Two men, 200 years apart, obsessed with the same impossible clock.
Parallel stories: 18th century Harrison builds the marine chronometer for safe navigation at sea; 20th century Gould is obsessed with restoring it.
Acting
Gambon's gruff vulnerability; Irons' shattered elegance.
Production
Exquisite period detail, two eras seamlessly woven.
Director
Charles Sturridge
Michael Gambon
John Harrison
Jeremy Irons
Rupert Gould
Ian Hart
William Harrison (Adult)
Andrew Scott
John Campbell
Bill Nighy
Lord Sandwich
Gemma Jones
Elizabeth Harrison
John Wood
Sir Edmund Halley
Anna Chancellor
Muriel Gould
Brian Cox
Lord Morton
Samuel West
Nevil Maskelyne
Ian McNeice
Dr. Bliss
Jonathan Coy
Adm. Sir Cloudsley Shovell
Peter Vaughan
George Graham
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Michael Gambon learned actual clockmaking for the role and could assemble parts blindfolded by filming's end.
The real H4 chronometer still ticks at Greenwich's Royal Observatory—Gould's restoration remains essentially intact today.
GB
