Martina Cole - Double Bill (DVD)

 MARTINA COLE – THE JUMP & DANGEROUS LADY 

This DVD is a double bill and dramatised version of 2 of Martina’s best selling novels.

PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU DON’T WANT ME TO SPOIL THE DRAMAS.

I have decided to review this in two different ways, The Jump I have broken it down into parts – Dangerous lady I have not otherwise this would go on forever.

 THE JUMP 
...starts with a black masked man chasing a police woman for him to shoot her point blank!

The next screen shows a Greek family at a christening dancing, drinking and being merry followed by business man George Brunos and his wife Donna entertaining guests at dinner party when the police interrupt and arrest him for armed robbery (payroll theft) and 2 people were killed including the police woman.

The jury find him guilty ... more

 MARTINA COLE – THE JUMP & DANGEROUS LADY 

This DVD is a double bill and dramatised version of 2 of Martina’s best selling novels.

PLEASE DO NOT READ IF YOU DON’T WANT ME TO SPOIL THE DRAMAS.

I have decided to review this in two different ways, The Jump I have broken it down into parts – Dangerous lady I have not otherwise this would go on forever.

 THE JUMP 

THE PLOT

The drama starts with a black masked man chasing a police woman for him to shoot her point blank!

The next screen shows a Greek family at a christening dancing, drinking and being merry followed by business man George Brunos and his wife Donna entertaining guests at dinner party when the police interrupt and arrest him for armed robbery (payroll theft) and 2 people were killed including the police woman.

The jury find him guilty and he is now given a jail sentence of life imprisonment.George is in prison and Donna visits him and tells him not to give up – George still protests his innocent! When George takes a shower another cell mate knifes him from behind. George is threaten by another cell mate (Donald Lewis) who demands money from the robbery, they try to kill him by strangling him before releasing the rope on condition he tells the guy where his money is.

Donna is chasing up Georges businesses, Car Lot, Restaurant, and housing development, and looks it like he’s about to go bankrupt and guess who the director is, not George but Donna!

Donna takes another visit to prison and they have a little bit of a heart to heart, on her way out Donna meets a new friend Veeda.

George’s solicitor meanwhile has some news about George’s appeal which has been declined. George is reading in his cell when some throws a ball of paper on fire at him, Peter Wilson is found hanging in his cell.

Out on the road Donna is driving when she is rammed from behind and then run of the road, she escapes unarmed. On her next visit to prison George asks for Donna’s help in helping him escape.

George is running out of time. Donna has a meeting with Alan Cox an ex con, the man to organise Georges escape. Alan calls Donna to tell her he will help her on condition she stays by his side at all times and doesn’t question him, it will also cost her a lot of money.

Donna visits Veeda (the lady she met at prison) and they go to the local pub to chat, they have a bit of a heart to heart. Donna bags up her jewellery and hands it over to Alan who says it will help finance the jump (the escape) and tells him again its his job to ensure Alan escapes from prison, what happens after that is her problem.

Back in prison one of Georges friends Sadie (who’s gay) is threatened by Lewis to stay away from George and Timmy or else.

Alan and Donna are in a cafe, Donna asks him why he killed a man and he reveals all about his past. Alan drops Donna off and returns home, he opens the safe and theirs Donna’s jewellery and a load of cash (earlier he had given her the money from the jewellery he supposedly sold to help finance the jump).

A cellmate Timmy (Sadie’s lover) throws a cup of tea at Donald Lewis face and stabs him in order to get Sadie (his boyfriend back) – Lewis is in hospital at deaths door.

The next twist is George is expecting a visitor, the visitor comes in and kisses him, he reply’s hello babe. It is no other then Veeda and her daughter Michelle (the lady Donna met at the prison).

Steve gives Veeda money, it turns out Michelle is Georges Daughter.

Back at the car lot Donna is trying to access the Talk file which is password protected, Carol (the assistant) helps her unlock it which reveals more secrets including someone or something called Candy from Liverpool.

At the prison Timmy who stabbed Lewis is suffocated by another cell mate – who did it? Sadie finds him and is devastated. Lewis returns to prison and is applauded by the other cell mates. Donald and George are in the cell, he demands to know what happen and Donald asks if he took it, George replies slyly “cause I did”.

Alan, Donna and the team are discussing Georges escape, the suggestion is a lay down (a transfer to another prison) so they ‘jump’ him when he is on route.

Donna finds out George was guilty from Alan. Donna knew he wasn’t a saint but had no idea about the armed robbery and what George was capable of. Alan tells Donna that if George stays in prison Donald Lewis will kill him. It also turns out the reason Alan is taking Donna everywhere with him is proof George will pay up so Donna in affect is a hostage.

Donna in tears visits George and he tells her that it has to be Saturday because he will be dead by Sunday, she tells him she knows about him, when was he thief and when did the lies start she asks. George tells Donna what ever Steven gets up to has nothing to do with him.

Donna and Mario try to hack in to George’s computer unsuccessfully when Donna suggests he try’s candy for the password, it works, and it reveals pornographic pictures. Donna finds a photograph of Veeda, George and Michelle she finds out Michelle is Georges daughter, it turns out Mario knew since Michelle was a few months old.

