MASTERPIECE THEATRE: BLEAK HOUSE {EPISODE 3} {2005 VERSION} (TV)
Summary
One in this ongoing series of dramas presented under the umbrella of "Masterpiece Theatre." Part three in this six-part series based on Charles Dickens's "Bleak House," a sweeping epic of young love, murder and the search for a mysterious man's identity. In this episode, Tulkinghorn takes matters to a higher level as he tries to blackmail George into giving him one of Hawdon's writing samples. George declines, though he worries what might become of himself and his assistant Phil Squod if Tulkinghorn carries through with his threat. Guppy continues to investigate Esther's past by going to see Krook, who tantalizingly shows him the packet of Nemo's love letters. Esther is then visited by Allan's mother, who is clear in warning Esther away from her son. Meanwhile, the Dedlocks are visited by their housekeeper's son, Mr. Rouncewell, who asks Lady Dedlock to let Rosa marry his son. Sir Leicester is incensed and the meeting ends badly. Later, Guppy meets with Lady Dedlock and tells her of Nemo's letters. She gives him permission to pursue them on her behalf. Esther and Jarndyce come across a seriously ill Jo and take him to Bleak House, despite warnings from Skimpole about Jo possibly being congtagious. Skimpole has Jo kidnapped in the middle of the night and put in Tulkinghorn's "care," as Tulkinghorn thinks Jo knows too much about Nemo. The next morning, Esther contracts smallpox from Jo and is quarantined. When Guppy returns to Krook's house to get the letters, he finds that Krook has become a victim of spontaneous combustion. Smallweed descends on the scene and claims ownership of everything in the house since he was -- unbeknownst to all -- Krook's brother-in-law. Esther recovers but is disfigured by the illness. She's heartened, however, by a visit from Miss Flite, who tells her that Allan survived a shipwreck and proved himself a hero. Finally, Guppy tells Lady Dedlock that he was unable to get the letters. When Tulkinghorn sees Guppy with Lady Dedlock, he becomes suspicious of their connection. He and Smallweed consequently decide to put the thumbscrews to George to force him to give them Hawdon's writing sample.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: February 5, 2006 Sunday 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:56:47
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:88589
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Literature - Adaptations; She Made It Collection (Rebecca Eaton)
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1971-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Sally Haynes … Executive Producer
- Laura Mackie … Executive Producer
- Rebecca Eaton … Executive Producer
- Steven Ashley … Senior Producer
- Nigel Stafford-Clark … Producer
- Justin Chadwick … Director
- Andrew Davies … Written by
- Charles Dickens … Based on the novel by
- John Lunn … Music by
- Tom Georgeson … Cast, Clamb
- Hugo Speer … Cast, Sergeant George
- Phil Davis … Cast, Smallweed
- Charles Dance … Cast, Mr. Tulkinghorn
- Gillian Anderson … Cast, Lady Dedlock
- Emma Williams … Cast, Rosa
- Timothy West … Cast, Sir Leicester
- Tim Dantay … Cast, Mr. Rouncewell
- Michael Smiley … Cast, Phil Squod
- Johnny Vegas … Cast, Krook
- Burn Gorman … Cast, Guppy
- Carey Mulligan … Cast, Ada Clare
- Denis Lawson … Cast, John Jarndyce
- Anna Maxwell Martin … Cast, Esther Summerson
- Lisa Hammond … Cast, Harriet
- Di Botcher … Cast, Mrs. Woodcourt
- Harry Eden … Cast, Jo
- Charlie Brooks … Cast, Jenny
- Alun Armstrong … Cast, Bucket
- Levi Hayes … Cast, Young Smallweed
- Katie Angelou … Cast, Charley Neckett
- Richard Cant … Cast, Mercury
- Nathaiel Parker … Cast, Harold Skimpole
- Anne Reid … Cast, Mrs. Rouncewell
- Pauline Collins … Cast, Miss Flite
- Benedict Martin … Cast, Policeman outside Krook's
- Peter Guinness … Cast, Coroner