A Woman of Substance charts the life of Emma Harte, from kitchen maid at the beginning of the 20th Century, to respected business woman and Grandmother in the 1980's. From humble beginnings...
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S1.E1
As her children plot the takeover of her retail empire, Emma Harte plans her own counter-moves against them. Emma started life as a maid in the home of Adam Fairley, the wealthy local mill owner. She...
S1.E2
Now in Leeds, the pregnant Emma Harte learns that Blackie O'Neill has gone to Ireland to care for a sick friend. She finds a place to stay but has tried everywhere to get a job with no success. Her ...
S1.E3
As Emma Harte's empire grows, she arranges her assets in such a way as no one knows she is the buyer, noting that most men don't like dealing with a woman on business matters. The various layers of ...
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Title: A Woman of Substance (1984– )
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Nominated for
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A Woman of Substance charts the life of Emma Harte, from kitchen maid at the beginning of the 20th Century, to respected business woman and Grandmother in the 1980's. From humble beginnings Emma Harte starts her business with a small shop, but over the next twenty years she expands her stores and invests in the growing textile industry in Leeds. By the time of World War 2, Emma is the head of a major retail and manufacturing empire, but she has struggled all her life to find love. After an illegitimate daughter and two marriages, she finally meets the love of her life, Paul McGill, but their affair is cut short by a tragic accident, leaving Emma with his daughter. In the 1980's Emma faces one of her biggest tests - her childrens attempt to remove her as head of her company, but Emma is far from the senile old woman they think she is - she is determined to stop them at all costs. Written by Stacey Mitchell
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Country:
UKLanguage:
EnglishRelease Date:
25 November 1984 (USA) See more »Also Known As:
A Woman of Substance Trilogy See more »Company Credits
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Runtime:
(5 episodes) | (DVD)Sound Mix:
MonoColor:
ColorAspect Ratio:
1.33 : 1
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Did You Know?
Trivia
As of 2010, 25 years after it was first screened, this is still the highest ever rated programme on Channel 4 in the UK - peaking at 13.84 million viewers on the third night - 4th January 1985. See more »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. See more »Quotes
Young Emma Harte: [to Gerald, after he has attempted to rape her early in the film] I mean to ruin you... all of you. The entire Fairley family.See more »
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I am a huge movie buff, and Women of Substance is my all time favorite. I taped it originally as a mini series- have both the VHS and DVD versions. I watch it in its entirety at least twice a year (just watched a few weeks ago). Jenny Seagrove and Liam N's acting are great. I especially like Jenny's character as she confronts the family she worked for and Deborah Kerr's fantastic will reading scenes with her family are the epitome of watching this 6 hour mini series. It truly shows the strength of women in business. My wife and I happened to be a Disneyworld and walked into a small book store, only to be delighted by Barbara Taylor Bradford being there signing books...it was great. Enjoy the movie...for me it ranks with the Wizard of Oz, Casablanca and other greats of our time!