Magic Casements

Last updated

"Magic Casements"
Upstairs, Downstairs episode
Episode no.Season 1
Episode 7
Original air date23 January 1972 (1972-01-23)
Episode chronology
← Previous
"A Cry for Help"		Next →
"I Dies from Love"
List of episodes

"Magic Casements" is the seventh episode of the first series of the British television series, Upstairs, Downstairs . The episode is set in the summer of 1906.

Contents

"Magic Casements" was among the episodes omitted from Upstairs, Downstairs' initial Masterpiece Theatre broadcast in 1974, and was consequently not shown on US television until 1989.

Cast

Guest cast

Plot

When Richard Bellamy is unable to go with his wife to an opera because he has to attend a political meeting, adding to the friction which has already developed between them over Richard's political stance, he asks Charles Hammond, a friend of his son James who is fanatical about opera, to go instead. They greatly enjoy the opera, and each other's company.

A few days later, in a bookshop, they meet again and Charles asks her to read him "Ode To A Nightingale" by Keats. They go to his house, where she reads and plays the piano for him. Charles admits that he loves her, and she admits that she cares for him as well. They begin to have an affair. In spite of Lady Marjorie's attempts to hide it - she burns the note that comes with the bouquet of roses that Charles has sent her - the servants get wind of it and then discover a boxful of love letters. We see Charles and Marjorie in bed together and dancing to a gramophone record together. Charles wants to make the affair public, and urges Marjorie to divorce Richard. Marjorie insists that the affair be kept secret a while longer.

James and Charles plan to participate in a regatta. Hudson, the butler, sees a newspaper report that there has been an accident at the regatta, and tells Marjorie. She bursts into tears, and Hudson and Richard assume that she is worried about James. Charles arrives at the house comes to tell Marjorie that he is safe, and Hudson walks in on them as they are embracing - they break apart before Richard can see them, and he assumes that Charles is there on James' behalf. James returns and Richard admonishes him for not having let Marjorie know he was safe; James replies that he had been unable to participate in the regatta because he had to stand in court in place of a friend, who had "got the collywobbles" at the last minute, and that he had phoned Marjorie at lunchtime to tell her.

Richard begins to piece together what has happened but rather than losing his temper with his wife, he tells her that he has changed his political stance, as it is a question of loyalty. Marjorie realises that she must also be loyal, so she sends a note to Charles, asking her to meet him at the opera; there, she ends the affair, bidding him a tearful farewell. He gives her a locket on a chain as a gift, and she dissolves into sobs after he has left. [1]

The title

The episode's title is taken from Keats' 1820 poem Ode to a Nightingale , verse 7: [2]

Charm'd magic casements, opening on the foam
Of perilous seas, in faery lands forlorn.

Related Research Articles

<i>Upstairs, Downstairs</i> (1971 TV series) British drama television series (1971–1975)

Upstairs, Downstairs is a British drama television series produced by London Weekend Television (LWT) for ITV. It ran for 68 episodes divided into five series on ITV from 1971 to 1975.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elizabeth Bellamy</span> Fictional character

Elizabeth Bellamy is a fictional character in the ITV period drama Upstairs, Downstairs, originally broadcast for five series from 1971 to 1975. She was portrayed by Nicola Pagett.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sarah Moffat</span> Fictional character in the ITV drama Upstairs, Downstairs

Sarah Moffat, also known as Sarah Delice and Clémence Dumas, is a fictional character in the ITV drama 'Upstairs, Downstairs' and its spin-off Thomas & Sarah. She was portrayed by Pauline Collins.

"Women shall not Weep" is the fourth episode of the fourth series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 5 October 1974 on ITV.

"The Glorious Dead" is the eighth episode of the fourth series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It was first broadcast on 2 November 1974 on ITV.

"Another Year" is the ninth episode of the fourth series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 9 November 1974 on ITV.

The Hero's Farewell is the tenth episode of the fourth series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 16 November 1974 on ITV.

Peace Out of Pain is the thirteenth and final episode of the fourth series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 7 December 1974 on ITV.

"A Place in the World" is the second episode of the fifth and final series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 14 September 1975 on ITV.

"An Old Flame" is the sixth episode of the fifth and final series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 12 October 1975 on ITV.

"Such a Lovely Man" is the eighth episode of the fifth and final series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 26 October 1975 on ITV.

"The Understudy" is the tenth episode of the fifth and final season of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 9 November 1975 on ITV.

"Will Ye No Come Back Again" is the twelfth episode of the fifth and final series of the period drama Upstairs, Downstairs. It first aired on 23 November 1975 on ITV.

James Bellamy (<i>Upstairs, Downstairs</i>) Fictional character (1881–1929)

Major The Honourable James Rupert Bellamy is a fictional character in the ITV period drama Upstairs, Downstairs, that was originally broadcast for five series from 1971 to 1975. He was portrayed by Simon Williams.

"I Dies from Love" is the eighth episode of the first series of the British television series, Upstairs, Downstairs. The episode is set in the spring of 1907.

"Whom God Hath Joined..." is the fourth episode of the second series of the British television series, Upstairs, Downstairs. The episode is set in 1909.

"The Property of a Lady" is the sixth episode of the second series of the British television series, Upstairs, Downstairs. The episode is set in 1909.

"Why Is Her Door Locked?" is the ninth episode of the first series of the British television series, Upstairs, Downstairs. The episode is set in the summer of 1907.

Richard Pemberton Bellamy, Viscount Bellamy of Haversham is a fictional character in the ITV period drama Upstairs, Downstairs, that was originally broadcast for five series from 1971 to 1975. He was portrayed by David Langton. In the 2010 revival of Upstairs, Downstairs, Rose Buck refers to her late Master, Lord Richard Bellamy of Haversham, with the implication that Richard had died sometime between 1930 and 1936.

References

  1. ↑ Updown.org.uk - Magic Casements - Upstairs, Downstairs
  2. ↑ Keats, John. Ode to a Nightingale  – via Wikisource.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.