An Ungentlemanly Act is a 1992 BBC television film about the first days of the invasion of the Falkland Islands in 1982.
The film was written and directed by Stuart Urban, and commissioned to mark the tenth anniversary of the Falklands War. The film was closely based on the historical record, and all of the major incidents portrayed were drawn from contemporary accounts by those who took part. Filming took place on the Falkland Islands and at Ealing Studios. Urban is a fluent Spanish-speaker, and plays an uncredited role as the Argentine radio operator.
Ian Richardson replaced Ian Holm as Falklands Governor Rex Hunt after Holm dropped out of the production at the last minute. Bob Peck plays Major Mike Norman, the commander of the Royal Marines based at Stanley, while Norman himself acted as advisor on the production, and has a small part as a member of the Falkland Islands Defence Force (FIDF). Don Bonner, who was Governor Hunt's chauffeur at the time of the conflict, cameos in a scene set in Stanley store where he says "Hello Don" to the actor playing himself.
The film was well-received on release and is generally considered to be an accurate and even-handed portrayal of events. It won the BAFTA Award for Best Single Drama the following year, and was later shown on television in Argentina.
BAFTA Awards 1993
Won: BAFTA TV Award for Best Single Drama: Bradley Adams & Stuart Urban
Nominated: BAFTA TV Award for Best Actor: Ian Richardson
Royal Television Society 1993
Nominated: RTS Television Award for Best Actor (Male): Ian Richardson
Ian Richardson .... Governor Rex Hunt
Bob Peck .... Maj. Mike Norman
Rosemary Leach .... Mavis Hunt
Ian McNeice .... Dick Baker
James Warrior .... Don Bonner
Marc Warren .... Tony Hunt
Elizabeth Bradley .... Nanny
Kate Spiro .... Connie Baker
Holly Barker .... Baker Girl #1
Claire Slater .... Baker Girl #2
Hugh Ross .... Maj. Garry Noott
Ian Embleton .... Cpl. 'Geordie' Gill
Aidan Gillen .... Marine Wilcox
Richard Graham .... Cpl Lou Armour
Matthew Ashforde .... Marine Farnworth
Richard Long ... Marine Dorey
Garry Cooper ... Colour Sgt. Muir
Phil Atkinson ... Sgt. Short
Christopher Northey ... Maj. Phil Summers (FIDF)
Chris Walker ... 'Ex-Marine' Jim Fairfield (as Christopher Walker)
Mike Norman ... F.I.D.F. Stalwart
Christopher Jaffray ... F.I.D.F. Youth 1
Simon Godwin ... F.I.D.F. Youth 2
Jonathan Cohen ... Marine #1
Lee Alliston ... Marine #2
Alex Norton ... Chief of Police Ronnie Lamb
Gary Clement ... Butcher
Harry Jones ... Henry Halliday
Trevor Cooper ... Des King
Morag Siller ... Alison King
Flip Webster ... Mrs King
Mike Grady ... Patrick Watts
Tom Hodgkins ... Tom Olsen
Ann Reid ... Mrs. Mozeley
Simon Fisher-Becker ... Prisoner
Adam Godley ... P.C. Anton Livermore
Janet Robertson ... Sonia
Helen Blades ... Sonia's Friend
Antonio Valero ... Vice-Commodore Hector Gilobert
Fulgencio Saturno ... Vice-Adm. Carlos Büsser
Alan Turner ... Maj. Patricio Dowling
Arturo Venegas ... Capt. Pedro Giachino
Ricardo Vélez ... Lt. Lugo
Vincent S. Boluda ... Lt. Quiroga
Robert Reina ... Medic Ernesto Urbina
Juan Martinez ... Marine
Paul Geoffrey ... Simon Winchester
Stuart Urban ... Argentinian 'snatch squad' radio operator (uncredited)
Crew of British yacht 'Creighton's Naturally' ... Argentine Marines (uncredited)