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A Woman of Substance

  • TV Mini Series
  • 19841984
  • 5h
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
994
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
7,024
697
A Woman of Substance (1984)
A Woman Of Substance
Play trailer2:05
1 Video
12 Photos
DramaRomance
Emma Harte, a bright and ambitious servant girl, overcomes her impoverished beginnings in her quest to become a retailing magnate and one of the world's richest women.Emma Harte, a bright and ambitious servant girl, overcomes her impoverished beginnings in her quest to become a retailing magnate and one of the world's richest women.Emma Harte, a bright and ambitious servant girl, overcomes her impoverished beginnings in her quest to become a retailing magnate and one of the world's richest women.
IMDb RATING
7.5/10
994
YOUR RATING
POPULARITY
7,024
697
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Stars
      • Jenny Seagrove
      • Barry Bostwick
      • Deborah Kerr
    Top credits
    • Stars
      • Jenny Seagrove
      • Barry Bostwick
      • Deborah Kerr
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 21User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
    • Nominated for 2 Primetime Emmys
      • 2 nominations total

    Episodes3

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated
    1 Season
    1985

    Videos1

    A Woman Of Substance
    Trailer 2:05
    A Woman Of Substance

    Photos12

    A Woman of Substance (1984)
    A Woman of Substance (1984)
    A Woman of Substance (1984)
    A Woman of Substance (1984)
    A Woman of Substance (1984)
    A Woman of Substance (1984)
    A Woman of Substance (1984)
    A Woman of Substance (1984)
    A Woman of Substance (1984)
    Jenny Seagrove, Barry Bostwick, Deborah Kerr in A WOMAN OF SUBSTANCE
    A Woman of Substance (1984)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Jenny Seagrove
    Jenny Seagrove
    • Young Emma Harte
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Barry Bostwick
    Barry Bostwick
    • Major Paul McGill
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Deborah Kerr
    Deborah Kerr
    • Emma Harte
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Diane Baker
    Diane Baker
    • Laura O'Neill
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Peter Chelsom
    Peter Chelsom
    • Edwin Fairley
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    John Duttine
    John Duttine
    • Joe Lowther
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Peter Egan
    Peter Egan
    • Adam Fairley
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Mick Ford
    Mick Ford
    • Frank Harte
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Christopher Gable
    Christopher Gable
    • Arthur Ainsley
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Christopher Guard
    • Gerald Fairley
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Dominic Guard
    Dominic Guard
    • Winston Harte
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Del Henney
    • Jack Harte
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Gayle Hunnicutt
    Gayle Hunnicutt
    • Olivia Wainwright
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Barry Morse
    Barry Morse
    • Murgatroyd
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Liam Neeson
    Liam Neeson
    • Blackie O'Neill
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Nicola Pagett
    Nicola Pagett
    • Adele Fairley
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Miranda Richardson
    Miranda Richardson
    • Paula McGill Amory
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    Joris Stuyck
    Joris Stuyck
    • David Kallinski
    3 episodes3 eps • 1985
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      The store in London which is supposed to be "Harte's", is actually the real Harrods London. Harrods allowed the producers to film the store with a "Harte's" sign in place of the Harrods sign, in green with gold lettering, and even in the same style of lettering. Interestingly, Harrods does not include an apostrophe on its famous sign, but the sign for "Harte's" has one. Harrods also gave permission for scenes to be filmed in the interior of the famous London store.
    • Goofs
      The transatlantic liner Queen Elizabeth on which Paul McGill says he is booked to go to the USA in 1939 was not completed until 1940 and did not enter commercial service until after WW2, about 1946. He may have meant the Queen Mary.
    • Quotes

      Gerald Fairley: [late in the film, after Emma has purchased everything the Fairleys once owned] How can you cold-bloodedly set out to ruin someone?

      Young Emma Harte: That was my plan, but you did it yourself, really. I just helped you along the way.

    • Connections
      Featured in The 37th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards (1985)

    User reviews21

    Review
    Top review
    Triple-hanky weepie
    Even the most hard-hearted will find it difficult to resist the spell of this stylish mini-series. The audience is put through the emotional mangle as spirited heroine Emma Harte endures every setback and hardship going, yet still wins through.

    Part of the fascination of the series lies in the quite remarkable cast. Jenny Seagrove splendid as the indefatigable Emma ; a young Liam Neeson and Miranda Richardson ; dear old Barry Morse ; Deborah Kerr as the older Emma ; Christopher Guard as the blackguardly villain, who gets his comeuppance in one of the most satisfying scenes ; and Peter Chelsom, who went on to direct the hit British film "Hear My Song", as well as the less successful "Funny Bones".
    helpful•9
    2
    • heedarmy
    • Feb 5, 2000

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 25, 1984 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Des Lebens bittere Süße
    • Filming locations
      • Brimham Rocks, Harrogate, North Yorkshire, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • Portman Artemis Productions
      • Portman Productions
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      5 hours
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1

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