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Post by jno on Feb 19, 2015 11:52:54 GMT
Here is page 15 of George Cole's script for series 9's 'Opportunities Knocks & Bruises' that shows a possible return to the series for 'Nostalgic', changed here (GC's handwriting) to read Cecil: Page 21 below shows GC's handwriting again with the line added about Thatcher:
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steve
Winchester Regular
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Post by steve on Apr 21, 2015 22:01:55 GMT
Really intersting to see how GC digested and improved the scripts. Thanks jno.
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Post by jno on Apr 29, 2015 15:01:47 GMT
Link to episode on minder.org: www.minder.org/episodeguide/S09E05_OpportunityKnocksAndBruises.htm
I really like this one, probably because it has all the elements of a good Minder episode - a con, a tough nasty villain, old bill, a good looking girl (Natalie Roles) and of course a good punch up at the end! What else does a Minder episode need than this? Perhaps a few scenes at a hotel or even a token Welshman? It has those too! Robert Blythe who played Councillor Griffiths in this one was previously the night porter at the hotel Terry takes Yorkie to in 'The Beer Hunter'. This is a great episode that would have worked well in the Terry years I think.
I was lucky enough to pick up George Cole's script for this episode some time ago and although this episode isn't hilarious, there are some very clever lines and it has a great story with Arthur getting involved in dodgy fruit machines carrying nicked Irish money:
Arthur: "You've never fully comprehended the complex infrastructure of the free market system have you Ray?" "Mr Morley, can I be honest with you? This particular machine does not play by the Marquis of Queensberry Rules if you catch my drift" and to the old lady who asks "Mind if I have a flutter?" Arthur replies "Yes I do, go away!"
Alexie: "To accept a man's final offer without an approrpiate counteroffer would be an insult to his bargaining skills. Businessmen such as us thrive on the haggle."
Morley: "Is this a private visit or can anyone get had over?"
Dave is on top form, being a bit naive lugging 200 quids worth of 'slummy' down to the Irish Trust Bank, completely unaware of its origin. The scenes in the Winchester where Dave counts the coins into the pint glass and subsequently opens up the machine to discover the dodgy coins are not in the script. The term "opportunites" is played out many times too.
Arthur & Ray genuinely seem to enjoy themselves at the fair on the two occasions we see them there in the daytime. When Alexie says to Arthur "It pays to advertise", Arthur replies with the phrase "indubitably", which I must confess is not a term I use or hear much everyday. Alexie also mentions "600 in crisp Wellingtons" to Arthur - Wellington boot? Loot? I don't know this one. Alexie Nolan is a very nasty and dogy piece of work is played very well by Sean McGinley.
Arthur getting out of the Jag and walking through the hotel at the end is certainly very good fun to watch. Morley clearly loves getting one over on Arthur twice in this episode - both at the Winchester Club when the the fruit machine pays out and at the charity event. He also seems to let go the fact the machine is rigged in 'the interests of charity'. Ray on top form as a minder too giving Alexie a pasting at the end.
Love it! 9/10 from me!
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Post by jno on Nov 16, 2015 5:14:00 GMT
Here's the cover.
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Post by VAT on Nov 16, 2015 8:41:42 GMT
Brilliant jno...but wonder why the switch of name though?
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Post by jno on Nov 16, 2015 8:48:27 GMT
No idea, but Nostalgic of course turns up in 'A Bird In The Hand Is Worth Two In Shepherd's Bush', different author though.
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Post by swainy on Nov 16, 2015 15:50:15 GMT
I should imagine that the original actor wasn't available.
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Post by Celvin on Dec 29, 2015 19:41:52 GMT
Decent episode. Good mix of the comic and gritty aspects of the show.
