Stockbrokers Are Smashing: But Bankers Are Better

"Stockbrokers Are Smashing: But Bankers Are Better"
Blackmail episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 14
Directed byJoan Kemp-Welch
Written byAlan Seymour
Original air dateDecember 10, 1965 (1965-12-10) (intended)
Running time60 mins

Stockbrokers Are Smashing: But Bankers Are Better is a 1965 British television play by Alan Seymour. It was meant to be the final play in the Blackmail series.

The play was scheduled for broadcast but pulled from transmission at twelve hours' notice due to concerns over its sexual content and was placed with a show about Marilyn Monroe.[1] The script had been approved but the production was held back by Cyril Bennett, Director of Programmes for Rediffusion.[2]

Seymour later said the play was banned because the executive objected to the opening sado-masochistic scene: "I have never seen it as I'd left the country before it went into rehearsal. God knows what the director did with the scene which (I thought we'd adequately discussed tone and treatment) was meant to be a gentle parody of heavy-breathing pornography with a sweet, confused middle-aged man as victim to the later purely mental sadism of a sexy young girl."[3]

Premise

Dorice blackmails Charles Watson along with her boyfriend.

Cast

References

  1. ^ Ramsden Greig, ‘TV play is dropped – unsuitable decision’, Evening Standard, 9 December 1965, p. 19.
  2. ^ "ITV Blackmail play cancelled". The Daily Telegraph. 10 December 1965. p. 17.
  3. ^ Sykes, Alrene. ‘Alan Seymour.’ Australian Literary Studies, vol. 6, no. 3, 1974, doi: 10.20314/als.35f543d8cd. p 285