Cracker: One Day A Lemming Will Fly

Year: 1993
Written by: Jimmy McGovern
Directed by: Simon Cellan Jones
Starring: Robbie Coltrane, Barbara Flynn, Christopher Eccleston, Lorcan Cranitch, Geraldine Somerville and Kieran O'Brien with Christopher Fulford.
Duration: 97'16m
Certificate: 15
DVD Availability Try amazon (region 1)/sendit.com (region 2)

Cast (credits order): Wesley Cook (Tim Lang), Robbie Coltrane (Fitz), Barbara Flynn (Judith). Linda Henry (Mrs. Perry), John Graham Davis (Francis Bates), James Quinn (Bouncer), Ann Francis (Croupier), Geraldine Somerville (D.S. Penhaligon), Lee Philip Hartney (Andy Lang), Frances Tomelty (Mrs Lang), John Vine (Lindsay), Christopher Eccleston (D.C.I. Bilborough), Tim Healy (Mr Lang), Lorcan Cranitch (D.S. Beck), Amelia Bullmore (Catriona Bilborough), Christopher Fulford (Cassidy), Kieran O'Brien (Mark Fitzgerald), Tess Thomson (Kate Fitzgerald), Geoffrey Hutchings (Pathologist), Tom Urwin (Bully Boy), Trevyn McDowell (Leslie), Nicholas Blane (Forensic Scientist), Edward Peel (Chief Super) and Stan Finni (Sergeant Smith).

Full Crew: Liam Foster (Production Manager), Ken Mair (Location Manager), Emma Bodger (First Assistant Director), Tracy Lee (Production Co-Ordinator), Dorothy Friend (Continuity), Rachel Longhurst (Second Assistant Director), Maria Grimley (Producer's Secretary), Gareth Williams/Chris Wheeler (Production Finance), Dave Holland (Stunt Co-Ordinator), Richard Brierley (Focus Puller), Carl Hudson (Clapper Loader), Bob Gregory (Grips), Peter Maghie (Grips Assistant), David Ratcliffe (Chargehand Electrician), Graham Heyes/Graeme Andrew (Electricians), Phil Smith (Sound Mixer), Tony Cooper (Boom Operator), John Whitworth/Andy Wyatt (Dubbing Mixers), Max Hoskins at John Wood Sound (Dubbing Editor), Portia Napier (Post Production Consultant), Kathy Cochrane (Music Research), Deborah Morley (Art Director), Ron Pritchard (Prop Buyer), Frank Massey (Chargehand ASM), Peter O'Rourke (Action Props), Vic Shirovay/Nigel Place (Prop Dressers), Peter Skarratt (Joiner), Arthur Orwin (Painter), Phil Buckley (Graphic Designer), Janty Yates (Costume Designer), Sally Mason (Wardrobe Supervisor), Helen King (Make Up Supervisor), Anastasia Shirley (Make Up Assistant), Mark Borkowski (Unit Publicist), Gail Stevens (Casting Director), Beverley Keogh (Additional Casting), Catriona McKenzie/Nicola Shindler (Script Editors), Gwenda Bagshaw (Script Associate), Roger Jackson (Music Composer/Performer), Craig McNeil (Production Executive), Chris Wilkinson (Production Designer), Sally Head (Executive Producer) and Gub Neal (Producer). A Granada Television Production.

Trivia: This story was originally screened in a two-episode format on 01/11 and 08/11/1993. The title refers to a monologue by Fitz (Coltrane), whereby he talks about Lemmings trying to evolve in order to distract Nigel Cassidy from jumping over the edge of a building.

Images: Cracker: One Day A Lemming Will Fly Image Page

Bilborough gives the controversial press statement

Viewpoint:
"Look, I know what Fitzophobia is - a morbid fear of men who talk through their ass - just stay out of this!"

With this story Cracker makes the step up from a good series to a great one. Although this is the end of the first series and the last people saw of Fitz and co. for nearly a year, thanks to DVD this can now be watched as the start of a continuous run of eleven classic Jimmy McGovern episodes, only broken up by a Ted Whitehouse diversion.

The two-part format actually suits Cracker extremely well, because with the fifty minute episode length there's still plenty of room for character development with no slack. In fact, it's McGovern's writing here that compels, with not a single line wasted. I always thought the JCB scene was a little OTT, but let's not quibble, this is nearly as good as television can be. Yet coupled with this is great direction and first-rate performances from all involved. Christopher Fulford is a credible suspect, while Lorcan Cranitch enables the immoral Jimmy Beck to stay the right side of panto villain - something not every actor could manage with such a dubiously-motivated character. Most importantly for this site, if ever there's a Cracker story that could be said to star Chris then this is the one. Sidelined from the case by his superior and spoken down to by everyone, his ambition and youth exceed the true application of his duty, leading to some revealing scenes for his character and the best acting he ever did on the series. There's so much that's good about this one that I've almost got no room to fit it all in - I've gone three Cracker stories without mentioning the effortless superb Barbara Flynn as Fitz's wife, and note how the musical finale is echoed at the beginning - a nice touch that would probably be lost on first-time viewing.

Fitz and Penhaligon's relationship is allowed to develop, and best of all is the killer (pun unintentional) twist. With a denouement like that, this could well be the best Cracker story of all...

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