Movie spotlight
Micro Men
In 1979 Clive Sinclair, British inventor of the pocket calculator, frustrated by the lack of home investment in his project,the electric car, also opposes former assistant Chris Curry's belief that he can successfully market a micro-chip for a home computer. A parting of the ways sees Curry, in partnership with the Austrian Hermann Hauser and using whizz kid Cambridge students, set up his own, rival firm to Sinclair Radionics, Acorn. Acorn beat Sinclair to a lucrative contract supplying the BBC with machines for a computer series. From here on it is a battle for supremacy to gain the upper hand in the domestic market.
Insights
Plot Summary
This BBC television film chronicles the intense rivalry between Clive Sinclair and Chris Curry, the two brilliant minds behind the Sinclair ZX Spectrum computer. It depicts their early successes, their collaborative spirit, and the eventual fallout that led to the creation of Amstrad and Acorn Computers, respectively. The narrative highlights the ambition, innovation, and personal sacrifices involved in the early days of the personal computer revolution in Britain.
Critical Reception
Micro Men was generally well-received for its compelling narrative and strong performances, particularly Martin Freeman's portrayal of Clive Sinclair. It was praised for bringing a lesser-known but significant chapter of British technological history to life in an engaging and dramatic way. Audience reception was positive, appreciating the accessible storytelling of a complex subject.
What Reviewers Say
Praised for its engaging portrayal of the Sinclair vs. Curry rivalry.
Martin Freeman's performance as Clive Sinclair was a standout.
Successfully dramatized a key period in British computing history.
Google audience: Information regarding specific Google user reviews for this television film is not readily available.
Fun Fact
The film was part of the BBC's 'Hancox' season, which featured dramas based on real-life figures and events.
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