Fanny Hill (2007– )

Orphaned by smallpox, young Lancashire country lady Fanny Hill cheerfully accepts her friend Esther Davies's offer to join the London 'working girls' with Mrs. Brown, a madam who recruits ... See full summary »

Stars:

Rebecca Night, Alison Steadman, Hugo Speer

1 nomination.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Rebecca Night	...	Fanny Hill (2 episodes, 2007)
Alison Steadman	...	Mrs. Brown (2 episodes, 2007)
Hugo Speer	...	Mr. H (2 episodes, 2007)
Emma Stansfield	...	Esther Davies (2 episodes, 2007)
Joanna Miller	...	Emma (2 episodes, 2007)
Carli Norris	...	Phoebe (2 episodes, 2007)
Ruth Sheen	...	Mrs Jones (2 episodes, 2007)
Samantha Bond	...	Mrs. Cole (2 episodes, 2007)
Claire Murphy	...	Louisa (2 episodes, 2007)
Alex Robertson	...	Charles Standing (2 episodes, 2007)
Philip Jackson	...	Mr. Croft (2 episodes, 2007)

Storyline

Orphaned by smallpox, young Lancashire country lady Fanny Hill cheerfully accepts her friend Esther Davies's offer to join the London 'working girls' with Mrs. Brown, a madam who recruits her as charmingly fresh enough to wait, in-living, on gentlemen. The first night, her room- and bed-mate Phoebe starts her sexual 'education', next she revels in being fitted her first-ever fancy frock. Her first 'client', Mr. Crofts, is neither naive nor attractive, rather a paying old rapist who isn't satisfied. Then the party scene, where men are younger and more charming. Handsome merchant's son Charles Standing declares love at first sight and offers to take Fanny away. After a few heavenly days of young love, they intend to demands Sir's blessing for their marriage, but as the ogre actually was her unsatisfied customer, Charles is made to choose between her and his future and leaves for colonial India. Being destitute, Fanny accepts becoming the kept woman of Mr. H., an earl's wealthy brother, ...

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Plot Keywords:

love | male rear nudity | tv mini series | undressing | sex | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Official Sites:

BBC Four [uk]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

22 October 2007 (UK)

Filming Locations:

Henley-on-Thames, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sally Head Productions

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min 60 min (2 episodes)

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

Although the word "fanny" is nowadays widely used as British slang for the female genitals, and has been since the 19th century, this connotation was unknown at the time when John Cleland wrote his novel. Consequently, lines such as Mrs Coles's "Be gentle with my little Fanny, sir" would not have been seen as double-entendres.

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Goofs

When Mr. Norbert dies at climax after making love to Fanny, he collapses on top of her, falling toward her left side. But in the next shot while she is calling for help, he is collapsed on her right.

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Quotes

[final words]
Fanny Hill: [voiceover] As to the moral of my story? Must one always have morals? It seems to me life is very complicated and we must all get through it the best we can. Virtue is always preferable to vice, but we can't always choose, can we?
[as she and her new husband Charles walk away, she turns and winks at the camera]

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Connections

Featured in The Story of the Costume Drama: Affairs of the Heart (2008)

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Soundtracks

"The Dusky Night"
(uncredited)
Traditional

User Reviews

Enjoyable adaptation

I've seen a 1983 British version of "Fanny Hill," which was enjoyable in a slap and tickle sort of way. This recent opus is probably a more "serious" treatment, with much less explicit sex than the 1980s film. The young woman playing Fanny here was very attractive, and this adaptation does, I believe, stick to the novel's premise in that Fanny does not make any real apologies for her past. It was circumstances that got her into prostitution, but she basically chose to stay there until it was possible for her to leave it. The film does comment on the double-standard of that era (and ours still) in that Mr. H. finds what Fanny does to be dishonest while willingly entering brothels himself. Yet some of the males, especially that terminally-ill young man who wants to pass his last days with Fanny and her co-workers, are sympathetic. Anyway, the costumes were good, period atmosphere authentic, and leading actress lovely (including brief nudity)and entertaining.