"Canterbury Tales" (2003) TV mini-series

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

11 September 2003 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Tagline:

The Canterbury Tales, retold for our times

Plot:

Clever adaptation of Chaucer's Canterbury to a modern setting. In Episode 1, The Miller's Tale, Nick Zakian attempts to seduce a landlord's wife with promises of a glittering singing career

Plot Keywords:

Modernized Version | TV Mini-Series

Awards:

4 wins & 5 nominations

Cast

Nikki Amuka-Bird	...	Constance Musa (1 episode, 2003)
Rob Brown	...	Old Man (1 episode, 2003)
Chiwetel Ejiofor	...	Paul (1 episode, 2003)
James Nesbitt	...	Nick Zakian (1 episode, 2003)
Indira Varma	...	Meena (1 episode, 2003)
Julie Walters	...	Beth (1 episode, 2003)
Paddy Fletcher	...	Bowles (1 episode, 2003)
Adam Kotz	...	Adam Constable (1 episode, 2003)
Bill Nighy	...	James (1 episode, 2003)
Usha Patel	...	Misha (1 episode, 2003)
Billy Seymour	...	Lad 1 (1 episode, 2003)
Samantha Whittaker	...	Kitty Norman (1 episode, 2003)
Rakie Ayola	...	Nicky Constable (1 episode, 2003)
Rick Bacon	...	Graham (1 episode, 2003)
Joe Halliday	...	Lad 2 (1 episode, 2003)
Indira Joshi	...	Vena (1 episode, 2003)
Jonny Lee Miller	...	Arty (1 episode, 2003)
Stephen Tallett	...	Security Guard (1 episode, 2003)
Ben Bennett	...	Baz (1 episode, 2003)
Pascale Burgess	...	Jessica (1 episode, 2003)
Leena Dhingra	...	Usha (1 episode, 2003)
Keeley Hawes	...	Emily (1 episode, 2003)
Andrew Lincoln	...	Alan King (1 episode, 2003)
Tom Ludlow	...	Lad 3 (1 episode, 2003)
William Beck	...	Colin (1 episode, 2003)
Kika Markham	...	Leila King (1 episode, 2003)
Jane Nash	...	Annie (1 episode, 2003)
Om Puri	...	Jetender (1 episode, 2003)
John Simm	...	Ace (1 episode, 2003)
Dennis Waterman	...	John Crosby (1 episode, 2003)
Barber Ali	...	Gulati (1 episode, 2003)
Leo Bill	...	Terry (1 episode, 2003)
Samantha Bond	...	Jane Barlow (1 episode, 2003)
Steve Chaplin	...	Biff (1 episode, 2003)
Samuel Cocozza	...	Young Man (1 episode, 2003)
Melissa Lloyd	...	Mandy Briggs (1 episode, 2003)
Robert East	...	Mr. Norman (1 episode, 2003)
Nitin Ganatra	...	Pushpinder (1 episode, 2003)
Joseph Kpobie	...	Mick (1 episode, 2003)
Paul Nicholls	...	Jerome (1 episode, 2003)
Billie Piper	...	Alison Crosby (1 episode, 2003)
Leo Wringer	...	Minister (1 episode, 2003)
Jill Baker	...	Mrs. Norman (1 episode, 2003)
Lindelani Buthelezi	...	Embassy Official (1 episode, 2003)
Kenny Doughty	...	Danny Absolon (1 episode, 2003)
Surendra Kochar	...	Romi (1 episode, 2003)
Bill Paterson	...	Theo (1 episode, 2003)
Emma Pike	...	Kirsty (1 episode, 2003)
Mo Amulundun	...	Minister's Wife (1 episode, 2003)
Buffy Davis	...	Jean McIntosh (1 episode, 2003)
Stewart Harwood	...	Blinkers (1 episode, 2003)
Siobhan Hewlett	...	Karen (1 episode, 2003)
Bhasker Patel	...	Dillip (1 episode, 2003)
Joe Prospero	...	Young Arty (1 episode, 2003)
Mark Bazeley	...	Gareth (1 episode, 2003)
Anjali Mya Chadha	...	Sue (1 episode, 2003)
Hakeem Kae-Kazim	...	Yasouf (1 episode, 2003)
Tonya Kerins	...	Mrs. Healey (1 episode, 2003)
Bill Moody	...	Ernie (1 episode, 2003)
Eddie Nestor	...	Dave Tyler (1 episode, 2003)
Lalita Ahmed	...	Rani (1 episode, 2003)
Michele Austin	...	Trish (1 episode, 2003)
Karen Bryson	...	Oonagh (1 episode, 2003)
Ian Burfield	...	Mr. Healey (1 episode, 2003)
Eileen Essell	...	Mrs Jean Smallwood (1 episode, 2003)
Mpho Osei Tutu	...	Man with Gun (1 episode, 2003)
Sonny Brown	...	Really Young Arty (1 episode, 2003)
Charu Bala Chokshi	...	Archana (1 episode, 2003)
Lorna Gayle	...	Noreen (1 episode, 2003)
Tim Hardy	...	Doctor (1 episode, 2003)
Ralph Riach	...	Mr Malcolm Wickens (1 episode, 2003)
Nomsa Xaba	...	Mother (1 episode, 2003)
Jonathan Chan-Pensley	...	Waiter Clive (1 episode, 2003)
Glenn Hanning	...	Heckler (1 episode, 2003)
Annie Julian	...	The Other Woman (1 episode, 2003)
Archie Panjabi	...	Clare (1 episode, 2003)
Vivienne Ritchie	...	Arty's Mother (1 episode, 2003)
Philip Wright	...	Monitoring Officer 1 (1 episode, 2003)
Dylan Charles	...	Jason (1 episode, 2003)
Kevin Golding	...	Policeman (1 episode, 2003)
Richard Hope	...	Arty's Father (1 episode, 2003)
Sello Motloung	...	Big Man (1 episode, 2003)
Osi Okerafor	...	Monitoring Officer 2 (1 episode, 2003)
Abby Simpson	...	Juice Woman (1 episode, 2003)
Kal Aise	...	Ace's Mate (1 episode, 2003)
Paul Bazely	...	Rajan (1 episode, 2003)
Maxine Evans	...	Mrs. Preston (1 episode, 2003)
Philip Hutchinson	...	Customer (1 episode, 2003)
John Kirk	...	Policeman (1 episode, 2003)
Yule Masiteng	...	Priest (1 episode, 2003)
Stephen Aintree	...	Middle Aged Man (1 episode, 2003)
Philip Goldacre	...	Pub Punter (1 episode, 2003)
Sarah Kendall	...	Policewoman (1 episode, 2003)
James Walmsley	...	Security Guard (1 episode, 2003)
James Woolley	...	Prosecution Barrister (1 episode, 2003)
Janet Behan	...	Woman in Cathedral (1 episode, 2003)
Donald Douglas	...	Judge (1 episode, 2003)
Leila Joyce	...	Girl (1 episode, 2003)
Richard Syms	...	The Vicar (1 episode, 2003)
Michael Miller	...	Security Guard (1 episode, 2003)
Jaymie Pennington	...	Chloe Healey (1 episode, 2003)
Carolyn Pickles	...	Judy (1 episode, 2003)
Jack Chissick	...	Uncle Ronald (1 episode, 2003)
Paul Clayden	...	Him (1 episode, 2003)
Bob Mason	...	Ian (1 episode, 2003)
Lucy Brown	...	Her (1 episode, 2003)
Jade Williams	...	Amy Healey (1 episode, 2003)
Mitesh Soni	...	Waiter (1 episode, 2003)
Mark Hesketh	...	Smart Young Man (1 episode, 2003)
Adriane Denia	...	Script Supervisor (1 episode, 2003)
Ray Donn		(1 episode, 2003)

