Silas Marner (1985)

When a respectable weaver is wrongfully accused of theft, he becomes a virtual hermit until his own fortune is stolen and an orphaned child is found on his doorstep.

Director:

Giles Foster

Writers:

George Eliot (novel), Giles Foster (screenplay)

Stars:

Ben Kingsley, Jenny Agutter, Patrick Ryecart

6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Ben Kingsley	...	Silas Marner
Jenny Agutter	...	Nancy Lammeter
Patrick Ryecart	...	Godfrey Cass
Freddie Jones	...	Squire Cass
Jonathan Coy	...	Dunstan Cass
Patsy Kensit	...	Eppie
Elizabeth Hoyle	...	Baby Eppie
Melinda Whiting	...	Little Eppie
Angela Pleasence	...	Molly
Rosemary Martin	...	Dolly Winthrop
Robert Putt	...	Ben Winthrop
Jim Broadbent	...	Jem Rodney
Tony Caunter	...	Mr. Snell
Michael Bilton	...	Mr. Macey
Nick Brimble	...	Bob Dowlas

Storyline

In 19th-century England, a misanthropic weaver named Silas Marner hoards his gold. But his life changes when his gold is stolen, and then a baby girl wanders into his life. He raises little Eppie, but her real father is not far away.

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Plot Keywords:

male protagonist | adoptive father adopted daughter relationship | period drama | gold | weaver | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Did You Know?

Alternate Versions

This film has different endings: close up of Marner gazing in awe at the sky of his future (broadcast version) and a close up of Marner weeping (video).

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Connections

Version of Silas Marner (1916)

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Soundtracks

Over the Hills and Far Away
Traditional

User Reviews

Raveloe's Miserly Misanthrope

In the great Frank Capra classic Meet John Doe, when Gary Cooper first meets up with Regis Toomey and others in the small town that he got off after fleeing the radio station after the speech, among the stories that Toomey tells is about Sourpuss Smithers. He's described as a miserly cuss that no one would bother with. But when the budding John Does investigated they found there was a reason why a person can become as mean and cynical as they are. It can happen when your faith in people is shattered.

Which is exactly what George Elliott wrote about when she created Silas Marner who starts out as a decent soul. He's accused of a theft and while nothing can be proved and there's indication he was framed, the good Calvinist people of his church blackball him and since that's what the majority of his town were, he was left isolated.

Marner leaves that town and settles near another town called Raveloe where he lives apart and alone, hoarding his money made from his weaver's trade and refusing to associate with anyone else. He's robbed of his money and this further embitters him.

But coming into his life is a young girl maybe a year or two old who is found by the weaver in the dead of winter wandering in the woods. The body of her opium addicted mother is nearby. The young girl has a lineage connected to Raveloe's most prominent family. Still Marner takes her into raise and that contact melts him. He becomes quite the caring person.

Ben Kingsley plays the title role of Silas Marner and dominates the film as the character dominates the book. Kingsley is superb in a role that calls for the individual to gradually shift in emotions over the course of the story. Angela Pleasence as the young girl's degenerate mother makes her scenes count as well as does the young lady who grows up to be Patsy Kensit.

Still you will remember Ben Kingsley's performance which will linger with you a long time after you see this Masterpiece Theater production of Silas Marner.

Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

30 December 1985 (UK)

Also Known As:

Silas Marner

Filming Locations:

Cotswolds, Oxfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

A+E Networks, British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

92 min

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1