Return to Cranford

Last updated

Return to Cranford
Return to Cranford.jpg
DVD artwork
Genre Comedy drama
Created by Sue Birtwistle
Susie Conklin
Written by Heidi Thomas
Directed by Simon Curtis
Starring Judi Dench
Imelda Staunton
Julia McKenzie
Deborah Findlay
Barbara Flynn
Composer Carl Davis
Country of originUnited Kingdom
Original languageEnglish
No. of series1
No. of episodes2
Production
Executive producers Kate Harwood
Rebecca Eaton
ProducerSue Birtwistle
Cinematography Ben Smithard
EditorFrances Parker
Camera setupPanavision Genesis HD Camera
Running time90 minutes
Production companies BBC
WGBH Boston
Chestermead
Original release
Network BBC One
Release20 December (2009-12-20) 
27 December 2009 (2009-12-27)
Related
  • Cranford (2007 TV series)
  • Cranford (1972 TV series)

Return to Cranford (known in the United Kingdom as the Cranford Christmas Special) is the two-part second season of a British television series directed by Simon Curtis. The teleplay by Heidi Thomas was based on material from two novellas and a short story by Elizabeth Gaskell published between 1849 and 1863: Cranford , The Moorland Cottage and The Cage at Cranford. Themes from My Lady Ludlow , Mr Harrison's Confessions and The Last Generation in England are included to provide continuity with the first series .

Contents

The two-part Christmas special was transmitted in the UK by BBC One in December 2009. In the United States, it was broadcast by PBS as part of its Masterpiece Theatre series in January 2010. [1] Cast members from the first season, including but not limited to Judi Dench, Imelda Staunton, Julia McKenzie, Deborah Findlay and Barbara Flynn reprised their roles, with Jonathan Pryce, Celia Imrie, Lesley Sharp, Nicholas Le Prevost, Jodie Whittaker, Tom Hiddleston, Michelle Dockery, Matthew McNulty, Rory Kinnear and Tim Curry joining the cast. [1]

The new stories, which were written by Heidi Thomas and directed by Simon Curtis, took place in August 1844; a year after the wedding of Sophy Hutton and Dr Harrison. [1]

Cast

Listed in alphabetical order:

ActorRole
Francesca Annis Lady Ludlow, the Lady of Hanbury Court
Claudie Blakley Martha, a maid to Matty Jenkyns
Andrew Buchan Jem Hearne, a carpenter and father of Martha's daughter Tilly
Jim Carter Captain Brown, retired officer who now works for the railway
Tim Curry Signor Brunoni, an Italian magician
Judi Dench Matilda 'Matty' Jenkyns
Lisa Dillon Mary Smith, a guest of Matty Jenkyns
Michelle Dockery Erminia, Brussels-educated ward of Mr. Buxton
Alex Etel Harry Gregson, a boy of poor parentage
Emma Fielding Laurentia Galindo, a former milliner who now assists Lady Ludlow in her affairs
Deborah Findlay Augusta Tomkinson, a spinster
Barbara Flynn The Honourable Mrs Jamieson, a widow with aristocratic pretensions and the owner of her beloved dog, Giuseppe
Debra Gillett Mrs. Johnson, wife of Mr. Johnson and fellow shopkeeper
Tom Hiddleston William Buxton, Eton-educated son of Mr. Buxton
Hannah Hobley Bertha, the maid of Miss Pole
Celia Imrie Lady Glenmire, the aristocratic sister-in-law of Mrs. Jamieson
Alex Jennings Reverend Hutton, former vicar to Cranford
Rory Kinnear Septimus, ne’er-do-well son of Lady Ludlow, who has been living abroad in Italy
Nicholas Le Prevost Peter Jenkyns, brother of Matty, returned from many years in India. Re-cast from Martin Shaw.
Julia McKenzie Mrs Forrester, a widow, who owns a cow, Bessie, whom she loves as a daughter
Jonathan Pryce Mr. Buxton, a wealthy widower returning to live in Cranford after the death of his wife
Adrian Scarborough Mr. Johnson, town shopkeeper
Imelda Staunton Octavia Pole, the town gossip
Jodie Whittaker Peggy Bell, caretaker of her mother (Lesley Sharp) and brother Edward (Matthew McNulty)
Greg Wise Sir Charles Maulver, a magistrate and owner of the local railway company

