Any Human Heart on AllMovie

Adapted from William Boyd's 2002 novel Any Human Heart: The Intimate Journals of Logan Mountstuart, this BBC miniseries follows the tumultuous and colorful experiences of the title character, an English belletrist. Because Mountstuart begins life in 1906 and dies in 1991, his history is essentially that of the 20th Century, with all of its quirks, milestones and unexpected surprises, both positive and negative. The program begins with octogenarian Logan (Jim Broadbent) rebuilding his life in the wake of a nearly-fatal heart attack. As he combs through his diaries, they evoke vivid memories of decades prior, beginning with the Briton's experiences at University in the 1920s with pals Ben Leeping (Freddie Fox) and Peter Scabius (James Musgrave) - where he landed in the awkward position of being forced to tell a pretty co-ed that her relationship with Peter was over. The narrative then moves forward in time to such events as: the chance meeting with Ernest Hemingway that propelled Logan down his chosen career path; the publication of his first book, The Girl Factory; his relationship with, and marriage to, socialite Lady Lottie Cassell (Emerald Fennell); and, eventually, a meeting in 1930s Portugal with soulmate Freya Deverall (Hayley Atwell) as the shadow of World War II slipped over Europe. Sam Claflin and Matthew Macfadyen play the collegiate Logan and the young adult Logan, respectively; the cast also includes Gillian Anderson, Kim Cattrall and Tom Hollander.