Britannia Hospital

Britannia Hospital

Year: 1982

Runtime: 116 mins

Language: English

Director: Lindsay Anderson

ComedyScience FictionCrude humor and satireDreamlike quirky and surreal storytellingAmusing jokes and witty satire

Britannia Hospital, an English institution, celebrates its gala anniversary with a visit from the Queen Mother in London. Reporter Mick Travis arrives to cover the event and finds the hospital under siege by striking workers, unions, violent demonstrators, racist aristocrats, an African cannibal dictator and human‑experiment trials, as chaos reigns.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Britannia Hospital (1982)

Trace every key event in Britannia Hospital (1982) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

Royal visit and new wing inauguration

Britannia Hospital is gearing up to open a new wing when HRH the Queen is due to arrive. Potter negotiates with protestors to manage the day by ejecting private patients in exchange for allowing ambulances through. Unbeknownst to the demonstrators, the ambulances carry the Queen Mother and her entourage into the hospital.

Opening day Britannia Hospital, London
2

Potter strikes a deal with the protest leader

Potter meets with the protest leader and offers a bargain to quiet the demonstrations. He agrees to eject private patients and permit some ambulances so the royal visit can proceed. The arrangement is made behind the scenes, with the crowd unaware of the true purpose.

Daytime Hospital exterior / protest site
3

Ambulances deliver the Queen Mother

Ambulances carrying the Queen Mother and her entourage slip into Britannia Hospital as part of Potter's deal. The protestors believe they are merely facilitating medical traffic, while the royal arrival is quietly secured. Tension between protesters and hospital authorities builds in the chaos.

During the royal arrival Britannia Hospital entrance
4

Mick Travis infiltrates the hospital

Mick Travis, a reporter, uses the help of a sympathetic nurse to gain entry and film a clandestine documentary. He begins to uncover Millar's questionable practices and the darker side of the hospital's new wing. Outside, the protests continue to boil as the day unfolds.

Afternoon Britannia Hospital
5

Travis uncovers Millar's experiments and the murder of Macready

Inside, Travis investigates Professor Millar's sinister experiments and discovers evidence suggesting the murder of a patient, Macready. The findings point to a broader pattern of unethical testing. The tension escalates as Millar's secrets come to light.

Afternoon to evening Millar's lab / hospital laboratory
6

Travis is murdered; head used for Frankenstein-like experiment

As mayhem erupts outside, Travis is murdered and his head is used in a grotesque Frankenstein-like experiment. The revelation demonstrates the brutal lengths of Millar's research. The hospital's facade of reform collapses in the wake of the atrocity.

Evening Laboratory / operating theater
7

Protesters break into the hospital

The demonstration bursts into Britannia Hospital, breaking the surface calm and threatening to derail Millar's presentation. They aim to disrupt the Genesis Project and expose the hospital's dubious practices. The line between protest and riot blurs within the corridors.

Evening Britannia Hospital corridors
8

Millar unveils the Genesis Project

Millar presents his Genesis Project to an audience of royalty and commoners, claiming to have perfected mankind. He demonstrates a brain wired to machinery, presenting it as a breakthrough. The spectacle unfolds amid the growing hospital chaos.

Evening Genesis Project lab/auditorium
9

Genesis is granted a voice

The Genesis machine is given a chance to speak, its voice robotic and unnerving. It quotes Hamlet and debates the nature of humanity and power. The revelation turns the demonstration into a chilling interrogation of hubris.

Evening Genesis stage
10

Genesis delivers the 'What a piece of work' line

The machine continues to speak, delivering the famous line 'What a piece of work is a man' and then the refrain 'How like a God.' The repetitive cadence amplifies the sense of dehumanization at the heart of Millar's project. The audience watches in uneasy silence as the performance spirals.

Evening Auditorium / Genesis stage
11

Mayhem peaks; the hospital disintegrates

Outside and inside the hospital, chaos reaches a fever pitch as protests, media, and staff collide. The Genesis showcase becomes a sideshow to a broader collapse of order. The royal entourage remains a symbol amid mounting turmoil.

Night Britannia Hospital
12

Conclusion: Genesis' failure and the cost of ambition

The Genesis project collapses under its own overreach, leaving a wake of disruption and questioning of institutional corruption. The film leaves the viewer to ponder the dangers of spectacle and unchecked power in science. Britannia Hospital's satire ends on a note of unresolved moral ambiguity.

Night Britannia Hospital

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:50

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Britannia Hospital Summary

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