Synopsis
The true story of Pauline Williams, who struggled to bring the people who supplied her son with the illegal drugs that caused his death to justice.
Death of a Son
Cast
Lynn Redgrave Malcolm Storry Jay Simpson Mark Anstee Ross Boatman Frederick Treves Julian Curry Dave Hill Richard Heffer Glyn Pritchard Jerome Willis John Quentin Oliver Ford Davies Nigel Cooke Richard Moore Hi Ching Colin Higgins Neville Phillips Jon Cartwright Eileen Nicholas Gary Shail Derek Ware Diana Kent John Phythian Andrew Groves Roy Evans David Killick Malcolm Mudie Richard Holmes Show All…
Language
Releases by Date
Digital
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France16
TV
08 Jan 1989
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UK
Releases by Country
France
13 Oct 2022
- Digital16 Netflix
UK
08 Jan 1989
- TV
Popular reviews
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The real-life story of Luton housewife Pauline Williams who, on September 2nd 1982, lost her nineteen-year-old son John to a drug overdose. John's body had been left out in the street following a lethal injection of Palfium - a powerful painkiller administered to cancer patients - at the hands of a local drug dealer, Gary Austin. Justice for Pauline and her husband Ray initially appeared elusive when the DPP decided not to prosecute Austin, citing insufficient evidence. Undeterred, Pauline Williams set out to educate herself on the subject of drugs, law and medicine devoting her life, some 6,000 hours of private study and £16,000 of savings to bring the first successful private prosecution for manslaughter to trial in the UK.…
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The sheer determination and grit of Pauline is phenomenal and inspiring…amazing acting by Lynn Redgrave
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Found this gem last night. It was clearly a dated film but this did not ruin it at all! The music was very well constructed for each scene.
The lady who played Pauline’s acting performance has to be the best I have ever seen. When she was grieving she made me feel her pain through her acting. I only have 2 faults but this won’t affect my 5 star rating. After Pauline was attacked it was showed that she had a cut on each hand. Later in the film unfortunately these were no longer visible. Which was disappointing. Also they did not show the real people from the story in the credits and did not tell us how long the sentence was which was also very frustrating. -
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Gloomy true story drama that is really well-written and the main actress puts in a great performance. The legal stuff was very interesting but it was a little condescending towards working-class people.
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Breezy miscarriage of justice procedural that reminded me a bit of Fassbinder: strong woman protagonist, an understated tension and some flat/melodramatic performances, a 'some days are better than others' humour (and humanity), and a subtle articulation of class as expressed in the conflict between the individual and public institutions. Moved by that blink-and-miss, matter-of-fact image towards the end, of a couple triumphing in their pursuit of justice following their son's manslaughter in a living room devoid of furniture — sold off to pay a private prosecution.
Bizarre to happen upon a 'Screen Two' teleplay on Netflix!
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“Well I’m wiser now”
It was hard to separate this film from reflections in my life (my uncle died from the first time he tried heroin at the age of 25), but it was a good film without that connection. It’s a little dated and some of the acting feels a bit odd, but the scene in the kitchen is gut wrenching, and Lynn Redgrave is determined; she holds the film together.
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Lynn Redgrave is excellent in this true story of a crusading mother. Soundtracks decent too.
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Wow. You almost forget until the end that this is a true story. I wish they had shown some actual photographs of John and his parents at the end. I had to try and find the story on the internet and it was not easy. That horrid man only got 15 months! I wish they’d said this at the end of the film too.
The scene where Pauline is in the kitchen is the best acting scene I have ever seen. I had goosebumps and cried. That is unimaginable pain and she captures it perfectly.
What an amazing woman! Her husband was absolutely brilliant too. So glad this trauma did not break them up.