Moonlight on the Highway

A quiet, uncomfortable study of a man hiding from his past behind old songs, by turns sad, awkward and quietly disturbing.

Directed by

James MacTaggart

Genres

Drama, Tv movie

Starring

Ian Holm, Anthony Bate, Deborah Grant

Overview

Writing for ITV's SATURDAY NIGHT THEATRE series, Dennis Potter introduced the notion that popular music expresses the yearning of the human spirit for a better world. A troubled young man, David Peters (Ian Holm), claims, "Once dreams were possible, that's what the popular songs told us." Rejecting rock music of the day, Peters is immersed in the tunes of Thirties crooner Al Bowlly (killed during the London blitz). He collects Bowlly memorabilia, publishes the Bowlly fan-club newsletter, and finds pleasure in lip-synching Bowlly records but his obsession with Bowlly masks certain darker events in his past.

How it feels

Melancholic, dark, tense and earnest. Slow-burning and demanding.

About

Trauma, obsession, memory, isolation

Content

Mild violence, sexual content and language. No gore.

Note

Written by AI, so it can be wrong. Full breakdown

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