"Mapp & Lucia" (1985) TV series 1985-1986

Director:

Donald McWhinnie

Writers:

E.F. Benson (novel)
Gerald Savory (writer)

Seasons:

1 | 2

Release Date:

14 April 1985 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

Mrs Emmeline Lucas (Lucia) has just moved to the small English town of Tilling where she comes into...

Plot Keywords:

Gossip | Social Climber | 1920s | Neighbor | Manners

Awards:

1 nomination

Cast

Geraldine McEwan	...	Emmeline 'Lucia' Lucas (10 episodes, 1985-1986)
Prunella Scales	...	Miss Elizabeth Mapp (6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Nigel Hawthorne	...	Georgie Pillson (6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Denis Lill	...	Major Benjamin 'Benjy' Flint (6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Mary MacLeod	...	Godiva 'Diva' Plaistow (6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Cecily Hobbs	...	'Quaint' Irene Coles (6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Geoffrey Chater	...	Mr. Algernon Wyse (6 episodes, 1985-1986)
James Greene	...	Rev. Kenneth Bartlett (6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Marion Mathie	...	Mrs. Susan Wyse MBE (6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Geraldine Newman	...	Grosvenor (6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Ken Kitson	...	Cadman (6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Lucinda Gane	...	Foljambe (6 episodes, 1985-1986)
Cherry Morris	...	Withers (5 episodes, 1985-1986)

Runtime:

600 min

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Singapore:PG | Portugal:M/6

Filming Locations:

Rye, East Sussex, England, UK

Company:

Channel 4 Television Corporation

I've always said that finger bowls are entitled to doilies.

If this is a "poor adaptation" then by all means I will have to get my hands on the original books because I really loved this production! It's an absolute hoot of a good time! I find it hard to believe it is over twenty years old! It's seems like it could have been made just yesterday.The character studies are pretty much timeless. London Weekend certainly didn't skimp on the sets or costumes and the acting was all around superb. It was a little difficult at first to adjust to Mapp and Lucia's exaaaaaggerated voices but by episode two I was laughing so hard...I no longer cared. As a comedy it succeeds on all levels but it's also somewhat intriguing as a period study as well. It recreates a time in post WWI England when people could be leisurely enough to care about the superficial things of everyday village life and when class was so important it actually dictated how people related to each other. Before the fall I guess you could say. Similar to east coast America before WWII or the over the top Regan years and eons before 9/11.

The cast includes the many favorites that others have already listed but I have to reiterate the brilliance of Nigel Hawthorne as Georgino mio and the endearing pair of Mary MacLeod and Cecily Hobbs as Godiva and Quaint Irene...in fact all the minor characters were brilliant and so believable I felt like they were family. I am truly sorry the series didn't go on to include all the books. All I can say is it must have been a lot of fun to act in this series and if you enjoy light hearted English comedy...you will really want to take a look at these episodes on DVD.