Nineteen Eighty-Four 1984 - Director: Michael Radford
John Hurt, Richard Burton, Suzanna Hamilton, Cyril Cusack, Gregor Fisher
Nineteen Eighty-Four is the second film version of George Orwell’s cautionary novel. The story centres on Winston Smith (John Hurt) who lives in Oceania, one of three super-government states. Oceania is at constant war with the other two states of Eastasia and Eurasia. (Incidentally, according to the novel Australia is part of Oceania). In Oceania its citizens are constantly monitored by the government through telescreens which also provide a constant stream of propaganda that includes confessions of dissidents who admit to their various ‘crimes’ and pledge their unquestioning love of ‘Big Brother’. Winston works for the government in the Ministry of Truth where he rewrites history for the purposes of party propaganda. His life gets complicated when he commits the crime of falling in love with Julia (Suzanna Hamilton) who also works for the government. His actions come to the attention of O’Brian (Richard Burton), a senior member of the party who, while initially indicating that he to wishes to help Winston, actually turns against him and takes him to the Ministry of Love where he will not only try to convince him of the folly of his ways but also to control his very thoughts.