Episode guide

Part One:August 1844

Matty Jenkyns has closed her tea shop and now looks after Tilly, the baby daughter of her maid Martha and carpenter Jem Hearne, while the pregnant Martha works in the kitchen. Captain Brown readies the opening of a train station at Hanbury Halt, five miles from Cranford. Lady Ludlow refuses to sell her land to enable an extension to the town Mrs. Bell, a widow with two grown children, continues deep mourning fourteen months after her husband's passing. Daughter Peggy dresses in outdated clothes and has little opportunity to socialise with people her own age – including potential suitors. Wealthy Mr. Buxton has returned to his lands following the death of his wife. He brings Eton-educated son William and also his ward Erminia, educated in Brussels. William and Peggy begin to have feelings for each other.

At Hanbury Court, Lady Ludlow is dying. Miss Galindo attends to her needs and has tried unsuccessfully to contact Lady Ludlow's long-absent son Septimus, living in Naples ostensibly for his health, to alert him of his mother's illness. However he eventually arrives in London en route for Cheshire.

Lady Ludlow collapses and dies before her son arrives. Meanwhile, Martha has gone into labour as Jem is summoned to Hanbury Hall for his duties as undertaker. While he is gone, she begins to haemorrhage. Matty sends for a doctor, but none is available; Martha dies.

Lady Ludlow's son Septimus arrives with his foppish Italian companion Giacomo. Their lavish lifestyle has drained Lady Ludlow's fortune. His mother took out a mortgage on her estate. Her former estate agent, Mr. Carter, now deceased, made provision in his will for her to be loaned the money (from his bequest to Harry Gregson) to pay off the mortgage. Septimus begrudges the fact that he must pay back this loan to Harry Gregson with interest.

Septimus arranges for a carriage to fetch Harry from his school. Septimus offers to give Harry £5,000 immediately if he will agree to relinquish his claim to the balance of the money that is owed to him. Harry will then be able to pay for the village school, while Septimus will (he claims) retain the estate. Although Harry is only fourteen they seal the deal by shaking hands in a "gentlemen’s agreement."

Captain Brown calls the town together and reveals that the railway will now be able to reach Cranford, as Septimus has sold the entire Hanbury estate to the railway. Harry, dismayed, tells Miss Galindo of his agreement with Septimus and Miss Galindo intervenes to put a stop to it. Many residents are still opposed to the railway – including Mr. Buxton, who reveals that he owns a parcel of land previously thought part of Hanbury Park. He refuses to sell, blocking the railway's progress.

Mary arrives to stay with Matty and says that she is engaged to Mr Turnbull, a wealthy man. Jem Hearne tells Matty that he and Tilly will have to leave Cranford if the railway does not reach the town due to lack of work.

Matty realises that she will have to change. She invites her friends and neighbours to accompany her on a train journey so they can see that it is not the evil force they might think it is. Her four friends come, along with Mr. Buxton, his son William and Peggy Bell. As Matty herself begins to feel ill, others gradually relax and find themselves enjoying the trip. In a separate carriage, William and Peggy sit on opposite benches. As the train lurches, they are thrown together. He then confesses his love for her and asks her to marry him.

The train returns to Hanbury Halt. Mr. Buxton's tells Matty that it took great courage to try to persuade the others. He is sorry to have stood in the way of progress; thanks to Matty's excursion, he has decided to sell his land and allow the train construction to proceed.

Part Two:October to December 1844

When Mr. Buxton discovers that William and Peggy are engaged, he refuses to give his blessing, hoping instead to match William with Erminia. He takes out his frustrations on Matty, blaming her for presenting the opportunity for the two to be alone on the train. Determined to marry Peggy anyway, William turns to Captain Brown for an apprenticeship on the railway.

Meanwhile, Peggy's brother Edward becomes an agent for Mr. Buxton and takes charge of the sale of the parcel of land to the railway company. However, he embezzles some of the money. In addition, he evicts Mr. Buxton's tenants, including Harry Gregson's family, while falsely implying to Mr. Buxton that other arrangements have been made for the tenants' accommodation. Harry Gregson's family leaves Cranford after failing to get word to him.

Mary's stepmother arrives in Cranford and the fact that Mary has gone back on her promise to marry Mr. Turnbull is revealed. Mary wants to pursue her writing and leaves for London, leaving Matty alone in the house with her brother Peter.

