Iris Murdoch's novel proves to be a haunting affair in this 1982 TV adaptation, filled with people struggling to come to terms with their feelings and unable to escape their past. Set in 1958, the story begins with Dora Greenfield (Tessa Peake-Jones), a vivacious former art student who decides to leave her lover and the party life of London to return to her husband Paul, who is staying at Imber Court, a religious community situated next to an Abbey of nuns, whose manuscripts he is studying. She feels compelled to go back as she is certain he wouldn't cope without her, but soon discovers that just by returning to him is not going to make everything better. Paul (James Warwick) is openly cold towards her, unable to forgive her and hurt by her betrayal, and relations are not improved when Dora forgets her luggage on the train. But they are not the only ones dealing with inner turmoil there, as it becomes apparent at Imber Court that despite the tranquil settings and beautiful countryside, there is a cauldron of suppressed emotions just bubbling under the surface for some of the residents.
Among those members are Catherine Fawley (Trudie Styler), a fragile young woman who has suddenly applied to become a nun at the Abbey convent, a decision that seems to distress her twin brother Nick (Kenneth Cranham), who lives at the Lodge nearby. He is similarly troubled, a erratic alcoholic who is equally perturbed by the presence of religious founder Michael Meade (Ian Holm), who he knows from his past. Meade himself is in turmoil over his long suppressed homosexuality, and is disturbed to find those feelings resurface upon the arrival of Toby Gashe (Michael Maloney), a young student staying over for the holidays before he heads off to study at Oxford University. Toby is full of the seething mass of burgeoning sexuality of his age, and like with Dora, the new arrivals create hidden upheaval with their presence. Then there is the Abbey legend that haunts the area and why there is no bell in the bell tower. Paul relays the story to Dora of how centuries ago one of the nuns received a lover into the convent, only for him to fall to his death when leaving. Upon the discovery of his body, the other nuns confronted her but when she refused to confess, the bishop put a curse on the Abbey that caused the bell to fly into the lake. Distraught by this, the nun drowned herself in the lake in repentance for her sin and ever since if anyone hears the old bell it is a warning or omen of an approaching death.
Such is the setting for this drama, and the bell itself features prominently amid the events that occur - indeed, it is inadvertently the catalyst for the tragedy that is to come. The community itself is eagerly awaiting the arrival of a new bell to put in the Abbey tower for the nuns, which will be presented at a unveiling ceremony. But unbeknownst to them Toby has discovered the original bell at the bottom of the lake during one of his skinny dipping swims, but has no idea of it's significance. However Dora fully realizes it's importance when Toby mentions his find to her and still stung by the parallel her husband drew between the legend of the nun and her own infidelity, she sees the bell as a chance to please her husband and to try and atone for her sins. Swearing Toby to secrecy about his find, she persuades him to go along with her idea to raise the bell from the lake and substitute it for the new bell in order to present it as a miracle to the community and reaffirm their beliefs. Instead their efforts only create further complications and they little realize the chain of events that their actions will trigger that eventually lead to tragedy.
The Bell is a drama full of the conflicting emotions of human beings and of how love, guilt, faith, jealousy and sexual attraction can all combine to complicate matters, and sometimes spiral out of their control. And it is helped out enormously by it's cast, not least Tessa Peake-Jones in her first lead role. She perfectly encapsulates Dora's youth, vitality and naivety, hoping to put things right by returning to her husband, but finding that life is never that simple. She stands out like a sore thumb at Imber Court, so vibrant compared to the reserved members and their strict routines, and it's no wonder she struggles to adapt there and finds it lonely at times. It isn't helped by her husband Paul's attitude towards her, openly cold and still unable to forgive her for her affair. Although you can understand Paul's initial hurt, he is such a cold and unbending character I found him very hard to warm to. He continues to wound and berate Dora for her infidelity despite her efforts to please him, and as it progresses he becomes a increasingly disturbing character with his belittling, leading you to understand why she may of tried to leave him in the first place. And when her looks begin to attract attention from others in the group, it only fuels jealousy in him, and you can only sympathize when she looks in other quarters for someone to make her feel good about herself.
A lot has been made of the fact that Tessa appears nude in this, but it has to be said that such is the focus on the emotions of the characters that they pass with little notice, so easily do they blend into the story. Indeed, there is a fair bit of nudity and not all from Tessa, but her scenes could be said to represent her more liberated outlook and lifestyle compared to the oppressed emotions of the commune. Michael Maloney also strips off for a number of skinny dipping scenes in the lake, one of which is observed by Michael Meade, who struggles with his homosexuality and his attraction for Toby. Yet while it certainly awakens deeply suppressed feelings in Meade, Toby's swims are only ever seen as completely innocent and are beautifully shot as he seems at peace with nature. Michael Maloney is lovely as Toby, capturing his sweetness and innocence, as well as his bewilderment at his sexual awakening and conflicting emotions it entails. Kenneth Cranham also impresses as the troubled and volatile Nick Fawley, but it is Ian Holm as Michael Meade who steals the acting honours and who stays long in the memory. He conveys so many conflicting emotions as Meade, struggling with his homosexuality, haunted by the past, and tortured by religious guilt. It is a beautiful portrayal by Holm, whose mild mannered and polite demeanor even in difficult times make him a hugely sympathetic character. The agonies he goes through when he drives Toby back from the pub after getting drunk as he ponders whether to react on his feelings towards him or desist for fear of losing his friendship is superb. Even the mystery with Nick Fawley and suggestions about his past life does little to dampen feeling for him due to Holm's performance.
Despite all the praises I've lavished on this adaptation, there are flaws to it and one significant problem is that it is a rather ponderous serial at times. There is no doubt it is beautifully shot, with some enchanting country settings and lovely period details, while the acting performances cannot be questioned. But it could of done with being 3 episodes instead of 4, such is it's pace and the elongating of the plot. There are also some actors, like William Simons, Edward Hardwicke and even Gareth Thomas (as James Tayper Pace) who are given little to do with their characters, while it's conclusion leaves you feeling a little unresolved for at least one of the characters as they are left facing a crossroads in their life (although the book leaves you in no doubt of what happens). But it is effective and there is a pervading sense of tragedy that lingers throughout this adaptation - not just on what happens, but also the tragedy of so many people inhibited by their feelings to be unable to live through them without guilt. Overall, this is a drama that is slow, but beautifully shot, and whose heart is in the right place. It's concern is with human beings and all their various emotions, good and bad, and is boosted by some outstanding performances from Ian Holm and Tessa Peake-Jones. It's ponderous, yes, but one that will haunt the memory.
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