on his friends. Among these friends is Nicholas Jenkins, who is having an adulterous affair.

The Thirties

16th October 1997
Episode 2
Nick Jenkins and his friends have moved from twenty- to thirty-somethings. Marriages are beginning to crumble and youthful optimism is fading fast. Nick's affair with Jean Templer is coming to an end, but all unhappiness is swept aside when he meets Isobel Tolland, who takes him into London's bohemian life. A world of heavy drinking, all-night parties and colourful eccentrics. But, across the Channel in Germany, Hitler's power is rising and war seems inevitable.

The War

23rd October 1997
Episode 3
WWII has broken out and Nick Jenkins is in the army, leaving behind his wife Isobel, who is expecting their first child. Meanwhile, Kenneth Widmerpool makes the most of his connections and soon rises through the ranks to enjoy power and prestige. This episode also sees the arrival of Pamela Flitton, a dangerously beautiful woman who can cast a spell on all the men she meets - even the normally cool-headed Widmerpool.

Post War

30th October 1997
Episode 4
A decade has passed. Nick and his wife Isobel have moved to the country. Widmerpool has become a Labour MP and is dabbling in Eastern European politics. His wife Pamela is behaving even more outrageously, and gossip surrounding her bizarre sex life is raging.
Top Cast
Director
Alvin Rakoff
Writer
Hugh Whitemore
ComedyDrama

A Dance to the Music of Time is a four-part adaptation of Anthony Powell's 12-volume novel sequence that aired on Channel 4 in 1997. The series is a sharp, comic portrait of upper-class and bohemian England, spanning almost a century, from the early 1920s to modern times.

Watch Providers 🇬🇧
Channel 4
Channel 4
Production Companies
+2 more
Image 0
Full Cast
Simon Russell Beale Image

Simon Russell Beale

Widmerpool

James Purefoy Image

James Purefoy

Nicholas Jenkins

James Fleet Image

James Fleet

Moreland

Jonathan Cake Image

Jonathan Cake

Peter Templer

Paul Rhys Image

Paul Rhys

Charles Stringham

Claire Skinner Image

Claire Skinner

Jean

Miranda Richardson Image

Miranda Richardson

Pamela Flitton

Adrian Scarborough Image

Adrian Scarborough

JG Quiggin

Edward Fox Image

Edward Fox

Uncle Giles

John Standing Image

John Standing

Nicholas Jenkins (older)

No Image

Gillian Barge

Mrs Erdleigh

Annabel Mullion Image

Annabel Mullion

Mona

Oliver Ford Davies Image

Oliver Ford Davies

Le Bas

Robin Bailey Image

Robin Bailey

Uncle Alfred

Nicholas Jones Image

Nicholas Jones

Bob Duport

Nigel Lindsay Image

Nigel Lindsay

Odo Stevens

Nicholas Rowe Image

Nicholas Rowe

David Pennistone

Michael Williams Image

Michael Williams

Ted Jeavons

Sarah Badel Image

Sarah Badel

Lady Molly

Zoë Wanamaker Image

Zoë Wanamaker

Audrey Maclintick

Harriet Walter Image

Harriet Walter

Mildred

Caroline Harker Image

Caroline Harker

Priscilla

Eileen Atkins Image

Eileen Atkins

Brightman

James Callis Image

James Callis

Gwinnett

Paul Brooke Image

Paul Brooke

Maclintick

James D'Arcy Image

James D'Arcy

Nicholas Jenkins (student)

Alan Bennett Image

Alan Bennett

Sillery

Joanna David Image

Joanna David

Isobel (older)

