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Drama / War & Politics
Based on real-life experiences, Tenko remains one of the most fondly remembered and acclaimed BBC dramas of the early 1980s. It follows a group of women, formerly comfortably well-off ex-pats living in Singapore, as they are captured by the Japanese during World War II.
SINGAPORE, 5 DECEMBER 1941: Due to lack of information from the Army and the media, most of the inhabitants of Singapore remain blissfully unaware of any danger in their lives. Then the Japanese land 400 miles north of the city and head south. Most of the women who will end up imprisoned are introduced: Marion Jefferson, Sister Ulrica, Christina Campbell, Nurses Kate Norris and Nellie Keene, Rose Millar, and Dr Beatrice Mason.
SINGAPORE, 10 DECEMBER 1941: The aftermath of the Japanese bombing of Singapore causes the evacuation of many of the British civilians in Singapore. Marion, Christina, Kate, Nellie, Rose, Tom (Kate's boyfriend) and Bernard (Rose's boyfriend) are evacuated, but the ship is torpedoed. Surviving the wreck, the group is taken prisoner by the Japanese.
KAMPONG GETAH, FEBRUARY 1942: Joined by others, including Beatrice, the women are taken to their internment camp, where a contingent of Dutch internees join them, including Sister Ulrica. Everyone makes adjustments to their new way of life, and Marion is made leader of the British internees.
Ulrica is made leader of the Dutch internees. The older women worry when the younger women are unexpectedly removed from the camp, but it turns out they're being used for labor crews. Dorothy smuggles milk into the camp for her baby, but is caught, and everyone is punished
Some time having passed, social structure in the camp is breaking down, and more women are becoming sick. Some groups refuse to help other groups. Malaria makes its first appearance, and requests for quinine are denied. Marion organizes education and entertainment committees, and arranges for the women to rebuild one of the huts into a sickbay. Morale improves, at least until two Japanese secret policemen arrive at the camp.
Marion is questioned about British organization in Singapore prior to the fall of the city. The new sickbay is completed. Blanche and Dorothy become friendly with the guards in exchange for cigarettes and tea. Blanche, Dorothy and Rose are cornered by three guards; when all six are caught, the Japanese commander accuses the women of lying about the almost-rape. Dorothy agrees with the him, causing Blanche and Rose to be punished, until their story is corroborated by other sources.
Sally, pregnant before her capture, is coming into her seventh month of pregnancy, and one of the nurses, Nellie, becomes very supportive of her. When the baby is stillborn, their friendship becomes closer, until they hear unwarranted rumors that their friendship is 'unnatural'. Judith Bowen has another attack of malaria, making Blanche wonder about all of their eventual fates.
Just before Judith Bowen dies, Marion promises her that she'll take care of Debbie. Blanche becomes determined to escape from the camp. Debbie discovers Blanche's escape plans and barges her way into the escape attempt. Rose covers the escape until she realises that Debbie is also leaving; she tells Marion, who tells the commandant in hopes that he will be lenient with Debbie. Blanche and Debbie are recaptured.
Punishment details are imposed on the camp in general and the escapees in particular. The commandant yields to Marion's plea for mercy for Debbie, and agrees to be release Blanche if the internees will make 500 work hats in the next seven days. The Dutch, angry that they are again being punished for British misbehaviour, insist that both groups should now be treated separately, until they discover that making hats will release Blanche. The commandant releases the internees from punishment details on the last day, allowing the women to meet the deadline.
Christmas is approaching. The work party reports seeing a group of men in the distance. When Marion asks the commandant for names of the men, the list causes both joy and disappointment. The women are told they will be going to another camp. The commandant reveals his long-time knowledge and support of the women's subterfuge to steal paper from his office. The women leave the camp, uncertain of their future.
Beatrice Mason
Lady Jocelyn 'Joss' Holbrook
Marion Jefferson
Christina Campbell
Kate Norris
Mrs. Domenica Van Meyer
In January 1945, the young nurse Anna Mauth, working at a hospital in Dresden, becomes engaged to senior physician Benjamin Wenninger. At the same time, an English Lancaster bomber is shot down. The pilot Robert Newman, the only survivor, manages to reach the city severely injured and hides in the hospital's cellar. Anna discovers him incidentally thinking he is a German deserter, but finally decides to help Robert...
It tells the story of two contrasting realities in the early 20th century: The construction of a railway in the Amazon rainforest and the glamorous life of Rio de Janeiro, where politicians and big businessmen lived. Consuelo is a young pianist heading toward the Amazon with her husband, Alonso. On the way, the two have an accident, and Alonso ends up losing his life. Alone and helpless, Consuelo gets lost in the middle of the forest, being weak and very sick. However, she ends up being supported by Joe Caripuna, a local Indian who welcomes the girl. The two become great friends, and Joe falls in love with the girl. He takes her to live around the railroad workers' camp, where she meets Dr. Richard Finnegan, who takes care of her health and all the workers who were in a dramatic situation. Richard also falls in love with Consuelo, who repays love, but the difficulties of work and the situations in which they find themselves make it difficult for them to get closer.
Set in England in the early 19th century, Pride and Prejudice tells the story of Mr and Mrs Bennet's five unmarried daughters after the rich and eligible Mr Bingley and his status-conscious friend, Mr Darcy, have moved into their neighbourhood. While Bingley takes an immediate liking to the eldest Bennet daughter, Jane, Darcy has difficulty adapting to local society and repeatedly clashes with the second-eldest Bennet daughter, Elizabeth.
