"A Woman of Substance" (1984) TV mini-series

User Rating:

7.6/10   

Director:

Don Sharp

Writers:

Tom Blomquist (outline adaptation)
Barbara Taylor Bradford (novel)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

25 November 1984 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

A Woman of Substance charts the life of Emma Harte, from kitchen maid at the beginning of the 20th Century...

Plot Keywords:

Flashback Sequence | TV Mini-Series | Based On Novel

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Nicola Pagett

...

Adele Fairley (3 episodes, 1985)

Runtime:

Germany:490 min (5 episodes) | USA:300 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Broughton Hall, Broughton, Skipton, North Yorkshire, England, UK

Company:

Portman Artemis Prooduction

Trivia:

Still - as at July 2007 - the highest ever rated programme on Channel 4 in the UK - peaking at 13.84 million viewers on the third night - 4th January 1985.

Quotes:

Gerald Fairley: [late in the film, after Emma has purchased everything the Fairley's once owned] How can you cold-bloodedly set out to ruin someone!?
Young Emma Harte: That was my plan, but you did it yourself, really. I just helped you along the way.

Movie Connections:

Followed by Hold the Dream (1986) (TV)

Triple-hanky weepie

Even the most hard-hearted will find it difficult to resist the spell of this stylish mini-series. The audience is put through the emotional mangle as spirited heroine Emma Harte endures every setback and hardship going, yet still wins through.

Part of the fascination of the series lies in the quite remarkable cast. Jenny Seagrove splendid as the indefatigable Emma ; a young Liam Neeson and Miranda Richardson ; dear old Barry Morse ; Deborah Kerr as the older Emma ; Christopher Guard as the blackguardly villain, who gets his comeuppance in one of the most satisfying scenes ; and Peter Chelsom, who went on to direct the hit British film "Hear My Song", as well as the less successful "Funny Bones".