British actress Juliet Stevenson (Truly, Madly, Deeply) is magnificent in this dark, compelling three-part 1996 Masterpiece Theatre-aired thriller, as Flora Matlock, a woman whose life is shattered when a sex scandal erupts around her husband, Duncan (Trevor Eve), a Tory minister with a promising future as leader of his party. Finessed and wheedled by Duncan's supporters (including her own father) to play the good, forgiving wife, Flora turns the tables when she discovers that all of them have been lying to her about the extent and duration of his affair with a former prostitute (Minnie Driver). Rising from the ashes, Flora learns she wields real power over Duncan's career, not to mention the Conservative government, and she uses it surreptitiously to alter the political landscape. Great viewing for fans of British television and intelligent intrigue, the award-winning The Politician's Wife--looking sharp on this DVD debut that also includes a background essay by screenwriter Paula Milne--is highly recommended. (T. Keogh)
The Politician's Wife
Acorn, 187 min., not rated, DVD: $29.99 Volume 19, Issue 4