Masterpiece Theater is showing a 3-week series–May 4, 11 and 18–called Cranford starting tonight. Cranford is based on three novels by Elizabeth Gaskell (1810-1865). Elizabeth Gaskell wrote a number of novels and short stories in the mid 1800’s in Victorian England including two which have already been adapted for the screen–North and South and Wives and Daughters.
Cranford has great actors–including Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins, Michael Gambon, Francesca Annis and Imelda Staunton. Cranford was nominated for seven 2008 BAFTA Awards (British Academy of Film and Television Arts). Atkins won the best actress award.
National Public Radio aired an interview with Judi Dench on April 26 about the Masterpiece Theater production. In that interview Gaskell was chacterized as a combination of Jane Austen and Charles Dickens. In North and South besides the enjoyable story I liked the way the class differences in England were illustrated (between the mill owners in the north and the gentile society in the south and between the mill owners and labor union). I reviewed the North and South miniseries in January.
I enjoyed North and South and Wives and Daughters and look forward to the next three weeks of Cranford! And here’s a great deal, too: starting May 5, for a limited time, the Masterpiece Theater website is showing full-length episodes of Cranford.
What about you? Are you planning to watch this miniseries? Tell me what you think of it after watching.
I would love to be watching this mini series, but I haven’t seen that it is showing anywhere here. Hopefully it will be soon.
Oh good, I’m glad to know that pbs.com will be showing it full length for a little while. I was really enjoying it and then fell asleep at the end during a very important part. Sunday nights are just not good for me!
I like the red haired dude who plays the doctor. Didn’t he play Bingley in the big screen adaptation of P&P?
Anyway, thanks Jan!
I finally watched the first episode today and really enjoyed it though I think I’m going to have to watch a couple more times to figure out all the people and relationships!
Chartroose–You’ve got good eyes! Bingley and the doctor are played by the same actor (I had to look it up!).
Marg–If you go to the PBS website you can watch the first episode of Cranford. The first episode is available now until May 23.
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/masterpiece/cranford/watch.html
Is that Jim Carter playing Captain Brown in Cranfoord? Where was Cranford filmed?
We thoroughly enjoyed the first installment and look forward to the next two. It was great to see old neighbors on Crediton Hill, West Hampstead (Grey Wise, Imelda Staunton and Jim Carter) performing in this classic as well as Judie Dench Michael Gambon.
Cranford was filmed in the National Trust village of Lacock. If you missed an episode, you can go to the PBS site and watch the streaming videos until May 23rd.
I just love this adaptation. It prompted me to rent Wives and Daughters from Netflix.