Synopses
Brief synopsis
Longer synopsis
Brief synopsis
I TOLD YOU I WAS ILL: THE LIFE AND LEGACY OF SPIKE MILLIGAN
is an intimate and deeply personal portrait of comic genius
Spike Milligan through the eyes of his brother, three daughters
and third wife. Each saw a very different side of this complex
and multifaceted man who forever changed English comedy
and trampled on the notions of decorum and deference. For
the first time his family have opened up their personal
archives to reveal Spike as a brilliant, tortured and visionary
man who trod the thin line between genius and debilitating
depression.
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Longer synopsis
I TOLD YOU I WAS ILL is an intimate and deeply personal
portrait of Spike Milligan through the eyes of his brother
Desmond, his daughters Laura, Sile and Jane and his third
wife, Shelagh. Each saw a very different side of this complex
and multifaceted man who has forever changed English comedy
and trampled on the notions of decorum and deference. A
surprising and sometimes startling portrait of Spike emerges
as a father, brother and husband, a deeply compassionate
and profoundly sensitive man who trod the thin line between
genius and debilitating depression.
For centuries there has been debate about the connection
between creative genius and mental illness and particularly
manic depression, now known as bipolar disorder. Aristotle
asked in the 4th century BC "Why is it that all men
who are outstanding in philosophy, poetry or the arts are
melancholic?" English poet John Dryden wrote: "Great
wits are sure to madness near allied" and throughout
the 20th Century the claim has been made that "there
is a thin line between genius and madness". The life
and legacy of Spike Milligan adds a new chapter to this
debate.
The central storyteller of the film is Spike’s youngest
daughter, Jane Milligan. She and her sisters Laura and Sile
have agreed for the first time to open their family archive
and tell the story of their father as they knew him. They
do not believe that Spike’s depression was inherited
or that it has been passed down to the Milligan children
and grandchildren. Jane speaks to people who were close
to Spike during key periods in his life, and through these
interviews and archive footage, the story of Spike’s
life is re-examined and reviewed.
Much of the story is located in a small Australian town
just north of Sydney called Woy Woy, where Spike’s
parents lived for 40 years and where Spike made frequent
visits. He wrote many of his famous books in his parent’s
small weatherboard house and became involved in local campaigns
to protect the environment and heritage of the area. Over
the years, Woy Woy came to regard Spike as one of their
own, and after his death, the town came together to stage
a unique festival called Spikefest in honour of their famous
visitor. Spike’s brother Desmond and daughters Laura
and Jane played an active role in the festival, and Desmond
allowed the crew to film in the Woy Woy house which is like
a museum of Milligan family history and memorabilia. His
own archive plus Jane’s discovery of Spike’s
old home movies shot in Woy Woy create a vivid picture of
Spike’s family history in Ireland, India and their
connection to Australia.
The story of Spike’s professional life is revealed
through his manager Norma Farnes, and colleagues such as
Eric Sykes, Joanna Lumley, Eddie Izzard and Michael Palin.
His children reveal what he was like as a father, sharing
their memories as well as their photographic, audio and
visual archives. Shelagh Milligan talks about Spike from
the perspective of a wife and partner for 25 years.
This unique portrait of a man who changed the face of English
comedy and left an indelible impression wherever he went
is accompanied by a comprehensive web site with a rich array
of additional features. A DVD is currently in production.
The film includes a rich archive of Spike Milligan material
from the BBC and ABC as well as valuable personal and family
photographs, audio tapes and home movies of Spike with his
family, where he claims he came closest to finding some
kind of happiness and a sense that his life was worthwhile.
Produced by Jeff Canin and Cathy Henkel, Hatchling Productions,
January 2005.
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