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Post by daytona355 on Jan 3, 2016 10:56:54 GMT
I think wellington might refer to the duke of Wellington being on the back of five pound notes at the time? I could be wrong
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Post by daz on May 2, 2016 10:41:24 GMT
Another top episode. Strolls along at a nice pace and comes to life at the end with a great fight sequence between Ray & Dolan, one of the best fight scenes in Minder for me. Even the end when Morley is sitting with a cigar and drink in hand watching Arthur fill the machine with cash thinking the stolen loot was still inside was a very good ending, not often Arthur gets one pulled over on him. I loved seeing Arthur 'walk' into the hotel weighed down with 50 pence coins, top stuff.
I thought us lads were in for a treat when Ray went to the nurses home and Amanda was looking like she was about to flash her modesty, but alas, not to be, that was one thing that did change during the RD years, and a good thing really. It would be a few years later that the actress would pop up as Debbie McAllister in another forum favourite 'The Bill'.
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Post by jno on May 17, 2016 14:21:26 GMT
Mini feature from page 61 of TV TIMES on January 30th - February 5th 1993:
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Post by pr1 on Nov 14, 2016 2:04:35 GMT
A fun episode and as jno mentioned Arthur has some great lines.
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Post by thewoodster on Feb 6, 2018 8:45:04 GMT
GC has the best dialogue in this than in most GW years.
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rog73
Winchester Regular
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Post by rog73 on May 18, 2018 7:02:48 GMT
One of my all time favourites this one. I love the atmosphere of the creeping around the fair at night and the laughs on the ghost train. Alexei is a good villain, and you know that his family would be genuinely not people to mess with. Morley aa usual is a great character, and in series 9 he has become more comedic. Good job Alexei’s knife had disappeared by the time the fight happened!
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Post by thewoodster on May 21, 2018 16:35:24 GMT
Great fight scene in the toilets.
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oufc
Car Lot Browser
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Post by oufc on Aug 3, 2018 10:33:09 GMT
I was cracking up when Arthur was stumbling through the hotel weighed down by all the 50p pieces. He must have bunged loads into that dodgy machine - wonder when Morley was going to stop him - probably never haha...
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Post by artyboy1973 on Jan 14, 2020 17:53:22 GMT
It looks like ITV4 have finally shown the uncut version of Opportunity Knocks and Bruises where Ray fights with the Irish guy in the Ladies Toilets.
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Post by thewoodster on Mar 5, 2020 10:34:11 GMT
It looks like ITV4 have finally shown the uncut version of Opportunity Knocks and Bruises where Ray fights with the Irish guy in the Ladies Toilets. At long last..lol
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Post by McCann on Jun 30, 2020 19:51:05 GMT
Even the Irish would need subtitles to understand what the gypsy Nolan was saying half the time. A good appearance from Sean McGinley who generally plays tough nuts.
I knock this one down to average as I never really like the fairground scenes in this. They had their place in the plot, but it was maybe the ultimate sign of how soft and sentimental the show was becoming at this stage.
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Post by jno on Jul 1, 2020 4:19:20 GMT
I knock this one down to average as I never really like the fairground scenes in this. They had their place in the plot, but it was maybe the ultimate sign of how soft and sentimental the show was becoming at this stage. Sorry McCann, I can't agree with that, Arthur & Ray are family, why not go on the rides for old times' sake? I thought that was a nice touch. This is an excellent one for me.
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Post by jjmolloy on Oct 1, 2020 0:35:07 GMT
Intresting fact, the Irish 50p pieces that Arthur takes out of the slot machine at first are in fact 'Millennium' 50p pieces minted to mark the 1000th anniversary of the City of Dublin. Currently they are selling on ebay for £6.50 Sterling each!! The vendor has already sold 4 at that price so buyers are actually paying that price. Arthur didn't know what a nice little future earner he would have had! I've got about 30 of them in a jar here that I'd forgotten about so thanks to this episode I've got a earner myself too! Trust old jj.... 1988 Ireland Eire Dublin Millennium 50 pence Coin | eBay
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Post by plasticpenguin on Oct 2, 2020 3:06:13 GMT
This is IMHO one of the better Ray Daley episodes. Love the scene when Arfur is stuffed full of dodgy coins and staggers across to the machine. Priceless.