Emma Fielding Image

Emma Fielding

Isobel

John Gielgud Image

John Gielgud

St. John Clarke

Frank Middlemass Image

Frank Middlemass

Edgar Deacon

Chris Lang Image

Chris Lang

Chips Lovell

Richard Pasco Image

Richard Pasco

Sir Magnus Donners

Patrick Godfrey Image

Patrick Godfrey

General Conyers

Tony Osoba Image

Tony Osoba

Colonel Flores

Nicola Walker Image

Nicola Walker

Gypsy Jones

Emily Mortimer Image

Emily Mortimer

Polly Duport

Robert Pugh Image

Robert Pugh

Biggs

Lucy Fleming Image

Lucy Fleming

Jean (older)

Julian Wadham Image

Julian Wadham

General Liddament

Jamie Glover Image

Jamie Glover

Robert Tolland

Andrew Havill Image

Andrew Havill

Sunny Farebrother

No Image

Grant Thatcher

Mark Members

Colin Baker Image

Colin Baker

Canon Fenneau

Mark Dexter Image

Mark Dexter

Tompsitt

Richard Leaf Image

Richard Leaf

Barnabas Henderson

Carmen du Sautoy Image

Carmen du Sautoy

Miss Weedon

Amanda Walker Image

Amanda Walker

Mrs. Conyers

No Image

Kate Cavanagh

Billson

Anastasia Hille Image

Anastasia Hille

Matilda

James Villiers Image

James Villiers

Buster Foxe

No Image

Danny Worters

Nicholas Jenkins (boy)

Geraldine Alexander Image

Geraldine Alexander

Susan

No Image

Osmund Bullock

Erridge

Sarah Crowden Image

Sarah Crowden

Miss Orchard

No Image

Barbara Durkin

Betty

No Image

Nicola King

Mrs Jenkins

David Yelland Image

David Yelland

Mr Jenkins

David MacCreedy Image

David MacCreedy

Bracey

Bryan Pringle Image

Bryan Pringle

Smith

No Image

Michael Wade

Dr Brandreth

Tim Wylton Image

Tim Wylton

Albert

No Image

Rohan McCullough

Flavia Wisebite

No Image

Kevin Colson

Louis Glober

Jeremy Child Image

Jeremy Child

Roddy Cutts

Matthew Sim Image

Matthew Sim

Scorpio Murtlock

No Image

Bobby Webster

Templer (student)

No Image

Amy Simcock

Jean (student)

Luke de Lacey Image

Luke de Lacey

Stringham (student)

Rupert Wickham Image

Rupert Wickham

Jimmy Stripling

Full Crew
No Image

Hugh Whitemore

Executive Producer

No Image

Alvin Rakoff

Producer

No Image

Alvin Rakoff

Director

No Image

Hugh Whitemore

Writer

No Image

Ross Adams

Sound Effects Editor

No Image

Liz Pearson

Post Production Supervisor

No Image

Jake Bernard

Editor

No Image

Mark Warman

Orchestrator

No Image

Justin Krish

Editor

Chris Seager Image

Chris Seager

Director of Photography

No Image

Sarah Garner

Script Supervisor

No Image

Humphrey Bangham

Art Direction

Peter Brayham Image

Peter Brayham

Stunt Coordinator

No Image

Sharon Long

Costume Supervisor

No Image

Ian Wilkinson

Sound Editor

No Image

Clive Derbyshire

Sound Recordist

No Image

Ardan Fisher

Editor

No Image

Mary Hillman

Makeup Designer

No Image

Simon Bishop

Sound Recordist

No Image

Chris Roope

Art Direction

No Image

Eileen Diss

Production Design

No Image

Lorraine Goodman

Associate Producer

No Image

Joyce Gallie

Casting

No Image

Emma Mager

Production Coordinator

No Image

Geraldine Stephenson

Choreographer

No Image

Wayne Brooks

Sound Editor

No Image

Ray Freeborn

Production Supervisor

No Image

Tony Jackson

Sound Recordist

No Image

Sally Osoba

Casting Coordinator

Carl Davis Image

Carl Davis

Original Music Composer

No Image

Barbara Kidd

Costume Design

No Image

Dany Everett

Costume Design

No Image

Anthony Powell

Novel

showData