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Private Notes
This new adaptation of Thomas Hardy's classic "Tess of the D'Urbervilles," is about a young woman (Gemma Arterton) who learns that, though her family is poor, she's descended from aristocrats. She takes a position with a family who purchased her ancestral name, D'Urbervilles, and she is preyed upon by Alec (Hans Matheson), the libertine son, from whom she flees.
Tess (Gemma Arterton) tells Angel (Eddie Redmayne) about Alec (Hans Matheson) on their wedding night, which doesn't sit well with Angel. Later, while Angel attempts to start a new life in Brazil, she works on a farm and fends off advances from Alec, who has taken a renewed interest in her after a chance meeting.
Braving her father Edgar Linton's warning not to cross the estate border, young Catherine discovers her charming, but sickly cousin, and the manly Hareton are the heartlessly scorned and abused sons of wealthy Heatcliff on the Earnshaw estate. This launches a flashback how Heathcliff was raised as Cathy's best friend and her kind father, Mr Earnshaw.
The moment where Oliver Twist asks for more gruel is right up there with Hamlet's "To be, or not to be" line. You know it's coming, you wait, you get ready because it's on its way and then, bam! it's arrived: "Please sir, I want some more". Newcomer William Miller, as Oliver, wisely plays it straight as he holds out his bowl and blinks his sweet saucer eyes at wicked workhouse boss Mr Bumble (Gregor Fisher) in Sarah Phelps's roistering dramatisation of the Dickens story.
Sikes escapes back to London with a badly wounded Oliver, and Nancy nurses him, determined to save his life. Mr Bumble declares his love for Mrs Corney. Rose continues to search for Oliver, but is discovered by Monks, who tells Brownlow of her secret mission. Despite Corney and Bumble's attempts to extort money from him, Monks quickly gets the upper hand and leaves with the necklace, letter and a page of the register recording Oliver's birth.
One of Dickens' greatest love stories, Little Dorrit has the timely theme of chronic debt and financial collapse. Matthew Macfadyen (Pride and Prejudice) stars as hero Arthur Clennam, with Clair Foy as Amy "Little" Dorrit and Tom Courtenay as her father
Little Dorrit tells the story of the Dorrit family and the rich array of characters they encounter on their way from rags to riches and back again. Adapted by Andrew Davies, the miniseries stars Matthew Macfadyen, Tom Courtenay, Alun Armstrong and Claire Foy as "Little" Amy Dorrit.
Rigaud charms Arthur's mother when he visits her with the contents of the stolen box, and, whilst her butler stands by uncomfortably, she lets the Frenchman know that she will do business with him when she is ready.
The newly-rich Dorrits leave the Marshalsea and Amy is appalled at how coldly her father treats Arthur when repaying the money he owes. Her snobbish siblings are equally as dismissive of Arthur.
The Grand Tour moves on to Venice, where the Dorrits encounter Mrs. Merdle and Edmund at their hotel.
In Venice Fanny continues to cold -shoulder Edmund and spar with his mother, who writes to her husband to employ him,to get him out of Fanny's clutches, in the Bank. The bank is highly successful and Mr. Pancks tells Arthur to invest in it to increase capital for his business.
Amy and Fanny are mutually horrified to see Mrs. General woo their father and Fanny finally marries Sparkler, to escape having to have Mrs. General as a step-mother. Amy is deeply upset when her father forbids her to return to London with the newly-weds.
After Mrs. General rejects his proposal of marriage, subsequently giving her notice, Mr. Dorrit falls spectacularly apart at Mrs. Merdle's masked ball, thinking he is back in the Marshalsea, and delivering a humiliating outburst to that effect. Soon afterward he passes away, as does Frederick, seemingly out of grief for his brother, and Amy returns to London, where she is given a home by Fanny and Edmund.
Merdle's suicide note reveals that he was a swindler, robbing his investors and leaving thousands ruined. Mrs. Merdle agrees to Fanny's suggestion they do a 'moonlight flit' to escape creditors but Arthur submits to imprisonment in the Marshalsea, where the Plornishes bring food and optimism and John Chivery makes him realize Amy has always loved him.
Daniel Doyce returns from Russia, having made a fortune, which he is happy to share with the man who set him up in business - Arthur, whose financial woes are now ended.
A teenage girl and her grandfather lose everything to a maniacal moneylender and flee his relentless pursuit. Derek Jacobi stars as Grandfather, with Sophie Vavasseur as Nell and Toby Jones as Quilp.
