A Woman of Substance (1984– )

A Woman of Substance charts the life of Emma Harte, from kitchen maid at the beginning of the 20th Century, to respected business woman and Grandmother in the 1980's. From humble beginnings... See full summary »

Stars:

Jenny Seagrove, Barry Bostwick, Deborah Kerr

Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Jenny Seagrove	...	Young Emma Harte (3 episodes, 1985)
Barry Bostwick	...	Maj. Paul McGill (3 episodes, 1985)
Deborah Kerr	...	Emma Harte (3 episodes, 1985)
Diane Baker	...	Laura O'Neill (3 episodes, 1985)
Peter Chelsom	...	Edwin Fairley (3 episodes, 1985)
John Duttine	...	Joe Lowther (3 episodes, 1985)
Peter Egan	...	Adam Fairley (3 episodes, 1985)
Mick Ford	...	Frank Harte (3 episodes, 1985)
Christopher Gable	...	Arthur Ainsley (3 episodes, 1985)
Christopher Guard	...	Gerald Fairley (3 episodes, 1985)
Dominic Guard	...	Winston Harte (3 episodes, 1985)
Del Henney	...	Jack Harte (3 episodes, 1985)
Gayle Hunnicutt	...	Olivia Wainwright (3 episodes, 1985)
Barry Morse	...	Murgatroyd (3 episodes, 1985)
Liam Neeson	...	Blackie O'Neill (3 episodes, 1985)
Nicola Pagett	...	Adele Fairley (3 episodes, 1985)
Miranda Richardson	...	Paula McGill Amory (3 episodes, 1985)
Joris Stuyck	...	David Kallinski (3 episodes, 1985)
Meg Wynn Owen	...	Elizabeth Harte (3 episodes, 1985)
George Baker	...	Bruce McGill (3 episodes, 1985)
Megs Jenkins	...	Mrs. Turner (3 episodes, 1985)
Harry Landis	...	Abraham Kallinski (3 episodes, 1985)
John Mills	...	Henry Rossiter (3 episodes, 1985)

Storyline

A Woman of Substance charts the life of Emma Harte, from kitchen maid at the beginning of the 20th Century, to respected business woman and Grandmother in the 1980's. From humble beginnings Emma Harte starts her business with a small shop, but over the next twenty years she expands her stores and invests in the growing textile industry in Leeds. By the time of World War 2, Emma is the head of a major retail and manufacturing empire, but she has struggled all her life to find love. After an illegitimate daughter and two marriages, she finally meets the love of her life, Paul McGill, but their affair is cut short by a tragic accident, leaving Emma with his daughter. In the 1980's Emma faces one of her biggest tests - her childrens attempt to remove her as head of her company, but Emma is far from the senile old woman they think she is - she is determined to stop them at all costs.

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Plot Keywords:

business | kitchen maid | textile industry | shop | store | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 November 1984 (USA)

Also Known As:

Des Lebens bittere Süße

Filming Locations:

Harrods, Brompton Road, Knightsbridge, London, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Portman Artemis Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

300 min 490 min (5 episodes) 293 min (DVD)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

As of 2010, 25 years after it was first screened, this is still the highest ever rated programme on Channel 4 in the UK - peaking at 13.84 million viewers on the third night - 4th January 1985.

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Goofs

The transatlantic liner Queen Elizabeth on which Paul McGill says he is booked to go to the USA in 1939 was not completed until 1940 and did not enter commercial service until after WW2, about 1946. He may have meant the Queen Mary.

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Quotes

Gerald Fairley: [late in the film, after Emma has purchased everything the Fairleys once owned] How can you cold-bloodedly set out to ruin someone?
Young Emma Harte: That was my plan, but you did it yourself, really. I just helped you along the way.

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Connections

Followed by To Be the Best (1992)

User Reviews

Triple-hanky weepie

Even the most hard-hearted will find it difficult to resist the spell of this stylish mini-series. The audience is put through the emotional mangle as spirited heroine Emma Harte endures every setback and hardship going, yet still wins through.

Part of the fascination of the series lies in the quite remarkable cast. Jenny Seagrove splendid as the indefatigable Emma ; a young Liam Neeson and Miranda Richardson ; dear old Barry Morse ; Deborah Kerr as the older Emma ; Christopher Guard as the blackguardly villain, who gets his comeuppance in one of the most satisfying scenes ; and Peter Chelsom, who went on to direct the hit British film "Hear My Song", as well as the less successful "Funny Bones".