Pennies from Heaven (1978 British Miniseries)

Viewers who compare "The Singing Detective" to "Pennies from Heaven" are missing a point: "Pennies" is much earlier, written at a time when Potter was turning from conventional stage plays to the experimental, multi-part and mixed-genre mode that others came to call "Telly Novels." He invents this form in "Pennies" and refines it further in "The Singing Detective," which is undeniably his masterpiece. Viewing "Pennies" is like reading an early Dickens novel, before you tackle "Bleak House."The choice of a story that has a tragi-comic arc to it is appropriate, considering the fact that it's about the Depression, which hit the UK even harder than it did the USA. Arthur is the eternal dreamer, and note that much of his cheesy idealism stems from his affection for American, Tin-Pan Alley, schmaltzy music. I mean, his favorite song is "Roll On, Prairie Moon," and folks, there are no prairies in England! So we have to consider that American consumerism and pop culture are part of the satiric target here, as they should be.I don't understand the compaints about Bob Hoskins or Cheryl Campbell; in my view they are well-cast and very talented throughout. It could be that their features and body-types don't appeal to American viewers used to seeing surgically-perfected faces and physiques; but to me they were absolutely right in appearance, manner, and performing style.The other element in "Pennies" that is so interesting to a Potter fan is his use of autobiographical reference: The Forest of Dean, on the border between England and Wales, is where he grew up; and several of the characters are renditions of people he knew, sources that complement his story-telling method, to develop several threads of action/character and then cut between then, very much like a novel.Finally, the use of song/dance as a counterpoint to the drama is brilliantly satirical, somewhat in the style of Brecht, but those sequences are not supposed to be smooth musical stage comedy; they are amateurs imitating pros and not for the sake of entertainment, but to point out how hollow all the sentimentality is, given the banality and emptiness of their daily lives.I am buying the DVD because its price is 1/3rd what I paid a VHS bootlegger a year ago for 6 tapes of the series. At the time, that was the only way "Pennies" was available. Now the BBC has re-issued it in a more permanent format, and if the transfer is a little muddy, that's because the master tapes are 25 years old and BBC apparently could not afford the expense of a digital cleansing.Even so, this is a high-quality television classic and a collector's item, and I hope potential buyers will not be turned away by the not-very informed reviews already posted.

A long time ago, television stations would take great chances and produce TV that was intelligent, thought provoking, and profound. This is one of those examples. Dennis Potter's Pennies from Heaven is one of the greatest TV miniseries ever made. While not as good as The Singing Detective (which is Potter's masterpiece), this is still magnificent and worth investing all 7 hours or so. This is far superior to the film version. The film isn't terrible, but taking a 7 hour miniseries and condensing into a 108 minute is a big mistake. The characters' motivation in the film version is questionable, because they've taken out big chunks of story. But we're here to review the miniseries, not the misguided film version.The performances here are absolutely first rate, from Hoskins and Campbell, to Kenneth Colley as The Accordion Man, to Freddie Jones as a headmaster, and Hywel Bennett as a deeply cynical, cruel man who uses Campbell. The miniseries has a rather disturbing tone to it for many reasons. The songs that Potter uses are the cheery songs of the depression, which were in major contrast to what was really happening. The songs are at first quite jarrring, but soon you get used to it, and realise it's a great narrative device. Hoskins plays a sexual obsessive man who feels neglected at home, and the language is rather frank for its time. The miniseries features an abortion, prostitution, murder, and just plain old fashioned cruelty of life. One of the most memorable scenes is the farewell that Freddie Jones gives to Cheryl Campbell in the film. Campbell teaches at a rural school, and she becomes pregnant by Hoskins. Jones learns of this, but instead of doing a Puritannical thing on her, he is quite moving in his speech to her, realising that he cannot have her teaching at the school, despite the fact that he knows she's really a beautiful woman and a gentle soul who just made a stupid mistake. The miniseries takes the viewer on quite a journey, and it's really one of the most unique experiences in TV ever made. Potter was as much an auteur as any director, and he was one of the greatest teleplay writers the U.K. ever produced. This and The Singing Detective are his legacy, and it's a great one.

This is probably not everyone's cup of tea, but if you enjoy moderately-paced, dry British humor, a quietly bizarre concept, and 78-RPM era music, you might just love it. This series was the basis for the Steve Martin movie of the same name, and because of a marketing agreement tied to that film, it did not see the light of day in the US for many years. It follows the exploits of an unhappily married sheet music salesman (played by the wonderful Bob Hoskins), his wife, and an otherworldly homeless accordion player. The scenes are frequently augmented by the musical daydreams of the characters, where they lip-synch to some wonderful old recordings that comment on the current action or situation. Some of the anachronistic music videos are hilarious, and some are quite touching. The program is subtle in ways that American TV series are afraid to be; it never hits you over the head, you actually have to think sometimes, and it's not afraid to be quiet at times. If all this sounds good to you, give it a shot. I haven't recommended it to all my friends, but to those whose tastes run to the subtle-yet-bizarre, I highly recommend it.

The three DVD pack of the Dennis Potter series, " Pennies From Heaven " is unashamedly romantic, with musical references to the story line interwoven with the drama in quite refreshing and unexpected moments.It is surprising that a stage version of this six part series has not yet been attempted, as it would undoubtedly put bums on seats wherever it was featured.The series is a landmark of drama, and contains all of the stereotypical characters that make for compelling viewing.

I suppose I should have realised that there was a catch when I ordered the accessory version at a vastly cheaper price. Not only is it in Dutch, but it is faulty too, and won't play. I will put it down to experience as it's really not worth returning.

I was never a fan of Denis Potter until he eschewed socio-political themes and came up with this brilliant drama set in the 1920's/30s. The events unfolding are contrasted by the characters suddenly breaking into the wishful fantasy world of popular songs of the period.If you like this, "Lipstick on your Collar" is in the same genre.

The first of Dennis Potter's trilogy of plays featuring the music of the thirties, forties "The Singing Detective" and fifties "Lipstick On Your Collar".While I loved the music, I began to find it intrusive because the story-line is so good.At the end, we are left wondering did a miscarriage of justice occur?Well written, well acted and a joy to watch.Watch it!

Classic tv series from 1978. I was 16 at the time and I remember it well. Bob Hoskins, Cheryl Campbell and Gemma Craven were just incredible. You really must try and track down a copy of the DVD.