Defence of the Realm (1986) with Screenwriter Martin Stellman
In this episode of the exclusive audio commentary podcast hosted by me, David Hughes, we’re uncovering the story of 1986 conspiracy thriller Defence of the Realm with the film’s screenwriter, Martin Stellman – perhaps best known for the stone cold classic Quadrophenia. When I came to choose my contributions to the forthcoming book The Great Unwatched: 200 Must-See Movies You May Have Missed, Defence of the Realm was one of the first films that came to mind, not only because it’s should be celebrating its 40th anniversary this year, but mainly because nobody seems to talk about it any more. It’s a pity, because aside from its superb cast – Gabriel Byrne, Greta Scacchi, Denholm Elliott, David Calder, Bill Paterson, Frederick Treves, Fulton Mackay and Robbie Coltraine – not to mention cinematography by Roger Deakins – it’s a cracking conspiracy thriller about the British state’s cover-up of a nuclear accident. Perhaps the film was eclipsed by Troy Kennedy Martin’s brilliant television series Edge of Darkness, which aired just two months before Defence of the Realm went on general release, but it holds up fantastically well as a worm’s eye view of the state’s suppression of the press by any means necessary. The worm in question being shoe leather tabloid journalist Nick Mullen, who breaks a big story about a former left-wing MP with alleged links to the KGB, only to suspect that he’s been played, and that there’s more to the matter than meets the eye. Huge thanks to Martin for rewatching the film for the first time in decades, and walking us through the development of the story with director David Drury and producer David Puttnam. Thanks also to the National Film and Television School for hosting the recording. Oh, and you can find Defence of the Realm and 199 other must-see movies you may have missed by pre-ordering The Great Unwatched which is due to be published on November 2. All of the films have been chosen by some of the best critics in the business, and I guarantee you won’t be disappointed by their choices. Comments? Feedback? Suggestions? Email David *at * Rogue-Commentary *dot* com or send us a tweet. We have lots of exciting episodes in the works, so if you like what you hear – or just the idea – please subscribe, and remember to rate us wherever you hear this podcast – it'll really help us to keep going. Oh, and follow us on Twitter, Bluesky and/or Instagram to stay up-to-date on our forthcoming releases. Thanks for listening! Rogue Commentary was conceived, written and presented by David Hughes and produced by Sam Ibrahim with music by Olli Oja. © 2026 Plumeria Pictures Ltd. All rights reserved.
