The Mark of Cain

"The scars of war run deep."

Nov 25 2008 R 1h 27m
Drama, War

After a bomb kills their company commander in Iraq, British soldiers Treacle and Shane are ordered to round up suspects and use torture on the detainees. Back home, the press gets the story and the pair achieves instant infamy.

Plot

GULLIVER and TATE - nickname 'Treacle' - are two ordinary 18 year-olds serving in the British Army in Iraq. Their platoon is struggling to maintain the uneasy peace of 2003. When their popular company captain, GODBER, is killed on patrol by a roadside bomb, morale in the platoon hits rock bottom. Acting on orders they round up several suspects from house-to-house searches. That night feelings at the camp are running high and as the chain of command is weakened and events spiral out of control. The lads end their tour of duty and return to England full of stories but also shaken by their experiences. Iraq comes back to haunt them when Gulliver's jilted girlfriend, Shelley, decides to get her own back on him by giving photos of the events in Iraq to the British police. The story hits the press, and Gulliver and Treacle, now the most reviled men in Britain, face court martial. The army claims the two are 'rotten apples' acting alone. Guilt-ridden and abandoned, the pressure is too much for a traumatized Treacle. Gulliver, however, is determined to remain loyal to 'his army'. Only when he is truly alone does he have to decide if he must keep his secrets or explosively have his day in court, and tell the truth about the events of that fateful night.

Written by

Tony Marchant

Directed by

Marc Munden

Production Countries

United Kingdom

Production Companies

Channel 4 Television, Red Production Company

Languages

English

Awards

Won 1 BAFTA Award6 wins & 13 nominations total

Scores
# of Votes
1,603
Average Rating
6.4 out of 10
Metascore
NA
Popularity
NA