The Witch's Daughter (TV 1996)

Zelda, a young woman whose husband is lost at sea, and her 12-year-old daughter, Perdita, live off the coast of Scotland on the small island of Skua. The islanders believe Zelda is a witch,... See full summary »

Director:

Alan Macmillan

Writers:

Nina Bawden (novel), Simon Booker

Stars:

Patrick Bergin, Leigh Blagi, Richard Claxton

Cast

Credited cast:
Patrick Bergin	...	Mr. Smith
Leigh Blagi	...	Helen Hoggart
Richard Claxton	...	Tim
Guy Cochrane	...	Billy Mackay
Peter Firth	...	Mr. Jones
Susan Gilmore	...	Annie
Samantha Glenn	...	Perdita (as Sammy Glenn)
Roy Hanlon	...	Will Campbell
Charles Jamieson	...	D.I. Hall
Simone Lahbib	...	Zelda
Stewart Preston	...	D.I. Petrie
Annie Louise Ross	...	Betty Tarbutt
Allan Sharpe	...	Jock Tarbutt
Gareth Thomas	...	Dan Mackay
Tim Webster	...	Paramedic

Storyline

Zelda, a young woman whose husband is lost at sea, and her 12-year-old daughter, Perdita, live off the coast of Scotland on the small island of Skua. The islanders believe Zelda is a witch, but her sister, Annie, says Zelda is just "different." Certain that her husband will never return, Zelda drowns herself. When lobsters, the islanders' main source of trade, suddenly disappear, the people decide that Zelda has put a curse on the sea for taking her husband's life. As a result, the orphaned Perdita is banned from school, taunted by other children, and branded by the community as "the witch's daughter."

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English

Also Known As:

Das Mädchen mit den zwei Gesichtern

Company Credits

Production Co:

Flextech Television Limited, Hallmark Entertainment, Scottish Television Enterprises

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Too Many Holes

It's a pleasant movie particularly for pre-teens but it has so many moments when characters do completely illogical things that it begins to generate groans of "Oh come on," and I'm not referring to the psychic plot points which are perfectly acceptable given the nature of the story.

The acting is competent, if not particularly inspired, all around but the reviewer who criticized the "robust cheerfulness" of the young actress who plays Perdita was spot on.

I kept watching in no small measure because of the location shots which are lovely, but if I were Scottish, I'd be thoroughly cranky about the clichéd stereotypes written for most of the supporting characters.