S01 · E509

The Noel Coward Trilogy: Captain Coward

The second of three programmes celebrating the life and career of Noel Coward focuses on the journey through the Far East which inspired his most famous song, Mad Dogs and Englishmen. Coward's own home movies - being shown on television for the first time - capture him on trains in Japan, rickshaws in Peking and elephants in Ceylon. During the war years, an inspired partnership with director David Lean produced the acclaimed film In Which We Serve, with Coward playing a role based on Louis Mountbatten. This was followed by Brief Encounter, the classic film co-written by Coward and based on his play Still Life. With contributions from John Mills, John Gielgud, Judy Campbell and Richard Attenborough.