The Government Inspector is a 2005 television drama based on the life of Dr. David Kelly, a Welsh scientist and authority on biological warfare. Written and directed by Peter Kosminsky, the film details Kelly (Mark Rylance)'s life in the lead-up to the Iraq War, and his subsequent suicide in 2003.
The film was commissioned in August 2003 during the Hutton enquiry into Kelly's death. As well as using evidence presented in the enquiry, the film was based upon interviews conducted and new evidence gathered in the wake of the enquiry's conclusion.
Kosminsky said of the film; “I wanted to understand who David Kelly was, and why he did what he did. I hope we have created a film that explores his emotional journey, with the insights and interpretations allowed by drama.”
The film won three BAFTAs – Best Actor for Rylance, Best Single Drama and Best Writer, as well as being nominated for the BAFTA for Best Original Television Music for Jocelyn Pook, and winning a RTS Television Award for Best Single Drama.
In 2011, the film was released on DVD. In 2016, the film was made available for streaming on Channel 4's All4 platform.
Cast
Mark Rylance as David Kelly
Jonathan Cake as Alastair Campbell
Emma Fielding as Susan Watts
Daniel Ryan as Andrew Gilligan
Geraldine Alexander as Janice Kelly
Georgina Rylance as Rachel Kelly
James Larkin as Tony Blair
Julian Wadham as Jonathan Powell
Pip Torrens as John Scarlett
Kayvan Novak as Qasim Hamdani
Philip Bowen as Sir Kevin Tebbit
Barnaby Kay as Tom Kelly
Tom Beard as Godric Smith
Darren Morfitt as Daniel Pruce
Martin Maynard as Paul Hammill
Geoffrey Freshwater as Andrew MacKinlay