Manhunt (1969 TV series)

Manhunt is a Second World War drama series consisting of 26 episodes, produced by London Weekend Television in 1969 and broadcast nationwide in the United Kingdom from January 1970.

Synopsis

British pilot Jimmy Briggs (Alfred Lynch) has crashed his aeroplane in occupied France and immediately finds himself on the run from the Nazis. He comes across a resistance cell whose leader is code-named Vincent (Peter Barkworth). Nina (Cyd Hayman), a part-Jewish agent with important information of resistance figures and addresses, also appears in the town, upset and terrified after her own Paris cell is destroyed by the Nazis. Vincent is ordered to get her back to Britain or to kill her if he has to. The three are pursued across France by SS Obersturmbannführer Lutzig (Philip Madoc) and Abwehr Sgt. Gratz (Robert Hardy), a complex psychological character who, it is implied, falls in love with Nina. Unlike many previous war dramas, the story presents the key Nazis with some nuance. Though Lutzig is a cold and relentless SS officer he can be intelligent and creative in his job; Gratz is a deeply flawed and contradictory character who fully understands his personal shortcomings. Manhunt also portrayed in detail the rivalry between the SS and the Abwehr.

Although the overall plot is driven by the need to keep Nina out of the hands of the Germans and return her to England with her secret information, the series ended in an anti-climax. Gratz is sure that he has all of Nina's information anyway, mostly through pillow talk and carelessness on her part. Nina and Jimmy, despite their closeness while on the run, live in different worlds in England. Their relationship does not endure.

The series takes place from September 1942 to the first half of 1943. By the time the River Cher is crossed (Episode 5), the Free Zone in the south of France is already occupied by the Germans (from November 10, 1942).

Cast

Alfred Lynch as Jimmy Briggs
Peter Barkworth as Vincent
Cyd Hayman as Nina
Maggie Fitzgibbon as Adelaide
Robert Hardy as Abwehr Sgt Gratz
Philip Madoc as Lutzig

In addition, Manhunt has many notable guest appearances, such as by Paul Darrow, John Savident, George Sewell, Julian Glover, Nerys Hughes, Tony Beckley, Yootha Joyce, Stephen Lewis, William Marlowe, Brian Cox and Richard Hurndall.

Notes

The Allied agents identify themselves to each other at one point with the challenge "What is war?" to which the answer is "War is love".
The musical theme was taken from Beethoven's Fifth Symphony, which features the famous rhythm used to introduce radio broadcasts to Nazi occupied territories, and also signifies the letter "V", for Victory, in Morse Code.
With the exception of the episode "One More River", which was shot on film, the programme was shot on colour videotape.
After a brief pre-credit sequence (the only one in the series), the episode "Intent To Steal" features no spoken dialogue.
In the episode "Degrade and Rule", the studio atmosphere is briefly noticeable at minute 29. A microphone sneaks into the upper left corner of the frame.