Runtime:

349 min (6 parts)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Australia:M | UK:15

Filming Locations:

Chalfont St. Giles, Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company:

Ziji Productions

Movie Connections:

Version of "The Canterbury Tales" (1998)

"Miller's Tale" the best

All the adaptations of the tales in this series are good, but for me it was the Miller's Tale that was the best. A saucy, sexy story about a smooth-talking conman who breezes into town one day and turns everyone's lives upside down. James Nesbitt positively sizzles in this sexy role as the intelligent and charismatic Nick Zakian who wastes no time at all in setting about seducing the beautiful Alison Crosby (Billie Piper). Nesbitt turns in an utterly convincing performance as Nick, a man who'll stop at nothing and is prepared to stoop to any level to get what he wants - the scene where he corners Alison in the hall or the scene where he stalks across the village square towards Alison with such determination in his eyes when he knows her husband is out of the way for an hour, is enough to drive any woman wild, believe me!

What the audience are supposed to construe from this tale of love, lust, sex, jealousy, deceit and ultimate betrayal is certainly open to debate. There are some who are prepared to claim that Nick is the devil incarnate or the personification of fate in this story. However, I for one refuse to believe that the character of Nick is some kind of tempting devil or fate. Rather that he is an opportunist, a conman, slippery and deceitful.

Yet, watching the Miller's Tale you can't help finding yourself empathising not with poor old John, but with Nick - virtually rooting for him, considering the effort that he is going to in order to secure a few precious minutes alone with Alison.

A sexy, sleazy, bawdy story that is much in keeping with the original tale. I loved it!