A Voyage Round My Father

John Mortimer, creator of Rumpole of the Bailey, adapted his own autobiographical play for this understated 1982 British TV drama, an affectionate portrait of the author's cantankerous father and their sometimes difficult but always devoted relationship. Laurence Olivier cuts a memorable figure as the eccentric doting dad, a flamboyant and blind barrister who refuses to acknowledge his sightlessness, while Alan Bates plays his grown son, who aspires to be a writer but dutifully follows in his elder's footsteps. Under Alvin Rakoff's solid direction, Olivier brings a mischievous smile and an eccentric joie de vivre to his part, whether grandstanding in the courtroom or holding forth on some inconsequential subject at home. Bates' role sees him slowly turning into a younger version of the older man—until he marries a strong-willed woman (Jane Asher) who challenges him to stretch himself as a person and an artist. The affection between father and son is palpable throughout this low-key production. But beneath the surface of this wry comedy of British manners lies a bittersweet portrait of a filial relationship in which a father retreats into humor to avoid any serious emotional engagement. DVD extras include text bios on the author and cast. Recommended. (S. Axmaker)