Harry has been miserable at his school, where he has been beaten by some of the other students. He runs away back to Cranford to discover that his family have moved on. Miss Galindo and the Reverend Hutton are adamant that Harry must return to the school. Harry runs away, intending to stow away on the next train out of Cranford.

William, while working at the railway, stumbles across evidence of Edward's embezzlement. Edward arrives home; he stole the money to pay gambling debts. The Bells are told that if convicted of the crime, Edward will be deported as an indentured labourer. Mr. Buxton seizes upon the opportunity to offer Peggy a deal. He will arrange for Edward not to be charged if she calls off her engagement to William. Peggy decides to refuse Mr. Buxton's offer. The police have a warrant for Edward's arrest and Peggy's sense of duty compels her to decide to accompany Edward on a flight to Canada. She sends a note to William via Miss Matty telling William what has happened, and he races off to catch the departing train.

Whilst running away.Harry jumps from a bridge onto a wagon pulled by the train. Almost immediately after that the cow Bessie is hit by the train, derailing it. William arrives at the site of the train crash searching for Peggy. William manages to save Peggy from the wreckage, only for Edward to steal the money and flees. The locomotive explodes as he runs past and he is killed.

Miss Galindo and the vicar find a seemingly dead Harry after realising he was on the train when it crashed. They realize that Harry is still breathing. They wrap him and rush him back to shelter.

Miss Matty decides she will use some of the money from her shop to restore the assembly hall and hold a Christmas Eve party to bring everyone together. Invitations are sent and everyone accepts except Mrs. Jamieson, who has not forgiven her sister-in-law, the widowed Lady Glenmire, for marrying Captain Brown. Matty is also sad because she has not heard from Jem in a while. Meanwhile, Miss Galindo and the vicar put a new proposition to the recovered Harry: Miss Galindo will pool her money with Harry's and use it to buy a house near Harry's new school in Manchester, and Harry will be able to return to the house and Miss Galindo each evening. They will fulfil Mr Carter's wish that Harry be educated and improve his position in life.

Mrs. Forrester is still grieving the death of Bessie; Harry approaches her on the evening of the party and presents her with a new calf to replace Bessie as he apologises. As people gather in the newly refurbished hall, Mrs. Jamieson arrives on Peter's arm, having relented, and she reconciles with the newly-wed Captain Brown and Lady Glenmire. Signor Brunoni then starts his show and asks Miss Pole to enter his "magic box". He then asks Miss Matty to come up and open the box. She finds Miss Pole inside the box holding Tilly, and Jem walks up the aisle and says that with the train coming to town he is moving back.

Production

Although Cranford is supposedly in Cheshire, none of the exterior scenes was filmed there. Locations used included Surrey, Hambleden, Windsor, Radnage, Leighton Buzzard, Berkhamsted, Wycombe, Syon House in Brentford, London and Isleworth in Greater London and Oxford. Interiors were filmed in Pinewood Studios. A large portion of filming was done at Lacock in Wiltshire (a location used for many films, including Pride and Prejudice and Emma for the BBC in 1995 and 1996, respectively and also for the Harry Potter films in 2000 and 2001). Filming of the railway sequences took place in Staffordshire at the Foxfield Railway. [2]

Awards and nominations

YearAwardCategoryNominee(s)ResultRef.
2010
British Academy Television Awards Best Supporting Actress Imelda Staunton Nominated [3]
British Academy Television Craft Awards Best Writer – Fiction Heidi Thomas Nominated [4]
Best Costume Design Jenny Beavan Nominated
Best Sound – Fiction/Entertainment Paul Hamblin, Peter Brill, Iain Eyre, and Lee WalpoleNominated
Online Film & Television Association AwardsBest Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated [5]
Best Actress in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Judi Dench Nominated
Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture or Miniseries Jonathan Pryce Nominated
Best Supporting Actress in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesImelda StauntonNominated
Best Direction of a Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated
Best Writing of a Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated
Best Ensemble in a Motion Picture or MiniseriesNominated
Best Cinematography in a Non-SeriesNominated
Best Costume Design in a Non-SeriesNominated
Best Makeup/Hairstyling in a Non-SeriesNominated
Best Music in a Non-SeriesNominated
Best Production Design in a Non-SeriesNominated
Primetime Emmy Awards Outstanding Miniseries Kate Harwood and Sue Birtwistle Nominated [6]
Outstanding Lead Actress in a Miniseries or a Movie Judi DenchNominated
Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Miniseries or a Movie Jonathan PryceNominated
Primetime Creative Arts Emmy Awards Outstanding Art Direction for a Miniseries or Movie Donal Woods, Mark Kebby, and Trisha Edwards Nominated
Outstanding Cinematography for a Miniseries or Movie Ben Smithard (for "Part 2")Won
Outstanding Costumes for a Miniseries, Movie or a Special Jenny Beavan and Alison Beard (for "Part 2")Won
Outstanding Hairstyling for a Miniseries or a Movie Karen HartleyNominated
Royal Television Society Craft & Design Awards Best Sound – DramaPaul Hamblin, Peter Brill, Iain Eyre, and Lee WalpoleNominated [7]
Satellite Awards Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Judi DenchNominated [8]
2011
Golden Globe Awards Best Actress in a Miniseries or a Motion Picture Made for Television Nominated [9]

