Episode #4.0 (25 Dec. 2007)

Married for twenty-five years Audrey and Richard are feuding with another estate owner Archie Pennington-Booth,who sabotages them in a carriage race. Archie's farm has been doing poorly,... See full summary »

Director:

Gareth Gwenlan

Writer:

Peter Spence (by)

Stars:

Penelope Keith, Peter Bowles, Angela Thorne

Cast

Episode cast overview:
Penelope Keith	...	Audrey DeVere
Peter Bowles	...	Richard DeVere
Angela Thorne	...	Marjory Frobisher
Alexander Armstrong	...	Adam fforbes-Hamilton
Alan David	...	Emmeridge
Gerald Sim	...	The Rector
Michael Cochrane	...	Archie Pennington-Booth
Georgie Glen	...	Panel Chairman
Gabriel Pac	...	Czech Labourer
Maz Nieviarovski	...	Czech Labourer
David Hedges	...	Sgt. Trubshaw
Judith Street	...	Cleaning Lady

Storyline

Married for twenty-five years Audrey and Richard are feuding with another estate owner Archie Pennington-Booth,who sabotages them in a carriage race. Archie's farm has been doing poorly,along with other local estates and Audrey is horrified to learn that they have been beaten in competition to supply supermarkets by Farmer Tom,a company owned by Richard. Disgusted with her husband she leaves him and moves in with Marjory. Richard is planning a rock concert to be held jointly between the manor and Archie's farm and goes to court to apply for a licence.However Audrey turns up and is clearly disapproving. Thus Richard drops the idea and wins back his wife by throwing a surprise anniversary party for her.

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

25 December 2007 (UK)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Arlington Productions, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

60 min

Color:

Color

User Reviews

Updating the classics

I've just watched this chapter and I hope they will do some more. I enjoyed it a lot. The actors are as fresh as ever, they depict the characters after some years later and it seems to me realistic the evolution of the pair after living together for so long. As always, my favourite is Angela Thorne, (it doesn't mean I don't praise Penelope Keith and Peter Bowles, but I've always had a soft spot for Farrington), and I also found the butler an interesting new character. Updating To The Manor Born is bold and I understand there are some aspects that cannot be like in the old times, just because they no longer exist (as many brilliant actors from the original series who died), but there are some present day issues that annoy Audrey (like Big Brother or the rock concert) that will end up in the funniest settings. Finally, the photography is better than ever, the landscape is fabulous and the film has been shot gorgeously, the landscape becoming one character more, as it is the Manor Born.