A Very British Scandal — Review

In this three-part miniseries, writer and creator Sarah Phelps and director Anne Sewitsky dramatize the turbulent marriage and infamous divorce of the Duke and Duchess of Argyll in the 1960s, offering contemporary empathy for a woman subjected to misogynistic public shaming.

The show’s predecessor, A Very English Scandal, told the story of the Thorpe affair, a political and sex scandal that ended the career of Jeremy Thorpe, the Liberal party leader. This time, under a different creative team, A Very British Scandal eyes the nobility and a divorce so brutal and publicized it became known as the most scandalous divorce trial of the century.

Margaret Sweeny (Claire Foy) was a famous upper class socialite who often made the tabloid pages, including once for a bizarre accident in which she fell down an elevator shaft and almost died. Captain Ian Campbell (Paul Bettany) had survived a Nazi POW camp and was heir to the Argyll duchy and Clan Campbell, the seat of which was Inveraray Castle. When Margaret and Ian met, he was on his second marriage and she in the midst of a divorce.

Foy and Bettany capture the spark of connection between Margaret and Ian, who both have an aura of cunning about them. It’s quite clear that much of their mutual attraction lies in what the other can offer—Margaret is enchanted by Ian’s inherited titles and land, and in particular falls in love with the idea of fixing up Inveraray Castle, while Ian is quite taken with Margaret’s wealth (despite his titles, he spends beyond his means and relies heavily on his rich wives). While Margaret and Ian have chemistry, it’s a partners-in-crime vibe rather than a passionate romance. In the first episode, the show downplays their courtship, rushing ahead into the troubled waters of their marriage.

Both Margaret and Ian prove to be complicated, extremely flawed and even treacherous characters. Ian doles out physical and emotional abuse upon Margaret while struggling with alcoholism and addiction to prescribed drugs. He often ignores or doesn’t care about Margaret’s feelings or her future security, all the while scheming his way to more of her father’s money. As a result, Margaret goes to extreme lengths to protect her status and future, including forging letters that state Ian’s sons are not biologically his. As Ian and Margaret’s marriage further disintegrates, the two spend more time separated, seeking out comfort and entertainment from others. The miniseries largely sticks to Margaret’s perspective but is careful to leave the question of her alleged affairs mostly a mystery.

Everything comes to a head when Ian sneaks into Margaret’s London residence and finds her private diaries and intimate polaroid photographs—including the infamous one of Margaret, naked but for her pearls, performing oral sex on an unidentified man, his face out of frame. This photograph ultimately became a tabloid sensation and took centre stage in the divorce; to her dying day, Margaret never revealed the identity of the so-called “headless man.”

Ian takes the diaries and photos with him, blackmailing Margaret and ultimately filing for divorce on the basis of Margaret’s adultery—a scandal in and of itself at a time when the double-standard (and moral expectation of women) was such that women might seek divorce for a husband’s adultery, but never the other way around.

Despite both characters’ reprehensible actions in the marriage, the show and viewers root for Margaret in the divorce as we watch the justice system put female sexuality itself on trial. Judge Wheatley delivered his judgment over more than three hours, eviscerating Margaret for her “disgusting” and “debased” sexual behaviour. But Margaret never caved. Under intense scrutiny, we watch Margaret refuse to reveal any information concerning her alleged lovers, for her own protection and theirs; one of the accused lovers was her friend Peter Combe (Timothy Renouf), who the show hints was gay. At that time, homosexuality was still illegal with severe penalties under British law.

While Margaret’s reputation never recovered, Ian’s behaviour and actions were never subject to any similar scrutiny, even as he married a wealthy heiress mere weeks after his divorce from Margaret.

The series is beautifully shot, with some scenes shot on location at Inveraray Castle, and it serves as a great platform for Foy and Bettany to show off their acting chops. However, the further we delve into the miniseries, the grimmer the picture all around, and there’s a notable lack of humour to help lighten the load or add more layers to the series. The show also uses a brief archival clip of the real Margaret in the end credits as a kind of footnote, seemingly to give her a voice and the final word, but it’s a somewhat odd and unnecessary choice.

A Very British Scandal is streaming on Amazon Prime.

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