GULLIVER'S TRAVELS {PART 2 OF 2} (TV)
Summary
Continued from T:56727. Part two of two. A made-for-television movie based on Jonathan Swift's book "Gulliver's Travels," a satirical story about surgeon and sea captain Lemuel Gulliver whose travels to far-off places -- and interactions with the inhabitants of each -- offer fundamental lessons about the human condition. The program's narrative proceeds both in the past and present; what happens to Gulliver after his return to England is intercut with flashbacks that correspond to the story he's telling. Part two covers Gulliver's accounts of Laputa and the land of the Houyhnhnms and Yahoos as well as the concluding events in England. Part two begins with Gulliver explaining how he was rescued from the middle of the ocean by people on a flying island called Laputa. Led by the Rajah, the Laputians spend their time contemplating the universe and arriving at useless conclusions. The island stops to collect their sustenance, termed "brain taxes," from the estate of the Rajah's estranged wife, and she hatches a plot to destroy Laputa. The island is saved, but Gulliver falls off the edge and crashes into the estate below. Back at Gulliver's house in England, Tom is angry at Mary and Dr. Bates for believing that his father is insane; he knows better after having seen the Lilliputian sheep, which the adults haven't yet found. Mary takes to writing Gulliver letters, unaware that Dr. Bates leaves them tucked them away in his study instead of delivering them as he promises. Gulliver's continues his story; he explains how the Rajah's wife led him to the Academy, a place of impractical study where scholars work on pointless projects while the surrounding country lies in ruin. Next, Gulliver ends up as a house guest of the Lord of Glubbdubdrib, who uses the traveler's mortal blood to conjure spirits from the realm of death. Gulliver remarks, "I bore witness to the resurrection of the greatest heroes of history, but I must confess I was astounded to see how many villains had been raised to the highest places of trust, power, dignity, and profit." After escaping from the Lord, Gulliver is captured by the Struldbruggs and offered a chance at immortality. Refusing the offer, he leaves for a ship bound to England and must escape a malevolent crew by throwing himself overboard. Back in the present time, Tom discovers that Dr. Bates has been hiding all of Mary's letters to Gulliver and informs his mother of Bates's deception. Mary confronts him, and he claims he was trying to protect Gulliver, subsequently agreeing to arrange a formal hearing where Gulliver's release will be considered. The story of Gulliver's travels nears its conclusion. Gulliver arrives on a land populated by Houyhnhnms, intellectually advanced horses who live in peace and comfort, and Yahoos, brutish humans who exist as dirty scavengers. Gulliver's hearing at the hospital begins, and he finishes his story in front of everyone. He explains that he wanted to stay with the honorable Houyhnhnms, fearing that leaving would corrupt him, but the Houyhnhnms banish him after realizing he was just like the Yahoos. Gulliver says he sailed out to sea hoping to die, but a ship rescued him -- and that's how he finally made it home. As the panel judges him insane, young Tom arrives. Shocked to see their son, Mary and Gulliver question him. He surprises everyone when he proves that his father's stories are true. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: NBC
- DATE: February 5, 1996 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 1:33:46
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:56729
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Literature - Adaptations; Travel
- SERIES RUN: NBC - TV, 1996
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Robert Halmi … Executive Producer
- Brian Henson … Executive Producer
- Duncan Kenworthy … Producer
- Chris Thompson … Associate Producer
- Charles Sturridge … Director
- Simon Moore … Writer
- Jonathan Swift … Based on the novel by
- Trevor Jones … Composer
- Geoff Alexander … Conductor
- Ted Danson … Cast, Lemuel Gulliver
- Mary Steenburgen … Cast, Mary Gulliver
- Geraldine Chaplin … Cast, Empress Munodi
- Graham Crowden … Cast, Professor of Politics
- Sir John Gielgud … Cast, Professor of Sunlight
- Robert Hardy … Cast, Dr. Parnell
- Shashi Kapoor … Cast, Rajah
- Edward Petherbridge … Cast, Dr. Pritchard
- Kristin Scott Thomas … Cast, Immortal Gatekeeper
- Omar Sharif … Cast, The Sorcerer
- Richard Wilson … Cast, Professor of Language
- Navin Chowdhry … Cast, Prince Munodi
- Thomas Sturridge … Cast, Tom Gulliver
- Stefan Kalipha … Cast, Laputa Intellectual
- Sandeep Sharma … Cast, Laputa Intellectual
- Badi Uzzaman … Cast, Flapper
- Simon Tyrrell … Cast, Sorcerer's Servant
- Mike Savage … Cast, Fat Tradesman - Bedlam
- Anne Lambton … Cast, Visiting Lady - Bedlam
- Cyril Shaps … Cast, Mad Old Man - Bedlam
- Ian Dunn … Cast, Alexander the Great
- Sylvester Morand … Cast, Archimedes
- Philip McGough … Cast, Plato
- Malcolm Stoddard … Cast, Struldbrugg Horseman
- Wolf Christian … Cast, Struldbrugg Guard
- Claire Adams … Cast, a Yahoo
- Gary Barber … Cast, a Yahoo
- Billy Burke … Cast, a Yahoo
- Judd Charlton … Cast, a Yahoo
- Jonathan Coyne … Cast, a Yahoo
- Matthew Cullum … Cast, a Yahoo
- Roger Ennals … Cast, a Yahoo
- Anna Godsiff … Cast, a Yahoo
- Mark Hopkins … Cast, a Yahoo
- Graham Kern … Cast, a Yahoo
- Kosh … Cast, a Yahoo
- David Larkin … Cast, a Yahoo
- Steve Nankeris … Cast, a Yahoo
- Stephen Russell … Cast, a Yahoo
- Kieron Smith … Cast, a Yahoo
- Phoebe Sotiriades … Cast, a Yahoo
- Brendon Stapleton … Cast, a Yahoo
- Antonio Susinni … Cast, a Yahoo
- Alexis Thomas … Cast, a Yahoo
- Dionne Waters … Cast, a Yahoo
- Freva Westdal … Cast, a Yahoo
- Steen Young … Cast, a Yahoo
- Isabelle Huppert … Cast, Voice