"The Cinder Path" (1994) TV mini-series 1994-

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

12 February 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | Romance | War

Plot:

Tale of a farmer's son who gets involved with two sisters, then goes to fight in the trenches in WW1.

Plot Keywords:

Sister | Period Piece | World War One | 1910s | England

Cast

Catherine Zeta-Jones	...	Victoria Chapman (3 episodes, 1994)
Lloyd Owen	...	Charlie MacFell (3 episodes, 1994)
Polly Adams	...	Florence Chapman (3 episodes, 1994)
Antony Byrne	...	Ginger Slater (3 episodes, 1994)
Ralph Ineson	...	Arthur Benton (3 episodes, 1994)
Maria Miles	...	Nellie Chapman (3 episodes, 1994)
Victoria Scarborough	...	Betty MacFell (3 episodes, 1994)
Lucy Akhurst	...	Polly Benton (2 episodes, 1994)
Rosalind Ayres	...	Mary MacFell (2 episodes, 1994)
Tom Bell	...	Edward MacFell (2 episodes, 1994)
Alan Bird	...	Old Arnold (2 episodes, 1994)
David Hounslow	...	Sgt. Timms (2 episodes, 1994)
Rupert Wickham	...	Lt. Radlett (2 episodes, 1994)

Series Directed by
Simon Langton		(3 episodes, 1994)

Series Writing credits
Catherine Cookson		(3 episodes, 1994)
Alan Seymour		(3 episodes, 1994)

Series Produced by
Ray Marshall	....	producer (3 episodes, 1994)
Keith Richardson	....	executive producer: Yorkshire Tyne Tees (3 episodes, 1994)
Ray Townsend	....	executive producer World Wide / executive producer: World Wide (3 episodes, 1994)

Series Original Music by
Barrington Pheloung		(3 episodes, 1994)

Series Cinematography by
John Hooper		(3 episodes, 1994)

Series Film Editing by
Chris Wimble		(3 episodes, 1994)

Series Casting by
Susie Bruffin		(3 episodes, 1994)

Series Production Design by
Ashley Wilkinson		(3 episodes, 1994)

Series Art Direction by
Tim Putnam		(3 episodes, 1994)

Series Costume Design by
Delphine Roche-Gordon		(3 episodes, 1994)

Series Makeup Department
Nadia El-Saffar	....	makeup artist (3 episodes, 1994)
Gillian Garner	....	chief hairdresser (3 episodes, 1994)
Annie McEwan	....	chief makeup artist (3 episodes, 1994)

Series Production Management
Don Bell	....	production supervisor (3 episodes, 1994)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nael Abbas	....	first assistant director (3 episodes, 1994)
Simon King	....	second assistant director (3 episodes, 1994)
Caroline Richards	....	third assistant director (3 episodes, 1994)

Series Art Department
Chris Abrahams	....	preset crew (3 episodes, 1994)
Tony Abrahams	....	props (3 episodes, 1994)
Thomas Airey	....	preset crew (3 episodes, 1994)
Ray Burridge	....	stand-by joiner (3 episodes, 1994)
Gary Crumpton	....	construction manager (3 episodes, 1994)
Bob Dial	....	standby painter (3 episodes, 1994)
Bob Dixon	....	preset crew (3 episodes, 1994)
Jimmy Garrett	....	props master (3 episodes, 1994)
Tony Ginnelly	....	preset crew (3 episodes, 1994)
Steven Leadbitter	....	preset crew (3 episodes, 1994)
Jimmy McGill	....	preset crew (3 episodes, 1994)
David Medlycott	....	production buyer (3 episodes, 1994)
Herby Newton	....	props (3 episodes, 1994)
Tony Noonan	....	preset crew (3 episodes, 1994)
Paul Reynolds	....	preset crew (3 episodes, 1994)

Series Sound Department
Cliff Burr	....	boom operator (3 episodes, 1994)
Nic Grant	....	sound recordist (3 episodes, 1994)
Richard King	....	dubbing mixer (3 episodes, 1994)

