The less-than-wholesome traits of Kenya's scandal-ridden "Happy Valley" crowd in the 1940s are nicely delineated here in all their dissolute, gin-swilling, servant-barking, expat glory by director Michael Radford, who has a flair for showing community life, warts and all. It's based on a true story about the murder of a promiscuous aristocrat who was servicing half of the valley's bored ladies, but there is simply no one in this rather over-egged drama who elicits any sympathy. Charles Dance makes a believable stud, however, and Greta Scacchi is gorgeous, even if Joss Ackland overacts horribly as her cuckolded husband. There's also a truly bizarre performance from Sarah Miles, even by her wacky standards.

A millionaire past his prime and his young wife arrive in Kenya circa 1940 to find that the other affluent British expatriates are living large as the homefront gears up for war. They are busy swapping partners, doing drugs, and attending lavish parties and horse races. She begins a torrid affair with one of the bon vivants, and her husband finds out and confronts them. The husband and wife decide to break up peacefully, but the bon vivant is murdered and all the evidence points to the husband.