The end of the decade had Helen Mirren featured in all three cornerstones – film, television and theatre – to various degrees of qualities. For the BBC, she played Angela in the Dennis Potter adaptation of “Blue Remembered Hills”. With Bill Hayes, she played in both “The Quiz Kid” and “The Serpent Son – Agamemnon”. And there was another theatre stint, this time in the Riverside Studios production of Shakespeare’s “Measure for Measure”, playing Isabella. But no project would scream louder and longer than “Caligula”, Tinto Brass’ epic about the rise and fall of the notorious Roman Emperor Caligula. While Helen Mirren filmed her scenes three years prior to the release, Penthouse producer Bob Guccione kept shooting hardcore porn segments after the initial film had wrapped – to give the film the extra spice he thought was needed. What came to the screens was one of the biggest scandals of the last century’s cinemas.

It was a trip. It was like being on a little non-stop acid trip actually doing “Caligula”. It was so fantastical and weird and it was an absolutely extraordinary experience. It’s a wild ride but it’s got certainly an energy and a character of itself. But its not consistent at all because it was Cuccione’s idea of making high class porn. And as far as I understand he cut in hardcore bits which I haven’t seen. I haven’t seen the Guccione version. I don’t think it [damaged my career], I felt very secure and happy because I was still thinking of myself as a theatre actress anyway, I thought it was just a little bit of extra spice. (Helen Mirren, Hollywood Greats 2007)

Feature Films

Caligula

November 21, 1979

Television Films & Series

S.O.S. Titanic

September 23, 1979

Theatre Productions

Measure for Measure

May 15, 1979 - July 01, 1979

Television Films & Series

The Serpent Son: Agamemnon

March 07, 1979

Television Films & Series

The Quiz Kid

February 13, 1979

Television Films & Series

Blue Remembered Hills

January 30, 1979