Directed by Simon Curtis and Steve Hudson, and written by Heidi Thomas, the television series, Cranford debuted on BBC 1 in December of 2007. The program, and it’s second series, are based on three novellas by Elizabeth Gaskell published between 1849 and 1858: Cranford, My Lady Ludlow, and Mr Harrison's Confessions. The beautiful and lavishly produced series stars Francesca Annis, Eileen Adkins, Claudie Blakely, John Bowe, Jim Carter, Judi Dench, Lisa Dillon, Barbara Flynn, Michael Gambon, Alex Jennings, Greg Wise and about every other character actor working in historical drama in the U.K. The first series consists of five episodes and the second of two.
The series concerns the both the tidy and untidy lives of the residents of (the fictional town of) Cranford in the county of Cheshire in North West England in the early 1840’s. Though the world is changing around them and the empire is facing a new Industrial Age at the hands of the young Queen, the residents of the town are resistant to change. They are more concerned with the comings and goings of their neighbors and are easily distracted by the daily routine of their town. When a new doctor comes to town, every lady and gentleman in the village is quite distraught, suspicious and intrigued. Imagine how they’ll react when the railroad threatens to bring chaos to their bucolic world.
This is a strange program, and it’s rather difficult to keep track of the enormous cast who all start to blend together in their bonnets and ruffles, but it’s beautifully filmed, brilliantly acted and very well written. If you’re willing to pay attention, the plot is quite interesting. If you’re not willing to pay attention, you could always just sit back and watch the pretty pictures.
Besides, anything with Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins can’t be bad. Can it?
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