"Aristocrats" (1999) TV mini-series

Director:

David Caffrey

Writers:

Harriet O'Carroll (writer)
Stella Tillyard (biography)

Seasons:

1

Release Date:

10 October 1999 (USA)

Genre:

Drama | History

Plot Keywords:

Marriage | Horse Riding | Costume | Extramarital Affair | Fireworks

Awards:

4 nominations

Cast

Siân Phillips	...	Narrator / ... (6 episodes, 1999)
Serena Gordon	...	Caroline (5 episodes, 1999)
Alun Armstrong	...	Henry Fox (5 episodes, 1999)
Geraldine Somerville	...	Lady Emily (5 episodes, 1999)
Ben Daniels	...	Lord Kildare (5 episodes, 1999)
Anne-Marie Duff	...	Louisa (4 episodes, 1999)
Tom Mullion	...	Thomas Conolly (4 episodes, 1999)
Jodhi May	...	Sarah (4 episodes, 1999)
Toby Jones	...	Ste Fox (4 episodes, 1999)
Hugh Sachs	...	Charles James Fox (4 episodes, 1999)
Clive Swift	...	King George II (3 episodes, 1999)
Katherine Wogan	...	Mary Third Duchess of Richmond (3 episodes, 1999)
Tom Beard	...	Third Duke of Richmond (3 episodes, 1999)
Andrew Fitzsimons	...	Young Lord Edward (3 episodes, 1999)
Brendan Morrissey	...	Fox's Butler (3 episodes, 1999)
Julian Fellowes	...	Lord Richmond (2 episodes, 1999)
Diane Fletcher	...	Lady Richmond (2 episodes, 1999)
Andrew Havill	...	Charles Bunbury (2 episodes, 1999)
George Anton	...	William Ogilvie (2 episodes, 1999)
Katharine Rogers	...	Princess Caroline (2 episodes, 1999)
John Light	...	Edward Fitzgerald (2 episodes, 1999)
Carl Brennan	...	Young George (2 episodes, 1999)
Jeremy Bulloch	...	Older George Napier (2 episodes, 1999)
Patrick Duncan	...	Party Guest (2 episodes, 1999)
David Gant	...	Older Ogilvie (2 episodes, 1999)
Frank Kelly	...	George Selwyn (2 episodes, 1999)
Lara Madden	...	Young Lady Sarah (2 episodes, 1999)
Pauline McLynn	...	Susan Fox-Strangways (2 episodes, 1999)
Saoirse O'Brien	...	Young Lady Louisa (2 episodes, 1999)
Jérôme Pradon	...	Duc de Lauzun (2 episodes, 1999)
Diana Quick	...	Older Lady Louisa (2 episodes, 1999)
Paul Ridley	...	Older Tom Conolly (2 episodes, 1999)
Eamon Rohan	...	Horace Walpole (2 episodes, 1999)
Sheila Ruskin	...	Older Lady Sarah (2 episodes, 1999)
William Sparks	...	Young Charles (2 episodes, 1999)
Amelia Warner	...	Lady Cecelia (2 episodes, 1999)
Adam Webb	...	William Fitzgerald (2 episodes, 1999)

Series Directed by
David Caffrey		(unknown episodes)

Series Writing credits
Harriet O'Carroll		(unknown episodes)
Stella Tillyard		(unknown episodes)

Series Produced by
Rebecca Eaton	....	executive producer: WGBH (unknown episodes)
Christopher Hall	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Melanie Howard	....	associate producer: BBC (unknown episodes)
John McDonnell	....	co-producer: Irish Screen (unknown episodes)
David McLoughlin	....	co-producer: Irish Screen (unknown episodes)
Kevin Menton	....	executive producer: Irish Screen (unknown episodes)
David Snodin	....	producer (unknown episodes)
Rod Stoneman	....	executive producer (unknown episodes)
Nigel Warren-Green	....	executive producer: Irish Screen (unknown episodes)
Michael Wearing	....	executive producer: BBC (unknown episodes)

Series Original Music by
Mark Thomas		(unknown episodes)

Series Cinematography by
James Welland		(unknown episodes)

Series Film Editing by
Neil Thomson		(unknown episodes)

Series Casting by
John Hubbard		(unknown episodes)
Ros Hubbard		(unknown episodes)

Series Production Design by
Gerry Scott		(unknown episodes)

Series Art Direction by
Mark Kebby		(unknown episodes)
Laurence Williams		(unknown episodes)

Series Costume Design by
James Keast		(unknown episodes)

Series Makeup Department
Sandra Kelly	....	hair stylist (unknown episodes)
Lesley Lamont-Fisher	....	makeup designer (unknown episodes)
Chris Redman	....	assistant hair stylist / assistant makeup artist (unknown episodes)

Series Production Management
Bruce Everett	....	post-production supervisor (unknown episodes)
Seamus McInerney	....	production manager (unknown episodes)

Series Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sean Griffin	....	trainee assistant director (unknown episodes)
Suzanne Nicell	....	second assistant director (unknown episodes)
Robert Quinn	....	first assistant director (unknown episodes)