Home media

Return to Cranford was released on DVD on 28 December 2009. A DVD box set was also made available on 28 December 2009 comprising the first series, The Making of Cranford as well as Return to Cranford.

Related Research Articles

<i>The Ladykillers</i> (1955 film) 1955 comedy film by Alexander Mackendrick

The Ladykillers is a 1955 British black comedy crime film directed by Alexander Mackendrick for Ealing Studios. It stars Alec Guinness, Cecil Parker, Herbert Lom, Peter Sellers, Danny Green, Jack Warner, and Katie Johnson as the old lady, Mrs. Wilberforce.

<i>Cranford</i> (novel) 1851–1853 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell

Cranford is an episodic novel by English author Elizabeth Gaskell. It first appeared in instalments in the magazine Household Words, then was published with minor revisions as a book with the title Cranford in 1853. The work slowly became popular and from the start of the 20th century it saw a number of dramatic treatments for the stage, the radio and TV.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Edward Fox (actor)</span> British actor (born 1937)

Edward Charles Morice Fox is an English actor and a member of the Fox family.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Francesca Annis</span> English actress (born 1945)

Francesca Annis is an English actress. She is known for television roles in Reckless (1998), Wives and Daughters (1999), Deceit (2000), and Cranford (2007). A six-time BAFTA TV Award nominee, she won the 1979 BAFTA TV Award for Best Actress for the ITV serial Lillie. Her film appearances include Krull (1983), Dune (1984), The Debt Collector (1999), and The Libertine (2004).

<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.

Sanditon (1817) is an unfinished novel by the English writer Jane Austen. In January 1817, Austen began work on a new novel she called The Brothers, later titled Sanditon, and completed eleven chapters before stopping work in mid-March 1817, probably because of illness. R.W. Chapman first published a full transcription of the novel in 1925 under the name Fragment of a Novel.

<i>The Listerdale Mystery</i> 1934 short story collection written by Agatha Christie

The Listerdale Mystery is a short story collection written by Agatha Christie and first published in the UK by William Collins and Sons in June 1934. The book retailed at seven shillings and sixpence (7/6). The collection did not appear in the US; however, all of the stories contained within it did appear in other collections only published there.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fowell Buxton</span> English politician (1786–1845)

Sir Thomas Fowell Buxton, 1st Baronet Buxton of Belfield and Runton, was an English Member of Parliament, brewer, abolitionist and social reformer. He married Hannah Gurney, whose sister became Elizabeth Fry, and became a great friend of her father Joseph Gurney and the extended Gurney family.

<i>Candleshoe</i> 1977 live action family film directed by Norman Tokar

Candleshoe is a 1977 American children's adventure comedy film, directed by Norman Tokar in a screenplay by David Swift and Rosemary Anne Sisson, produced by Walt Disney Productions, and distributed by Buena Vista. Based on the Michael Innes novel Christmas at Candleshoe (1953), the film stars Jodie Foster, David Niven, Helen Hayes, and Leo McKern.

Judith Catherine Buxton is an English actress best known for playing Nurse Katy Shaw in General Hospital (1972–1973), Susan Protheroe in By the Sword Divided (1983–1985) and Ruth Carpenter in On the Up (1990–1992). She has also appeared in several films including Aces High (1976) and The Big Sleep (1978) as well as having an extensive stage career with the Royal Shakespeare Company.

