Tipping the Velvet (2002) (TV)

User Rating:

8.0/10   

Director:

Geoffrey Sax

Writers:

Andrew Davies (screenplay)
Sarah Waters (novel)

Release Date:

9 October 2002 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Set in the 1890's, tells the lesbian love affair between male impersonator music hall star Kitty Butler and Nan Astley.

Plot Keywords:

Music Hall | 1890s | Lesbian | Extramarital Affair | Epic

Awards:

5 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Rachael Stirling	...	Nan Astley
Keeley Hawes	...	Kitty Butler
Anna Chancellor	...	Diana Lethaby
Jodhi May	...	Florence Banner
Hugh Bonneville	...	Ralph Banner
Johnny Vegas	...	Gully Sutherland
Alexei Sayle	...	Charles Frobisher
John Bowe	...	Walter Bliss
Sally Hawkins	...	Zena Blake
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Louis Alderton	...	Baby Cyril
Nick Bartlett	...	Drunk Man
Diane Beck	...	Annie Price
Di Botcher	...	Woman with Cigar
Carl Chase	...	Corder
Edward Clayton	...	Rough Customer
Sarah Crowden	...	Woman with Pipe
Benedict Cumberbatch	...	Freddy
Angela Curran	...	Mrs. Sykes
Heather Dickinson	...	Grace Milne
Monica Dolan	...	Alice Astley
Abby Ford	...	Miss Brown
Janet Fullerlove	...	Elsie
Susie Gossling Valerio	...	Singer
Sam Graham	...	Man at Mrs. Milne's
Milly Gregory	...	Mary
Janet Henfrey	...	Mrs. Jex
Richard Hope	...	Mr. Astley
Annie Hulley	...	Mrs. Astley
Alex Kelly	...	Gay Girl
Dean Lennox Kelly	...	Tony Reeves
Peter Kelly	...	Davy Astley
Michael Kilgarriff	...	Music Hall Chairman
Daniel Mays	...	Jimmy Burns
Eleanor McCready	...	Tramp Lady
Jim McManus	...	Tricky Reeves
Richard Pettyfer
Paul Ready	...	Renter Alice
David Simeon	...	Middle-Aged Gent
William Sleigh	...	Barber
David Spinx	...	Rough Man
Bernice Stegers	...	Mrs. Denby
Sara Stockbridge	...	Dickie
Tilly Vosburgh	...	Mrs. Milne
Theresa Watson	...	Mrs. Best
David Webber	...	Bill

Runtime:

177 min (3 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

UK:15 (re-rating) | UK:18 (original rating) | Argentina:16

Filming Locations:

Whitstable, Kent, England, UK

Company:

Sally Head Productions

Trivia:

Author Sarah Waters was an extra in the film. She was a member of the audience to one of the shows. On the DVD she can be seen as such on the menu screen, and in the beginning of the movie when the credit "Based on the novel by Sarah Waters" is shown.

Goofs:

Revealing mistakes: The roses Kitty gives out in her act are obviously artificial. But later when Nan shows Kitty she kept the rose she received from her, the rose is wilted.

Quotes:

Nancy Nan Astley: But I didn't want to be her sister... I wanted to be her sweetheart!

Very Sweet... Very Sexy

This wonderful 3 part BBC production is one of the sweetest love stories that I have seen in a while. The actresses display a very high level of talent, especially Rachael Stirling as Nan Astley. She is funny, seductive and cute. The love making scenes and the close up kisses are very erotic regardless of one's sexual preference.

The characters are well defined and very believable. I guess this is a by-product of a good adaptation from a well written novel.

A truly remarkable well paced drama that picks up speed quickly after a couple of boring (but necessary) scenes in the beginning.

My vote: 9/10