I watched The Man From Uncle and enjoyed it. But what did I know? I was a kid and on later viewing the show doesn't hold up so well.
Anyway this play has little to do with the show other than the fact that Robert Vaughn was the star of it at around the same time.
What we have here is the story of the production of the film The Bridge at Remagen in 1968. While on location in Czechoslovakia the film company found themselves witnessing the clamp down by the Soviets. Elements in the Czechoslovakian government thought they would change some things, open things up a bit, but the Soviet Union would have none of it, and stopped it.
The play is narrated by Robert Vaughn. He tells his own story. The play was written by Tracy Spottiswoode we can assume from the story Vaughn told her. It is an interesting story, and the narration does a pretty good job of setting the stage for the political stuff. The production then serves as a sort of political docu-drama about the unique position of being an American actor on a Soviet Block country at the time when the hammer comes down. Long time political activist Vaughn is not an ordinary movie/TV actor. He's a smart, informed man and his view of this episode in well worth a listen.
The play is far from a riveting drama, but quite good at what it sets out to do which is basically provide an interesting and somewhat vital history lesson of an important event.
It's too bad that they didn't get Bradford Dillman & Ben Gazzara to play themselves in the drama. That would have been even more fun.
There is some cool music.
The play can be heard at The Afternoon Play BBC Radio 4 page. It is available via the Monday button until Sunday Nov. 11, 2007.
