Heil Caesar

Synopsis: A televised production of the play. John Bowen’s adaptation transforms the play into a modern political conspiracy thriller with modern dialogue and many strong allusions to political events in the early 1970s. Originally produced for a school audience, it was subsequently repeated as an evening broadcast.
Language: English
Country: Great Britain
Medium: Television
Technical information: Colour / Sound
Transmission details: 21 Oct 1974 at 21:25 (Channel: BBC2)
Duration: 90 mins

Notes: The BFI National Archive holds viewing copies for both the individual parts and the single play.

The Birmingham Shakespeare Library holds a camera script.
History: The production was originally broadcast in three 30-minute parts on BBC 1 schools television. The three parts were entitled ‘The Conspirators’ (12.11.1973), ‘Murder of a President’ (19.11.1973) and ‘Defeat’ (26.11.1973).
Awards: The film won the ‘Flame of Knowledge’ Award of the Society of Film and Television Arts in 1974 as well as the Tokyo Prize.
Textual information: John Bowen’s text of the play was published by the BBC in 1974. It was subsequently rewritten, published and performed as a play for the theatre. Cf. John Bowen, Heil Caesar!: A Play (London: French , 1974).

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