Masterpiece Theatre: Bleak House 

The great case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce drags on, an obsession to all involved. Then a question of inheritance becomes a question of murder.

Stars:

Diana Rigg, Denholm Elliott, Suzanne Burden

3 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Diana Rigg	...	Lady Honoria Dedlock 7 episodes, 1985
Denholm Elliott	...	John Jarndyce 7 episodes, 1985
Suzanne Burden	...	Esther Summerson 7 episodes, 1985
Jonathan Moore	...	William Guppy 7 episodes, 1985
Chris Pitt	...	Jo 6 episodes, 1985
Robin Bailey	...	Sir Leicester Dedlock 6 episodes, 1985
Lucy Hornak	...	Ada Clare 6 episodes, 1985
Philip Franks	...	Richard Carstone / ... 5 episodes, 1985
Sylvia Coleridge	...	Miss Flite 5 episodes, 1985
Bernard Hepton	...	Krook 5 episodes, 1985
Sam Kelly	...	Snagsby 5 episodes, 1985
Pamela Merrick	...	Hortense 5 episodes, 1985
Peter Vaughan	...	Tulkinghorn 5 episodes, 1985
T.P. McKenna	...	Harold Skimpole 4 episodes, 1985
Brian Deacon	...	Allan Woodcourt 4 episodes, 1985
Graham Crowden	...	Lord Chancellor 4 episodes, 1985
Eileen Davies	...	Judy Smallweed 4 episodes, 1985
Charlie Drake	...	Smallweed 4 episodes, 1985
Dave King	...	Sergeant George 4 episodes, 1985
Heather Tobias	...	Jenny / ... 4 episodes, 1985
Frank Windsor	...	Gridley 4 episodes, 1985
Robert Urquhart	...	Laurence Boythorn 3 episodes, 1985
Felicity Finch	...	Rosa 3 episodes, 1985
Samantha Holland	...	Charley Neckett 3 episodes, 1985
Harry Jones	...	Phil Squod 3 episodes, 1985
Kathy Burke	...	Guster 2 episodes, 1985
Jack Carr	...	Brickmaker / ... 2 episodes, 1985
Peter-Hugo Daly	...	Lizzy's Man / ... 2 episodes, 1985
Gabrielle Daye	...	Mrs. Rouncewell 2 episodes, 1985
Arthur Hewlett	...	Waggoner 2 episodes, 1985
Ian Hogg	...	Inspector Bucket 2 episodes, 1985
Stephen Kemble	...	Footman 2 episodes, 1985
Cathy Murphy	...	Housemaid 2 episodes, 1985
Katharine Page	...	Mrs. Smallweed 2 episodes, 1985
Rebecca Sebborn	...	Young Esther 2 episodes, 1985
George Sewell	...	Ironmaster Rouncewell 2 episodes, 1985
James Snell	...	Barrister 2 episodes, 1985
Donald Sumpter	...	'Nemo' 2 episodes, 1985
Wanda Toubas	...	Lizzy 2 episodes, 1985

Storyline

The great case of Jarndyce and Jarndyce drags on, an obsession to all involved. Then a question of inheritance becomes a question of murder.

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Plot Keywords:

murder | inheritance | secret | compassion | orphan | 

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Genres:

Drama | Crime

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Details

Official Sites:

PBS [United States]

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

10 April 1985 (UK)

Also Known As:

Masterpiece Theatre: Bleak House

Filming Locations:

Belton House, Belton, Lincolnshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

391 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Last TV drama role of Gerald Flood.

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Connections

Version of Bleak House (1959)

User Reviews

Long, but short

This and the 2005 version can be regarded as complimentary to each other, as each contains elements of the story not present in the other. In general, the 1985 version is strong on BLEAK, and the 2005 version is strong on characterizations. But there is so much more to the novel than even both versions together have given us. For example, the character in the book who is most central to the story is NOT Lady Dedlock, but Esther Summerson -- in the novel, much of the story is told by her in the first person, and it is her goodness, her wisdom, and her selflessness that set up the needed perspective to the victim vs. victimizer nature of many of the other characters. But really, the problem is that the book is on such a vast scale, that watching either version is like listening to a 15-minute version of a Bruckner symphony. Ideally, some day someone will just go ahead and take the entire novel as it is and use it as the screenplay.