Ian Richardson (From Hell, M. Butterfly) leads an all star cast in this malevolent satire of greed, corruption and ambition in the highest realms of government. As Machiavellian monster Francis Urquhart, he schemes and backstabs his way to the top until he is standing on a pile of broken promises, betrayals and the bodies of those who oppose him.

Ian Richardson (From Hell M. Butterfly) returns as villainous statesman Francis Urquhart in this acclaimed sequel to the Masterpiece Theater thriller House of Cards The sardonic statesman's Machiavellian schemes have brought him to the pinnacle of government but at the moment of his triumph an idealistic and determined young King stands in his way. How far will Urquhart go to maintain his grip on his growing power? As he threatens to expose a royal scandal he seems unstoppable but someone out there knows the secret that could bring him down. Brilliantly adapted by Andrew Davies (The Tailor of Panama Bridget Jones's Diary) from Michael Dobbs's best-selling novel this satirical trilogy took home a primetime Emmy a Peabody two BAFTAs and a Writers' Guild Award.Running Time: 200 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 794051176721

Ian Richardson (From Hell M. Butterfly) returns as malevolent statesman Francis Urquhart in this acclaimed finale to the Masterpiece Theater trilogy that began with House of Cards and continued in To Play the King. Now Prime Minister and nearing the end of his term Urquhart plans to let international events help him to a luxurious retirement. But he finds himself caught in someone else's power play and for the first time he is unable to see a way out. Will he outwit his enemies one last time or will his long career end in disgrace and defeat? Brilliantly adapted by Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice Bridget Jones's Diary) from Michael Dobbs's best-selling novel this satirical trilogy took home a primetime Emmy a Peabody two BAFTAs and a Writers' Guild Award.Running Time: 200 min.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre: DRAMA UPC: 794051176820

Michael Dobbs, ex-Deputy Chairman of the Conservative Party, wrote the novel upon which House of Cards was based, but it was Andrew Davies' skillful adaptation which brought it to the attention of Ian Richardson. A classical actor who had never worked in TV before, Richardson was hooked as soon as he read the script, and went on to give a mesmerizing performance as the manipulative politician Francis Urquhart. Richardson's interpretation of the role drew noticeably on classical roles such as Richard III, and the relationship between Urquhart and his wife has obvious touches of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, particularly in the opening episodes. Richardson's practice of turning to the camera to deliver asides and soliloquies is intensely involving - an extremely effective way of bringing the classical technique to television. Superb supporting performances came from Susannah Harker as the young journalist Mattie Storin and Diane Fletcher as Elizabeth Urquhart. Colin Jeavons was memorably loathsome as the Deputy Party Whip Tim Stamper, lurking ambiguously in Urquhart's shadow. The series was extremely popular on its release in 1990 - the show began with the premise that Margaret Thatcher's career as the leader of the Conservative Party had just ended, which seemed a remote contingency when the novel was written, and the adaptation filmed, but which occurred almost simultaneously with the show's release. It instantly acquired cachet as an "insider political drama", and even members of the Cabinet later admitted that they had watched it eagerly. Francis Urquhart's phrase "You might choose to think that, but I couldn't possibly comment", which appears repeatedly in the script, became a permanent fixture in the vocabulary of British politics.