"Canterbury Tales" The Man of Law's Tale (2003)

Director:

Julian Jarrold

Writers:

Geoffrey Chaucer (book)
Olivia Hetreed (writer)

TV Series:

"Canterbury Tales" (2003)

Original Air Date:

16 October 2003 (Season 1, Episode 6)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Fleeing persecution in her native Nigeria, Constance, an illegal immigrant, is taken in by Adam and Nicky Constable and falls...

Plot Keywords:

Place Name In Title | Modernized Version | TV Mini-Series

Cast

Nikki Amuka-Bird	...	Constance Musa
Adam Kotz	...	Adam Constable
Rakie Ayola	...	Nicky Constable
Andrew Lincoln	...	Alan King
Kika Markham	...	Leila King
Leo Bill	...	Terry
Leo Wringer	...	Minister
Lindelani Buthelezi	...	Embassy Official
Mo Amulundun	...	Minister's Wife
Hakeem Kae-Kazim	...	Yasouf
Mpho Osei Tutu	...	Man with Gun
Nomsa Xaba	...	Mother
Archie Panjabi	...	Clare
Sello Motloung	...	Big Man
Yule Masiteng	...	Priest
James Woolley	...	Prosecution Barrister
Donald Douglas	...	Judge

Directed by
Julian Jarrold

Writing credits
Geoffrey Chaucer		(book "The Canterbury Tales")
Olivia Hetreed		(writer)

Produced by
Kate Bartlett	....	producer
Sally Haynes	....	executive producer: BBC
Laura Mackie	....	executive producer: BBC
Carmel Maloney	....	line producer
Franc Roddam	....	executive producer: Ziji Productions

Original Music by
Adrian Johnston

Cinematography by
Sean Bobbitt		(director of photography)

Film Editing by
Chris Gill

Casting by
Jill Trevellick

Production Design by
Donal Woods

Art Direction by
Charmian Adams

Costume Design by
Rosie Hackett

Makeup Department
Alison Elliott	....	hair designer (as Alison Davies)
Susie Munachen	....	hair stylist
Susie Munachen	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Caroline McManus	....	post-production supervisor
Lance Samuels	....	production manager: South Africa

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Sean Guest	....	first assistant director (as Sean Cameron Guest)
James Andrew Haven	....	second assistant director (as James Haven)
Stefan Magnusson	....	third assistant director

Art Department
Jo Aitchison	....	stand-by art director
Graham Bishop	....	production buyer
Douglas Glen	....	stand-by props (as Douglas Glenn)
David Gray	....	stand-by rigger
Charlie Johnson	....	dressing props
Gary Moore	....	stand-by carpenter
Mike Power	....	property master
Charlie Redman	....	stand-by props
Brian Rowlands	....	dressing props

Sound Department
Tim Alban	....	dubbing mixer
Paul Davies	....	supervising sound editor
Steve Fish	....	boom operator
Bruce Wills	....	sound recordist

Stunts
Glenn Marks	....	stunt coordinator

Camera and Electrical Department
Brian Beaumont	....	gaffer
Wailoon Chung	....	electrician
Enrico Faccio	....	electrician
Ian Glenister	....	best boy
Nic Lawson	....	focus puller
Gary Parnham	....	electrician
James Scott	....	clapper loader
Colin Strachan	....	grip
Mark Thornton	....	electrician

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Liza Bracey	....	costume supervisor
Leigh Nicol	....	costume assistant

Editorial Department
Alice Greenland	....	post-production coordinator
Kevin Horsewood	....	telecine colorist
Ulrike Münch	....	assistant editor (as Ulrike Muench)

Music Department
Murray Gold	....	composer: title music
Matt Kaleda	....	music clearance

Other crew
Tim Baker	....	script editor
Biola Bankole	....	assistant accountant
Rupert Bray	....	location manager
Jethro Ensor	....	assistant location manager
Ben Holt	....	assistant coordinator
Josie Kelly	....	production accountant (as Josie Hadley)
Una Maguire	....	publicist
Jane Record	....	picture publicist
Gordon Ronald	....	production executive
Adele Steward	....	production coordinator
Emma Thomas	....	script supervisor

Art Direction by
Maddy Verrier		(as Madeleine Turnbull)

Sound Department
Christian Koefoed	....	sound effects editor
Jessie Taylor	....	foley editor

Other crew
Sarah Coombs	....	production runner
Alice Hadley	....	production runner

Production Companies

• New Africa Media Films (South Africa) (as NAM Films)

Other Companies

• Movie Lot, The  security

Company:

New Africa Media Films

Interesting

*** This review may contain spoilers ***

I read the original story and was excited at being able to recognize it in this TV special: Constances Christian faith, the couple that rescues her and whose lives she transforms, the man that perceives her noble spirit and falls in love with her... It has all been preserved and enlightened by the vision of our times. The decision to have Constance arrive from another country, more so, one where Christianity is at war with other spiritual believes, translates perfectly the original Constances struggle with being the foreigner devoid of a past, professing a suspicious religion, that shakes up her saviours lives and whose strong sense of self makes them question who they are and reveal it, sometimes in cruel ways. The great difference would be that "The Lawmans Tale" in Chaucers work is more about Constances faith than anything else, and this TV interpretation of the text is basically a love story. Perphaps that is where the project could be bettered, since there are some narrative irregularities that come from trying to merge the two concepts. As a love story the strength of it lies in the last two scenes where they come together. He reveals the acts of treachery that separated them as she comes clean with her past and gives them a future.