Family in cellar following nuclear attack

[Governor]

Hello folks, this looks just the right place to get my query answered!

I am after a name of this programme/drama initially so that I can try and track down a DVD or VHS from somewhere. Here goes.....

As far as I can remember this drama was aired as a single episode, in the UK, around the late seventies/early eighties.

The story was about a family and their cat that retired to their cellar following a nuclear attack. The cellar had previously been well prepared for such eventualities by the father. The family spent several days in the cellar before the father decided it may be safe enough for him to venture out and see how things were.
I seem to remember there was a radio which only the father was allowed to operate with headphones (not 100% on this, I may be getting this mixed up with something similar).
The whole story was set inside the house I think.

There is more that I remember, including a significant twist in the tale that I probably shouldn't mention. Let me know if it is OK to do so.

Here's hoping for a result, I've been trying to remember this for many years. TIA.

[sixtyten]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

Sounds like one of the late 70's Play for today series to me..
will check it out

[DoubleAgent]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

It sounds like threads to me.....

Threads

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia


Threads

[Governor]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

Sorry DoubleAgent, definitely not Threads. I have that film (and thoroughly enjoyed it). No, the one I'm after isn't in the high budget film class. As I say, filmed entirely indoors as I recall.

If only I could remember the running time, what TV channel, at least one of the actors, or the year, then we would be half-way there to getting it.

Don't forget I do remember the twist in the story which would really be a spoiler if I mentioned it. However, I'm sure it would ring a few bells if I did so.

[sixtyten]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

Tell us the spoiler

[Governor]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

OK, here goes......

As I said earlier, the father had already transformed their cellar into something of a bunker before it was needed. When I say transformed I mean stocked with supplies, equipment, beds etc.

So, following some sort of onset of hostilities (I can't remember exactly what led to them heading for the cellar), it may have simply been an air raid siren.

After several days in the cellar, the father decides it may be safe for him to venture above ground to see what is happening, try and replenish supplies, and witness whatever destruction has taken place.

If I remember correctly he does this daily for more days leaving his family in the cellar waiting for his return each time.

After some time the cat manages to escape the cellar and climb the stairs up to the hallway of the house. The girl notices the cat has escaped and she herself goes up into the house. She finds the cat in the meter cupboard and while picking the cat up notices that the electric meter is running (i.e. the disc is revolving showing that electricity is being consumed).
This obviously means that civilisation has not been destroyed.

I can't remember if he intentionally tricked the family into thinking nuclear war had broken out or whether he had simply flipped.
I do seem to recollect that his daily outing were in fact so that he could go to work each day.

Why his family believed him in the first place I can't recall but it was either a test air-raid siren in the vacinity or he himself caused the initial fake disturbance.

There is a lot of unanswered questions that I would love to correct if I could see this again.

[sixtyten]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

Can't find a synopsis, but Play for today episode 3,series 13
"The Remainder man" is a possibility
quote from TV Cream
"The Remainder Man - w Philip Martin. Nuclear paranoid Anthony Brown troops his family (including wife Sheila Hancock) into their shelter in the garden for a tense time as The Big One is about to go off - or is it? "

[joybee]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

I remember this drama being shown - but like the Governor I couln't remember much more ! I think you have hit the nail on the head Daz, well done.

[Governor]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

That's very similar but it was definitely a cellar and not the garden.

[joybee]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

I think that you should approach this with an open mind Governor - I too saw the play and it was definitely cellar type place, but many people had bunkers dug under the ground in the back gardens which looked like cellars. A lot of these dramas relied on 'innuendo', you see them go upstairs and assume it comes up inside the house -next thing you see, they are in the house etc.

I really do think this is the drama concerned. On the bleak side, I have searched BBC Shop and can't find any of the Play for Today's on either VHS or DVD:cry:

On the up side - I have just found that it was recorded on Video Tape
http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0217321/ but I don't know how you would go about obtaining a copy

[Governor]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

I remember distinctly the cellar stairs opening onto the hallway of the house. This was how the cat escaped directly to the hallway rather than out of the garden and then into the house.

No, it was your ordinary everyday cellar under the house and not something built underground in the garden.

[joybee]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

OK - but I STILL think this is the one - I suppose that the synopsis on TV Cream could be at fault because on imbd.com there is not one available - so I reckon that it is just a viewer conspectus in the Cream version.

[Heather74]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

The lovely Shelia Hancock starred in the Remainder Man, i'm sure Governor would remember if she was in it or not.

[Governor]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

I did think about that Huggie, but 30 odd years changes people's looks and I probably didn't appreciate such a good actor/actress in those days.

I wish I could have said "I'd have remembered her if that was the one" but alas that's not the case.

[sixtyten]

Re: Family in cellar following nuclear attack

only other info I could find on Remainder man

A man is convinced that nuclear armageddon is iminent and takes his family into the fall-out shelter in their garden to wait for the bomb to fall.