White Mischief

Set in Kenya around 1940, White Mischief follows a wealthy older man and his much younger wife who settle in the British colonial community there. While the homefront prepares for war, the expatriates around them devote themselves to parties, horse racing and shifting romantic attachments. The wife begins an affair with a charismatic local aristocrat, her husband learns of it and confronts the pair, and the couple agree to part amicably. When the other man is found murdered, suspicion falls on the husband, and the question of who was responsible hangs over the colony.

Michael Radford directed the film and co-wrote the screenplay with Jonathan Gems, with Simon Perry producing. It followed Radford's Nineteen Eighty-Four in 1984 and preceded The Postman, The Merchant of Venice, Flawless and Elsa & Fred. Greta Scacchi plays Diana, Lady Broughton, Charles Dance plays Josslyn Hay, Joss Ackland plays her husband, and Sarah Miles, John Hurt and Trevor Howard appear alongside them in a credited cast of 39.

Released in November 1987, the film runs 107 minutes and was made for about 5 million dollars, taking roughly 3 million dollars worldwide. Its reception has been modest: on IMDb it holds 6.4 out of 10 from around 3,500 votes, while on TMDB it stands at 6.1 out of 10 from 62 votes.