Frederic Raphael
Contemporary story of a couple whose marriage has gone astray, partly due to the infidelity of both partners and also the fact that their eldest son was killed in a car accident 8 years before.
After Dr. Bill Harford's wife, Alice, admits to having sexual fantasies about a man she met, Bill becomes obsessed with having a sexual encounter. He discovers an underground sexual group and attends one of their meetings -- and quickly discovers that he is in over his head.
This trio of tales, based on classic short stories, chronicles the complicated relations between the sexes. In "The Man in the Brooks Brothers Shirt," salesman Gerry seduces train traveler Viki. Then, in "Dusk Before Fireworks," a night of romance between Hobie and Kit goes bad when the phone keeps ringing. Finally, in "Hills Like White Elephants," Robert discovers Hadley is pregnant.
Following her husband s death, a wife discovers and confronts her husband's lover. Their mutual pain, love, envy and jealousy bring them together in an unexpected emotional and physical relationship.
Early in 1939 Sir Robert Thorndyke takes aim at Adolf Hitler with a high powered rifle, but the shot misses its mark. Captured and tortured by the Gestapo and left for dead, Sir Robert makes his way back to England where he discovers the Gestapo has followed him. Knowing that his government would turn him over to German authorities, Sir Robert goes underground in his battle with his pursuers.
In this comedy of manners, the American Winterbourne tries to figure out the bright and bubbly Daisy Miller, only to be helped and hindered by false judgments from their fellow friends.
Antonia, the pampered wife of Martin Lynch-Gibbon, an upper class wine merchant, tells her husband that she is in love with their best friend, the psychiatrist Palmer Anderson. Palmer and Antonia want to deal with the situation in a civilized way, by remaining friends with Martin. Meanwhile Martin tries to keep his mistress, Georgie Hands, a secret, but Palmer's sister, Honor Klein, who taught Georgie at Oxford, tells Palmer and Antonia about her. Furthermore, Honor introduces Georgie to Martin's womanizing brother, Alexander. This is just the beginning of the various liaisons.
The ten-year marriage of Mark and Joanna Wallace is on the rocks. In flashback they recall their first meeting, memorable moments in their courtship and early wedded life, their travels through Europe, their broken vow never to have children, and their increasing tensions that led to both of them having extra-marital affairs.
Bathsheba Everdine, a willful, flirtatious, young woman, unexpectedly inherits a large farm and becomes romantically involved with three widely divergent men.
Success has James Brewster's name written all over it, and he also has his heart set on his boss's daughter. A con artist hires him to help out on a bank scheme, but then again, James will do anything to get rich and be the most successful businessman in Britain-even if it means murder!!!
The life and career of Michael Jordan contrasts with that of Joe Hirsch. One is born into a comfortable middle class family; the other a poorer refugee. Their stories cross and parallel over 25-years from the end of the Second World War, taking in British social change as they go.
An estranged man, Matt Heller, and a woman, Martha Parks, encounter each other by chance on a plane, and relive memories of their turbulent romantic relationship. Kirsty Sachs, a talk show host who has an affair with Heller and changes the course of his whirlwind relationship with Parks.