Donna shows maive the photo of George, Veeda and Michelle. Maive doesn’t believe it, she also tells her that George is a professional criminal and that she’s known it from the beginning, maive had her suspicions but wasn’t sure.

Sadie sees someone from his past a man named Nelson, he tells George Nelson raped him at 11, George tells Donald there’s a nonce on the win. George asks Donald for permission to sort it

In Liverpool Donna’s found the place Candy Unit 8B.
Candy shows Donna around the unit, It turns out paddy is involved too. Donna finds allsorts, pornographic magazines, a room set up with sex toys and children’s dolls.
Donna watches a DVD which has being produced, it doesn’t show you but it is clear it is pornographic (Candy gets on the phone to Steven)

Donna is been forced fed alcohol by Steven (she is tied up), she asks what he intends to do, Steven whispers put you in a car and put the car in the Mersey to make it look like a drink drive offence all this is going on while Candy watches

Alan bursts through the door to rescue Donna and smacks Steve. Alan and his mates tie up Candy and Alan. Alan’s 2 mates cover the place in petrol before setting it alight!

Donna goes back to the car lot and wants to know where Davey is as that is who George will be meeting up with, carol want to know how Donna tells her because of what’s on this disc.

Carol is in tears after viewing the disc, she tells Donna she’s wrong but it’s clear it’s something to do with children.

George is still eying up Nelson he looks at Donald and Donald nods, George calls nelson a nonce, nelson says I’m not the only one – I could tell this lot a few things about you too. George starts to beat up Nelson then encourages the others to join in the whole wing starts to kick Nelson to bits

Sadie goes to seen Donald and has Donald turns his back Sadie strangles him and says it’s for Timmy, meanwhile the rest of the win are wrecking the joint and setting fire to everything.

George takes a cellmate hostage and his holding him with a knife to his throat, the prison wardens demand he lets him go, he’s says ok and slits the guys throat.

Donna and Carol are at the place where Davey is, Donna is armed. Paddy and Davey have a spade and are digging what looks like a grave. It’s the hidden money!

Veeda searches for Paddy at the above and finds the 2 lads tied up, Donna points the gun to her, Donna wants to know where Veeda is meeting George, Veeda goads Donna.

The jumps is taking place, George escapes. George shoots dead the man who’s just driven him away, then drives off in another car alone.

Alan is driving away when he’s sports the red car and the man George has just shot dead, he pulls over to have a look, Alan's phone rings its Donna, Donna tells him that George has double crossed them both and where to find him.

George goes to a derelict house and shouts for paddy and Veeda, he his met by Donna who holds the gun to him. Donna tells him the money has gone as they continue to shout at each other.

George manages to smack Donna one and points the gun to her and demands to know where the money is, if she wants to live. George thinks Cox has the money; he shoots her in the arm.

Alan bursts in and they fire a few shots at each other, George runs upstairs, they both land up in a scuffle/fight and one of them fires shots. Donna takes a pot shot, aims and shoots dead George straight in the neck – Girl Power.

The scene finishes where Donna and Alan leave, Donna looks back and sees a dead George.

END OF DRAMA

MY VERDICT

Compared to the book this drama is a little slow in parts and not as interesting as the book, Overall good acting on all parts, special effects not really applicable but if you like good old fashioned gangster films you should enjoy this.

 THE CAST 

Jonathan cake (George Brunos)
Sue Johnson (Georges Mum)
Susan Vidler (Donna)
Adrian Dunbar (Alan)
Andy Serkis
John light
Michael Angelis

Dramatised by Adrian Hodges
Directed by Richard Standeven

 YEAR OF ORIGINAL DRAMA 
6th to 27th September 1988 – Carlton TV

 DANGEROUS LADY

THE RYAN FAMILY

The Ryan’s are gangsters, there’s plenty of violence in this drama along with plenty of kicking’s and some language, here’s a summary of the drama.

THE PLOT

Maura is born and as she is the only girl in the family of boys everyone dotes on her especially Michael. Michael sees a man getting a kicking while searching for his father so while the man is dying Michael robs him.

18 years later Maura is about to go out with her friend Maggie and her chap Dennis while out she’s meets a man named Terry; Terry is a policeman who she begins seeing.

Roy one of the brothers is seeing a girl called Janine and plans to marry her in 3 weeks it is clear her parents disapprove however the wedding goes ahead because she is expecting Roy’s baby.

Roy and Janine are finally married it’s a good turn out at the pub but Janine’s family still don’t like it, Michael asks Janine’s mother for a dance – she refuses he then says to her “If you don’t dance with me I going to chop of your husbands xxxx and stick it in with the chipolatas”

Michael is gay and is seeing his boss Joe who is a lot older them him and as sold him out, later Michael arranges for Joe to have an accident in which two of the brothers run him over – twice! This happens on the day of Roy & Janine’s wedding so Michael has the perfect alibi. Back at the wedding Michael hears about the accident and rushes to the hospital, Joe thinks the Greeks have done it Michael tells a dying Joe that he was responsible for his accident

Since the death of Joe, someone’s taking the piss and it’s with the Greeks so its war, between the Greeks and the Ryan’s there is a bit of gun fire and vandalism.