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Post by joshmel on Feb 24, 2021 18:15:48 GMT
I enjoyed the performance of Sean Mcginley. I was trying to figure out where I had previously seen his face and it was in the film Braveheart!
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Post by Toecutter on Feb 25, 2021 19:58:26 GMT
One of the better Ray episodes and one of the few i watch over and over.Usual bit of silly plot lines (the telescopes and not sure about the pagers).Some quality one liners from GC. As far as the punch ups go,very nice but to be honest,Minder was always about the dialogue than the fisticuffs for me.
Could have done without the handshake,Arthurs reaction sums it up to perfection.No matter how many times i see it,still knocks me sick!
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Post by bigaitch on Apr 3, 2021 22:29:27 GMT
I have just watched this one for the first time - I am seriously slacking...
It is a good episode although I would query the showmen being portrayed as Irish travellers (I am sure Arthur refers to them as Gypos or similar at one point).There is a big difference between showmen and members of the travelling community....However I guess they could have been Irish Showmen ?
The scene that got me was with Morley having to hand Arthur a cheque, which he can’t face doing so insists Field does it. Fantastically played by all involved.
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Post by jno on Apr 18, 2021 4:34:30 GMT
One of the best from the Ray years imo.
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Post by ltd on May 1, 2021 21:28:45 GMT
It is a good episode although I would query the showmen being portrayed as Irish travellers (I am sure Arthur refers to them as Gypos or similar at one point).There is a big difference between showmen and members of the travelling community.... Very true, I know of at least two instances where showpeople have moved Irish travellers on from sites where they wanted to hold their fairs. At least one involved a serious threat of violence. Don't mess with the showmen's guild.
I enjoy this episode but I think the central gimmick of the stolen coins isn't realistic. Who in their right mind would do a blag where the proceeds are relatively low value and not very portable? The problem of physically shifting coins is amply illustrated in the episode - Dave lugging his holdall about and Arthur waddling like a duck. Anyone with any sense would go for notes, jewellery and things like bearer bonds. Coins are chump change.
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Post by pr1 on Jun 23, 2021 15:51:09 GMT
George Cole must have been very happy when he read the script for this episode. Lots of great lines and moments for Arthur and an all around great episode.
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logie
One Of Your Own
Posts: 249
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Post by logie on Jul 8, 2021 6:28:24 GMT
Brilliant episode, and part of a burst of really good episodes at the start of S9.
Nice to see Morley get one over Arthur in the end, as it’s a fairly harmless (but amusing) way to do so, as a slightly tipsy Field with dangling cigar brings over the drinks and they settle down to watch Arthur play out his hand…
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Barrel
One Of Your Own
Posts: 130
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Post by Barrel on Jan 21, 2022 4:33:24 GMT
Im often not very sharp on the uptake...but just finishing off the last 2 episodes of the Ray Years the penny finally drops.....the unreasonable ITV 4 censors butchered the end fight scene to where it abruptly and incomprehensibly ends with Ray taking the beggining of a pasting and Alexi just suddenly being shown beaten and Ray bloodied. We don't see anything of how Ray turned the tables or how he got so bloodied nor the hiding he apparently put on the irishman.A cryin shame. This happened on s10 ep8 also and it now occurs to me it was consistent in Rays episodes especially s10.
Terrible shame. I had previously thought it was just grey areas like alleged racism that were cut.But nah the fights have been mullered beyond reason.
The episode itself started slow for me..the first half was average .The Second half was a belter.GC in great form throughout. His lumbering through the hotel foyer with his money belt was wonderful as was his vigil by the fruit machine, his sweating face was comedy gold.Liked the fairground ride scenes and we were on Tel years territory with the pretty nurse Ray had pulled.
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