Series Art Department
Christine Buttner	....	graphic designer (unknown episodes)
Mick Flood	....	property master (unknown episodes)
Michael Higgins	....	assistant art director (unknown episodes)
Dave Kinsella	....	dressing props (unknown episodes)
Dave Morris	....	property buyer (unknown episodes)
Carla O'Connor	....	property buyer (unknown episodes)
Tony Roche	....	master painter (unknown episodes)
Noel Walsh	....	stand-by props (unknown episodes)

Series Sound Department
Conor O'Toole	....	boom operator (6 episodes, 1999)
Harry Barnes	....	foley editor (unknown episodes)
David Old	....	dubbing mixer (unknown episodes)
Colin Ritchie	....	dialogue editor (unknown episodes)
Steve Schwalbe	....	post-production sound (unknown episodes)
Simon J. Willis	....	sound / sound mixer (unknown episodes)

Series Special Effects by
Paul Byrne	....	special effects trainee (2 episodes, 1999)

Series Stunts
Philippe Zone	....	stunts (unknown episodes)

Series Camera and Electrical Department
John Bailie	....	first assistant camera (unknown episodes)
Con Dempsey	....	gaffer (unknown episodes)
Roy Harrison	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Ciaran Kavanagh	....	focus puller (unknown episodes)
Niall Mannion	....	electrician (unknown episodes)
Joe Martin	....	grip (unknown episodes)
Patrick Redmond	....	still photographer (unknown episodes)

Series Casting Department
Mary Maguire	....	casting assistant (unknown episodes)
Lisa-Anne Porter	....	casting assistant (unknown episodes)

Series Costume and Wardrobe Department
Fiona Whelan	....	wardrobe assistant (6 episodes, 1999)
Michael Johnson	....	costume design assistant (unknown episodes)
Rhona McGuirke	....	wardrobe supervisor (unknown episodes)

Series Editorial Department
Cherry Brewer	....	post-production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Laura Evans	....	assistant editor (unknown episodes)

Series Transportation Department
Brendan King	....	unit driver (unknown episodes)
Eamonn Murphy	....	transportation captain (unknown episodes)
Michael Phelan	....	unit driver (unknown episodes)

Series Other crew
Renee Burke	....	script supervisor (unknown episodes)
Dougal Cousins	....	location manager (unknown episodes)
Lisa Drayne	....	assistant production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Mark Galbraith	....	production executive: BBC (unknown episodes)
Lisa Kelly	....	location assistant (unknown episodes)
Suzanne McAuley	....	accounts assistant (unknown episodes)
John McKenna	....	armorer (unknown episodes)
Johnny Mulligan	....	production accountant (unknown episodes)
Michael Swan	....	location assistant (unknown episodes)
Clodagh Tierney	....	assistant location manager (unknown episodes)
Jenny Uglow	....	historical advisor (unknown episodes)
Breda Walsh	....	production coordinator (unknown episodes)
Derek Wax	....	script editor (unknown episodes)

Production Companies

• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
• Irish Screen
• WGBH

Distributors

• Atlantic Film (2009) (Sweden) (DVD)
• British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

50 min (6 episodes)

Country:

UK | Ireland | USA

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Carton House, Maynooth, County Kildare, Ireland

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

The beaded necklace Geraldine Somerville (Lady Emily) wears during the scene in which her character reads a letter from her son, who is at Eton, is the same necklace Kate Beckinsale (Emma Woodhouse) wears when she sings with Frank Churchill at Randalls in _Emma (1996)(TV)_.

Goofs:

Miscellaneous: Geraldine Somerville, who was the principal actress playing the second Lennox sister Emily, appears in the background as a mourner in the scene where Lady Caroline and Mr. Fox are talking at a funeral in the first episode of the series. At this point in the story, the character of Emily is a child so Geraldine was available as an extra and the casting directors didn't think anyone would notice.

Quotes:

Lady Emily:Is not the act of love... strange? Jimmy says that its frequent use is necessary to a woman's health and happiness.
Caroline:That's abominably indelicate.
Lady Emily:He says what he thinks.
Caroline:I'm sure one sees many mighty comfortable old virgins.
Lady Emily:Perhaps that is so. But one is awfully glad not to be among them...

Movie Connections:

Featured in The Making of 'Aristocrats' (1999) (TV)

Soundtrack:

The Croppy Boy

Empty Characters, Strange Pacing

Based on a true story, Aristocrats follows an English aristocratic family, who claims royal blood and status via Charles II bastard lineage. The convoluted time-line in fits and starts, takes place prior to the American Revolution on through to the Irish uprising in 1798.

The story starts out interestingly enough, but at about part 3 of 6 you begin to wonder if there is a point to the story. The last 3 parts are simply depressing. More than anything, the time-line begins to rapidly fly by without any specific storyline accountability nor historical grounding. The casting is odd in general. In particular, as the characters age, the casting changes are really horrible choices that offer no consistency or context of character and plot.

If you've nothing else, you may find this a mild diversion. But all in all, this doesn't measure up to the BBC's standards.