Produced for the BBC and Masterpiece Theatre, this movie tells the life story of mathematician and computer scientist Alan Turing (Derek Jacobi), the inventor of the Turing Machine, a computer used to solve the German Enigma code during World War II. Many believe he was instrumental in the Allied victory. The title refers to both the solution of the Enigma code and Turing's open admission of his homosexuality, which at the time violated the codes of polite society and British law. "Breaking the Code" begins in 1952 with the robbery of some of Turing's few possessions. Then the movie travels backwards and forwards through time, providing glimpses of Turing's past and present, including his school days, his wartime efforts, and his post-war experiences. Discussions of his scientific work alternate with scenes of his personal life, including his boyhood love, the unwanted attentions of his female assistant, and his later relationships with younger men, drawing connections between his work and his private life. Because he was unfairly exposed and disgraced by the British secret service as a homosexual, he was crucified for it in the media, and not recognized as a great hero for virtually winning WWII. Alan Turing died in 1954. The screenplay was written by Hugh Whitemore, based on his play derived from Andrew Hodges' book. Herbert Wise directed.
