Scoop (2024) | Dir. Philip Martin
Peter Mountain / Netflix © 2023 Netflix, Inc.
Written by: Belle McIntyre
A behind the scenes story of the machinations in the newsroom of the BBC, when the current affairs show Newsnight, got a full hour interview with Prince Andrew, the Duke of York (Rufus Sewell) after the death of Jeffrey Epstein. It reveals a fascinating deep dive into the negotiations that led to Newsnights biggest scoop. The film is based on the book Scoops by the former producer at the BBC, Sam McAlister (Billie Piper). As everyone will probably remember it was in 2010 when Jeffrey Epstein was accused of being a sex offender and trafficker of underage girls. Epstein, an uber wealthy big spender, had a lot of friends in high places, one of whom was Prince Andrew, who subsequentially was charged with having unwanted sex with an underage teenage girl. And there were photographs. There was a financial settlement. It was awkward and ugly and Andrew suffered severe disapproval of the royal family and disparagement by the British public and press. Having spent almost ten years trying to rehabilitate his reputation, Epstein’s suicide in prison in 2019 brought the whole messy episode back into the spotlight.
Peter Mountain / Netflix © 2023 Netflix, Inc.
This is when the brash young booker, Sam McAlistair gets it into her head that a interview with Andrew is within reach and timely. Sam has a kind of feral tenacity and usually gets her way, but not without obstacles from her more conventional colleagues. She does not walk as much as she power stalks on her stiletto cheetah printed boots, long wavy platinum hair floating around her face and shoulders like an unruly mane. She finds her way to Andrew by courting his private secretary Amanda (Keeley Hawes) and convincing her, and ultimately Andrew, that the only way to stave off the rumor mongers and the tabloids is to get ahead of the story and tell his own version of the truth.
Peter Mountain / Netflix © 2023 Netflix, Inc.
Once the interview date is fixed, it falls to Emily Maitlis (Gillian Anderson) the presenter on Newsnight, who is ambivalent about how to handle it. She wants to be fair, but to not soft pedal her approach. Emily, the supercilious, icy, show host who swans through the office followed by her whippet, has very little time for upstarts like Sam. That all changes when reality sets in and all of these women, Sam, Emily and Amanda, are all in it together and no one wants to bring the prince down. But they all want the truth. Sadly, it is Andrew’s peculiar tone deafness and inability to hear how bizarre and unconscious his comments are that bring him down. Ironically, he thinks he has aced the interview.
Peter Mountain / Netflix © 2023 Netflix, Inc.
The ensemble cast works well together. It’s great to see all these women with their own agency, acting independently of men. The pacing is brisk and keeps the tension high, although not quite an All the Presidents Men, it can sit comfortably in the genre. The production and cinematography are top notch. It is well worth a viewing.
