Oranges Are Not the Only Fruit (1990) (TV)

Director:

Beeban Kidron

Writers:

Jeanette Winterson (novel)
Jeanette Winterson (screenplay)

Release Date:

10 January 1990 (UK)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Jessica's extraordinarily strong will and heart enables her to rebel against her fanatical, cult-like upbringing...

Plot Keywords:

Friendship | Nudity | Mother Daughter Relationship | Lesbian Relationship | Religious Fanatic

Awards:

8 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Charlotte Coleman	...	Jess
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Mark Aspinall	...	Ian
Emily Aston	...	Small Jess
Sharon Bower	...	Mrs. Vole
Cathryn Bradshaw	...	Melanie
Kay Clayton	...	Gypsy Woman
Kenneth Cranham	...	Pastor Finch
Freda Dowie	...	Mrs. Green
James Duggan	...	Second fisherman
Pam Ferris	...	Mrs. Arkwright
Peter Gordon	...	William
Richard Henders	...	Graham
Barbara Hicks	...	Cissy
Celia Imrie	...	Miss Jewsbury
Ken Kitson	...	First fisherman
Maggie Lane	...	First ice cream woman
Geraldine McEwan	...	Mother
Chris McNulty	...	Child in Classroom
Katy Murphy	...	Mrs Virtue
Tania Rodrigues	...	Katy
Bill Rogers	...	Ice Cream Man
Darren Scott	...	Boy Next Door
Norma Shebbeare	...	Dust Pan
Elizabeth Spriggs	...	May
Tamar Swade	...	Church pianist
David Thewlis	...	Doctor
Sophie Thursfield	...	Jess's real mother
Roger Walker	...	Fishmonger
Mandy Walsh	...	Second ice cream woman
Margery Withers	...	Elsie

Runtime:

UK:55 min (3 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Filming Locations:

Accrington, Lancashire, England, UK

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Decently but Plainly Executed Winterson Adaptation

Because the filmmakers obviously tried to make a close adaptation of Jeanette Winterson's semi-autobiographical novel, as an avid Winterson fan, I cannot help comparing the film with the book. It would be extremely challenging to preserve Winterson's unique, postmodern literary quality in the adapted film.

In the original novel, Winterson objectively examines coming-of-age experiences of an orphan who is adopted to evangelist parents and finds herself a lesbian. The objectivity remains in the film to some extent; a lot of dramatic happenings are quietly described and never get emotional. However, the nature of the film media inevitably forces the audience to identify themselves with protagonist Jess. The analytical aspect of reading Winterson is lost, and if compared, the film just follows the plotline more plainly than the novel does.

Aside from Winterson, the film is a decently executed prototypical British film, on the tradition of British New Wave and Channel 4 productions, and worth watching.