House of Cards (1990) [4 0f 4]

Chapter 4 (Dec. 9 1990) : Francis Urquhart announces his intention to seek the leadership of the Conservative Party and become Prime Minister. It's six days until the first ballot and Urquhart plots against his rivals. One by one, the minor candidates fall by the wayside - the Health Minister who has an accident; an MP who had an encounter on a train with a young man. He finishes second on the first ballot and has another week to deal with his main rivals, Patrick Woolton and Michael Samuels. Woolton gets tripped up by the recording of him in bed at the party conference and throws his support to Francis. Mattie Storin is keen on Urquhart's candidacy and he convinces her to stop digging in the other candidates' background. She finally puts two and two together however forcing Urquhart to take action.

House of Cards is a 1990 British political thriller television serial in four episodes, set after the end of Margaret Thatcher's tenure as Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. It was televised from 18 November to 9 December 1990. Released to critical and popular acclaim for its writing, direction, and performances, it is considered one of the greatest British television shows ever made.

The story is centred on the sudden and manipulative rise to power of the machiavellian Chief Whip of the Conservative Party, Francis Urquhart. Urquhart, on the party's right wing, is frustrated over his lack of promotion in the wake of Margaret Thatcher's resignation and the moderate government which succeeds it. He conceives a calculated and meticulous plan to bring down the new Prime Minister and replace him, on the same lines as Shakespeare's Richard III (which he often quotes). During this drawn-out and ruthless coup, his life is complicated by his relationship with young female reporter Mattie Storin, whom he uses to leak sensitive information in confidence. The question of whether the serial's ending is a tragedy (in the same vein as plays such as Macbeth) is left to the viewer.

The series was directed by Paul Seed and stars Ian Richardson, Susannah Harker, Miles Anderson, Alphonsia Emmanuel, Malcolm Tierney, and Diane Fletcher. The musical score is by Jim Parker.