Series Special Effects by
Derek Langley	....	special effects (1 episode, 1994)

Series Stunts
Wayne Michaels	....	stunt coordinator (1 episode, 1994)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
David Bryant	....	focus puller (3 episodes, 1994)
Peter Ellis	....	electrician (3 episodes, 1994)
John Haynes	....	electrician (3 episodes, 1994)
John Mason	....	electrician (3 episodes, 1994)
Paul Sadourian	....	clapper loader (3 episodes, 1994)
Alan Sharp	....	gaffer (3 episodes, 1994)
Des Whelan	....	camera operator "a" camera / camera operator (3 episodes, 1994)
Jim Will	....	grip (3 episodes, 1994)

Series Casting Department
Liz Vincent-Fernie	....	casting assistant (3 episodes, 1994)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Katherine Hyland	....	assistant costume designer (3 episodes, 1994)
Michael McGarrigle	....	wardrobe master (3 episodes, 1994)
Karen McKinlay-Gunn	....	wardrobe assistant (3 episodes, 1994)

Series Editorial Department
Tony Tromp	....	assistant editor (3 episodes, 1994)

Series Other crew
Corrina Bonicelli	....	assistant location manager (3 episodes, 1994)
Lesley Cross	....	script supervisor (3 episodes, 1994)
Jill Forbes	....	production coordinator (3 episodes, 1994)
Titus Glover	....	assistant to the producer (3 episodes, 1994)
Leilah Ann Ledger	....	secretary to the producer (3 episodes, 1994)
Christine Llewellyn Reeve	....	location manager (3 episodes, 1994)
Tracey Malone	....	assistant accountant (3 episodes, 1994)
Paul Van Der Weele	....	production accountant (3 episodes, 1994)
Gillian Zali	....	production secretary (3 episodes, 1994)
R.K. Yuill	....	military adviser (2 episodes, 1994)
Rodney Dodson	....	location chef (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• Tyne Tees Television

Distributors

• E1 Entertainment Distribution (2009) (USA) (DVD)
• BFS Video (1998) (USA) (VHS)
• BFS Video (2000) (USA) (DVD)
• Daily Mail Newspapers (2006) (UK) (DVD)
• Masterpiece Theatre (1995) (USA) (TV)
• Public Broadcasting Service (PBS) (1995) (USA) (TV)

Other Companies

• Sapex Scripts  post-production services

Also Known As:

Runtime:

145 min | UK:60 min (3 episodes)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Black and White | Color

Certification:

UK:PG | Australia:M | New Zealand:M

Company:

Tyne Tees Television

Goofs:

Anachronisms: The German soldiers are wearing the Picklhauber helmets. As this is 1917 they would be wearing the M16 steel helmet.

Quotes:

British Officer:Orders, protocol; the only thing they don't teach you is how to die with your guts hanging out. Does one cry "Carry on, men!" while pushing them back in or just let them drip while crying "Good luck, chaps!"?

Movie Connections:

Featured in "The Story of the Costume Drama: The Stars (#1.2)" (2008)

A highly enjoyable drama

The Cinder Path is a quite typical British TV-drama film/miniseries. It is one of those epic sorts of films that I really enjoy watching, like "Lorna Doone" or "Sharpe". Lloyd Owen, of the "Monarch of the Glen" fame, is quite impressive here as Charlie McFell, a man who was abused by his sadistic father and when his father is murdered, he protects the killer. He now has to take charge of the family farm, which is not an easy task for the introverted Charlie.He then hastily marries Victoria, daughter from a wealthy local family who is cold and deceptive. Zeta-Jones is outstanding in this part.

The story is very well crafted and builds up to a dramatic finale. Many are likely to find inspiration in the character of Charlie and his struggle to overcome his past and become a man of integrity. Hopeless romantics will also enjoy the romance between Charlie and Nellie, Victoria's much kinder sister.

All in all, this is as good as a BBC TV drama can get and also involves some impressively reenacted WW1 action. 9 1/2 out of 10.