<i>Cranford</i> (TV series) British television series (2007, 2009)

Cranford is a British television series directed by Simon Curtis and Steve Hudson. The teleplay by Heidi Thomas was adapted from three novellas by Elizabeth Gaskell published between 1849 and 1858: Cranford, My Lady Ludlow and Mr Harrison's Confessions. "The Last Generation in England" was also used as a source.

Mr. Harrison’s Confessions is an 1851 extended story by Elizabeth Gaskell about a doctor in a small English country town, benefitting from familiarity with the work of a general practitioner in Gaskell's own family. Episodes from the story and other works were adapted into the 2007 television series based on her novel Cranford.

<i>My Lady Ludlow</i> 1858–1859 novel by Elizabeth Gaskell

My Lady Ludlow is a novel by Elizabeth Gaskell. It originally appeared in the magazine Household Words in 1858, and was republished in Round the Sofa in 1859, with framing passages added at the start and end.

<i>The Crowded Day</i> 1954 British film by John Guillermin

The Crowded Day is a 1954 British comedy drama film directed by John Guillermin and starring John Gregson, Joan Rice, Cyril Raymond and Josephine Griffin. The film follows a group of shopgirls working in Bunting and Hobbs, a London department store, during the Christmas shopping season. It was an attempt by Adelphi Films to move into bigger budgeted films. It was the last movie Guillermin directed for the company.

<i>A Touch of Larceny</i> 1959 British film

A Touch of Larceny is a 1959 black-and-white comedy film produced by Ivan Foxwell, directed by Guy Hamilton, and starring James Mason, George Sanders and Vera Miles. The film co-stars Harry Andrews, Rachel Gurney and John Le Mesurier, and is based on the 1956 novel The Megstone Plot by Paul Winterton, written under the pseudonym Andrew Garve.

The Vernon family was a wealthy, prolific and widespread English family with 11th-century origins in Vernon, Normandy, France. Their extant titles include Baron Vernon and Vernon baronets of Shotwick Park.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Midway Lady</span> American-bred Thoroughbred racehorse

Midway Lady was an American-bred, British-trained Thoroughbred racehorse and broodmare who won two British Classic Races in 1986. In a racing career lasting from August 1985 until June 1986, the filly ran six times and won her last five races. She sustained her only defeat when finishing second on her racecourse debut but won her remaining three races in 1985 including the May Hill Stakes at Doncaster and the Prix Marcel Boussac at Longchamp. Her three-year-old campaign consisted of only two races, as she won the 1000 Guineas at Newmarket and the Oaks at Epsom a month later. After sustaining a serious leg injury, she was retired to stud where she became a successful producer of winners including the Oaks winner Eswarah.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Jane Stanley (died 1803)</span> British aristocrat and philanthropist

Lady Jane Stanley was a member of the Earl of Derby branch of the Stanley family. The daughter of Edward Stanley, 11th Earl of Derby she never married but, in her old age, maintained a large household at Brook House, Knutsford. A notable philanthropist, she installed and maintained footpaths in the town though, in line with her belief that couples should not walk with arms linked, she made them intentionally narrow. Stanley left significant donations in her will to friends, family, servants and to numerous charitable causes connected with the poor and sick. One bequest helped to maintain the footways in the town for many years. Stanley was the inspiration for the Honourable Mrs Jamieson in Elizabeth Gaskell's 1849 novel Cranford and the title character in her 1858 My Lady Ludlow.

References

  1. 1 2 3 "The critically acclaimed and multi-award winning Cranford returns to BBC One this Christmas with stellar cast" (Press release). BBC Press Office. 28 May 2009. Retrieved 28 May 2009.
  2. This is Staffordshire – 3 June 2009
  3. "BAFTA Awards: Television in 2010". BAFTA . 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  4. "BAFTA Awards: Television Craft in 2010". BAFTA . 2010. Retrieved 16 September 2016.
  5. "14th Annual TV Awards (2009-10)". Online Film & Television Association. Retrieved 15 May 2021.
  6. "Return to Cranford (Masterpiece)". Emmys.com. Academy of Television Arts & Sciences . Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  7. "Craft & Design Awards 2010". Royal Television Society . 24 November 2010. Retrieved 23 July 2023.
  8. "2010 Satellite Awards". Satellite Awards . International Press Academy . Retrieved 10 July 2021.
  9. "Return to Cranford – Golden Globes". HFPA . Retrieved 5 July 2021.

Online texts