Winners & Losers: A Lawful Excuse

This episode of anthology series Winners & Losers takes a fresh angle on going straight. Smooth-talking criminal Mick (Ian Mune) dreams of starting over, by cultivating mushrooms with cellmate Charlie (Coronation Street's Ivan Beavis). Charlie claims to have committed a lawful murder, thanks to a technicality. In an inspired change to Barry Crump's original story, Mick commandeers a bus to finance the pair's plan. Crump praised the episode, but felt that Mick and Charlie treat their third cellmate unfairly. Director Roger Donaldson cameos in a red Swanndri during the bus scenes.

All dialogue had to be invented, for the story contains no dialogue at all...

– Bill Lennox on this episode, in his book Film and Fiction - Studies of New Zealand fiction and film adaptations, page 2

Key Cast & Crew

Ian Mune

As: Mick, Producer, Writer

Ross Jolly

Writer

Roger Donaldson

Director, Writer, Producer

Bob Crockett

As: Prison guard

Sheila Summers

Actor

John Black

As: Johnny