Little Dorrit (2008– )

The series tells the story of Amy Dorrit, who spends her days earning money for the family and looking after her proud father, who is a long term inmate of Marshalsea debtors' prison in ... See full summary »

Stars:

Claire Foy, Matthew Macfadyen, Tom Courtenay

Nominated for 1 Golden Globe. Another 8 wins & 21 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Claire Foy	...	Amy Dorrit (14 episodes, 2008)
Matthew Macfadyen	...	Arthur Clennam (14 episodes, 2008)
Tom Courtenay	...	Mr. Dorrit (14 episodes, 2008)
Emma Pierson	...	Fanny Dorrit (14 episodes, 2008)
Alun Armstrong	...	Flintwinch (12 episodes, 2008)
Judy Parfitt	...	Mrs. Clennam (12 episodes, 2008)
Eddie Marsan	...	Pancks (11 episodes, 2008)
Andy Serkis	...	Rigaud (11 episodes, 2008)
Rosie Cavaliero	...	Mrs. Plornish (10 episodes, 2008)
Russell Tovey	...	John Chivery (10 episodes, 2008)
Jason Thorpe	...	Cavalletto (10 episodes, 2008)
Amanda Redman	...	Mrs. Merdle (10 episodes, 2008)
Sebastian Armesto	...	Edmund Sparkler (9 episodes, 2008)
James Fleet	...	Frederick Dorrit (9 episodes, 2008)
Georgia King	...	Pet Gowan (9 episodes, 2008)
Ron Cook	...	Chivery (9 episodes, 2008)
Alex Wyndham	...	Henry Gowan (9 episodes, 2008)
Bill Paterson	...	Mr. Meagles (9 episodes, 2008)
Freema Agyeman	...	Tattycoram (8 episodes, 2008)
Zubin Varla	...	Daniel Doyce (8 episodes, 2008)
Janine Duvitski	...	Mrs. Meagles (8 episodes, 2008)
Anton Lesser	...	Mr. Merdle (7 episodes, 2008)
Nicholas Jones	...	Scary Butler (7 episodes, 2008)
Eve Myles	...	Maggy (7 episodes, 2008)
Arthur Darvill	...	Tip Dorrit (7 episodes, 2008)
Sue Johnston	...	Affery (7 episodes, 2008)
Maxine Peake	...	Miss Wade (7 episodes, 2008)
Ruth Jones	...	Flora Finching (7 episodes, 2008)
Pam Ferris	...	Mrs. General (6 episodes, 2008)
Jason Watkins	...	Plornish (6 episodes, 2008)
Annette Crosbie	...	Mr. F's Aunt (6 episodes, 2008)

Storyline

The series tells the story of Amy Dorrit, who spends her days earning money for the family and looking after her proud father, who is a long term inmate of Marshalsea debtors' prison in London. Amy and her family's world is transformed when her boss's son, Arthur Clennam, returns from overseas to solve his family's mysterious legacy and discovers that their lives are interlinked.

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Plot Keywords:

debtor's prison | debt | love | 19th century | mentally challenged | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

BBC [uk] PBS [us]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

26 October 2008 (UK)

Also Known As:

Charles Dickens' Little Dorrit

Filming Locations:

Buckinghamshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), NOVA/WGBH Boston

Technical Specs

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Trivia

The tan velvet hat worn by Maxine Peake (Miss Wade) is the same hat Marsha Fitzalan (Caroline Bingley) wears in the coach with Mr. Bingley in Pride and Prejudice.

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Connections

Version of Little Dorrit (1934)

User Reviews

Evocative picturisation, stellar cast, excellent performances - BBC at its best!

This BBC adaptation of the Dickens novel has enthralled me from the very beginning, mainly because of the outstanding quality of its performances. Every single character, even minor ones like the insufferably haughty Merdle butler or the paranoid Italian (perhaps with the exception of Maggy who's perfectly manicured fingernails in one close-up blew her otherwise worthy portrayal), has been ideally cast and all the actors are absolutely convincing in their delivery.

What made me write this comment, though, was Tom Courtenay's heart-wrenching performance as Mr. Dorrit for which I hope he will receive all the accolades he deserves. His multifaceted Dorrit awed me until the very end and will resonate with me for a long time.

What I particularly liked about the series was how we got more than a glimpse of all the characters' 'little lives', people going about their respective businesses, revolving in their little worlds. Even if a scene only touched on a certain character, setting, costumes, and dialogue provided ample information for the viewer to evoke the full picture of this character's life and to imagine how they would go on after the camera had panned away to continue with the main story.

On top of that, the great care put into the selection of costumes and locations made Little Dorrit a real feast for the eye, perfectly accompanied by the wonderful score by John Lunn.

May this be a 'true Dickens' or not, what it surely is, is Grand TV. And as such, it adds another sparkling jewel to my cherished collection of BBC adaptations.