Plot
Upon the passing of his wealthy father and learning that his father made arrangements to provide comfortably for his long time servant, the housekeeper/cook Vera, and her son Paul, Peter is free to decide what to do with his father's vast country estate without having to worry about what would happen to Vera and Paul if he did sell. What Peter decides first and foremost is to host a New Year's Eve party at the estate with his best friends from Cambridge, a group of six, including himself, who performed together in an acting troupe, the last time being exactly ten years ago upon their graduation, that one a bawdy performance also at a New Year's party at the estate for and unappreciated by Peter's father and his conservative friends, before the six went their separate ways into adulthood. What happens at this gathering will be affected by the issues with which each person is now facing, including the secret Peter has been keeping, it the reason he felt the want to get his friends together at this time. Hollywood TV writer Andrew, Peter's best friend, is accompanied by Carol, his vacuous American television star wife, their marriage buckling under the strain of her quest for greater fame. Married jingle writers Roger and Mary are still dealing with the death of one of their twin babies nine months ago, Mary who has now turned into the most overprotective mother at the expense of all else, arguably including their marriage. Theater costume designer Sarah is accompanied by brash actor Brian, her latest boyfriend of two weeks, he who is just the latest type in her choice of the wrong man, that type in being unattainable, in Brian's case he being already married. And mousy cat lady Maggie, who works for a publishing company, in her loneliness pines for one of her friends, namely Peter, the one that is available - sort of.
Written by
Rita Rudner, Martin Bergman
Directed by
Kenneth Branagh
Crew
Production Countries
United Kingdom
Production Companies
Channel Four Films, Renaissance Films, Samuel Goldwyn Company, BBC
Languages
English
Awards
4 wins & 3 nominations