Clarissa 

A virtuous young woman is oppressed by her ambitious family and a rake who's becomes obsessed with her.

Stars:

Sean Bean, Saskia Wickham, Jonny Phillips

5 nominations.

Cast

Complete series cast summary:
Sean Bean	...	Lovelace 4 episodes, 1991
Saskia Wickham	...	Clarissa Harlowe 4 episodes, 1991
Jonny Phillips	...	James 4 episodes, 1991
Lynsey Baxter	...	Arabella Harlowe / ... 4 episodes, 1991
Hermione Norris	...	Anna Howe 4 episodes, 1991
Sean Pertwee	...	Jack Belford 4 episodes, 1991
Jeffry Wickham	...	Mr. Harlowe 3 episodes, 1991
Cathryn Harrison	...	Mrs. Sinclair 3 episodes, 1991
Shirley Henderson	...	Sally 3 episodes, 1991
Lucy Robinson	...	Deb 3 episodes, 1991
Darby Hawker	...	Dorcas 3 episodes, 1991
Frances Viner	...	Mrs. Harlowe 3 episodes, 1991
Ralph Riach	...	Uncle Anthony 3 episodes, 1991
Jon Sotherton	...	Hickman 3 episodes, 1991
Matthew Wait	...	Joe Leman 3 episodes, 1991
Michael Feast	...	Tomlinson 2 episodes, 1991
Julian Firth	...	Solmes 2 episodes, 1991
Lorna Heilbron	...	Mrs. Howe 2 episodes, 1991
Julia Dearden	...	Mrs. Moore 2 episodes, 1991
Allison Hancock	...	Betty 2 episodes, 1991

Storyline

Clarissa Harlowe is a young 18th-century Englishwoman. Her family have aspirations to move into the aristocracy and want her to marry the repellent Mr Soames as part of their plan. Clarissa manages to escape from them with the help of the handsome Lovelace, whose intentions towards her prove to be less than entirely honourable.

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Plot Keywords:

18th century | georgian era | virtue | sword fight | ruse | 

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Genres:

History

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Details

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Release Date:

5 April 1992 (USA)

Also Known As:

Samuel Richardson's Clarissa - History of a Young Lady

Filming Locations:

Brocket Hall, Lemsford, Welwyn Garden City, Hertfordshire, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), WGBH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

180 min (3 parts)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

With a budget of over £3 million, filming on Clarissa began 29 Apr 1991 and continued for 16 weeks until 19 July 1991. Locations included several large country houses (one in the north of England, another near Stratford, and a third in Hampstead). Some exteriors were shot outside The Inns of Court in London but much of the filming was done at London's Ealing Studios, where a three-storey Georgian house was specially constructed for the series.

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Quotes

Clarissa: Do not be sad. I am not sad. Rejoice with me that all my worldly troubles are so near an end.

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Soundtracks

Cuckolds All A Row
(uncredited)
Traditional
From John Playford's 'The English Dancing Master', First Edition (1651)

User Reviews

Many TV series have faded but not so Clarissa. We yearn to see it once more and yet again and again.

Please when will Clarissa be shown on TV again and when will it be available commercially? What are the reasons it hasn't been available as yet? After all these years I still can recall how good it was. I want my children now they are older to have the opportunity of appreciating it more. The story was so intriguing and the character of Lovelace a very complex and interesting person. Even though he was a rake he still had good points and cared for his workers who were loyal to him. He was a proud and vengeful man. This was his downfall and he lost everything even his life which in the end he was glad to give to make up for what he had done to Clarissa. He genuinely cared for her but sullied it. And then to learn that she could have loved him but he spoilt it for always and it was lost for ever.