Anthony another brother whose serving time in prison takes a wash and is found with his throat slashed, later we find out it’s the Greeks who were responsible.

Michael goes ballistic and the next thing we see is Michael with a machine gun blasting away at the restaurant that have customers and staff inside so it’s a bit of a blood shed. The Greeks attend the funeral of Anthony to show their respect.

Maura continues to see Terry and has been for months she doesn’t tell Terry who her family are and likewise she doesn’t tell her family about Terry as they are dead against the police in a very big way.

Sarah and Maura visit a depressed Janine, the house is a mess and the baby (Carla) has dirty clothes on, Janine tells her she hardly sees Roy because he’s sleeping with tarts at the club, it is clear that Roy is beating her up with the bruising on her body, Roy comes home and Sarah slaps him for his behaviour and gives him a talking to.

Terry has had a promotion and a transfer to CID in Soho, Maura wants him to give up his job but he won’t.

Terry is given an ultimatum by his bosses to either spy on the Ryan family or life in CID can get very hard he refuses to spy, however he tells Maura it’s over before she as the chance to tell him she’s pregnant– Terry is gutted after she has gone. Terry more or less becomes a pen pusher after Maura asks the superintendent to destroy his career

Michael finds out about Moira seeing Terry before he calls her a dirty whore and slaps her a few times before Sarah stops him and tells him never to come back.

Maura’s mother takes her abortion done by a back street abortionist, the next day Maura is unconscious and her bed is covered in blood. She is rushed to the hospital where she has had her ovaries removed and is told she will never have children.

Terry receives a good kicking courtesy of Michael.

Maura cuts her hair and goes from the fun loving caring girl to the hard faced bitch!
She goes to Michael for a job and starts of by working at the club and tidies the girls up before moving on to running the ice cream vans; she makes a good impression when she sees of the rival Italian ice-cream company by organising a fire on their vans/yard – the men then start to show her respect! – Moria also gains a minder Tony Dooly.

Geoffrey another brother who is jealous of Moria and is convinced she’s going to screw up the family business, but as Moira gets more work from Michael the brothers become more jealous

One the other brothers Benny who has special needs (where’s slip on shoes because he can’t tie shoe laces) is led down the garden path by one of the tarts – it’s a set up from the Greeks. The Ryan’s meet with the Greeks, Michael punches up the Main Man, the Ryan’s pull out guns on them – The next day Benny turns up dead and is dumped outside Sarah’s house. He had been cut up like a pig (stabbed 18 times).

Moira is at the police station and she bumps into Terry, they have a few choice words.

Michael’s ‘new’ boyfriend Johnny who doesn’t really play much of a part in this drama until now is the one who set Benny up with the Greeks- Michael kills him and Moria helps him clear the murder up dumping him in water. Moira is starting to get a bit of a tough bitch.

Moira meets up with Terry at a park, and she tells him about the pregnancy and abortion, Terry tells her why he dumped her and their relationship resumes.

The Ryan’s are organising a raid on an army payroll van, there set to earn a percentage from £200,000, Meanwhile Michael is sinking deeper and deeper into drugs.

Michael is taken in for questioning regarding the murder of Johnny after the body is found, did I mention it was Geoffrey who grassed him up to the police. Its clear Geoffrey has tipped off the police about the raid but he tells Michael he can’t do it for other reasons, Michael insists he comes!

Terry tells Moria that Geoffrey has been collecting evidence about them and that Sarah is going to the police later on, Moria dashes off in search of them... at the raid Michael urges Geoffrey to shoot the 4 soldiers on the floor, the tables turn and Geoffrey points the gun at Michael. Michael gets shot by a squadie and so do some of the other men including the brothers. Moira finds Michael dying and she holds him as he dies in her arms.

The drama ends

MY VERDICT

Compared to the book this drama is very slow and not as interesting as the book as if it was the drama would be at least 6 hours long. The actors play really good parts but I like Jason Issacs anyway, you will recognise 1 or 2 regualars from The Bill in both of these dramas and also him who was in Cold Feet (Pete) - he plays one of Moira's brothers. There are a lot of quick one liners and 1 or 2 funny comments as well as the nitty gritty violent drama.

 THE CAST 

Susan Lynch (Maura)
David Calder (Terry)
Jason Isaacs (Michael)
Sheila Hancock (Sarah)
Roy Marsden
Owen Teale

 YEAR OF ORIGINAL DRAMA 
Original Transmission date – Granada 23rd May to 30 June 1995

Written by Paul Hines
Produced by Lavinia
Directed by John Woods

 RUNNING TIME FOR BOTH DISCS

400 minutes approx but the dramas are broken down in to parts so you do not have to view all in one sitting.

 AGE RATING 

Certificate 18

 OTHER SPECIFICATIONS

Picture 1.33:1 Colour
Stereo English
Subtitles: None
Region: 2 PAL

2 Disc set each with one drama on each.

 PRICE & AVAILABILITY 

I purchased this from Amazon at £7.99 (free postage due to my order being over £19.00) 

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