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The Sculptress

  • TV Mini Series
  • 1996– 1996–
  • 3h
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
370
YOUR RATING
Episode guide
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • IMDbPro
The Sculptress (1996)
The Sculptress
Play trailer1:08
1 Video
4 Photos
  • Crime
  • Drama
  • Mystery
Olive Martin (Quirke), a heavily overweight young woman is convicted of killing and butchering her mother and sister and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, when she is assigned to writ... Read allOlive Martin (Quirke), a heavily overweight young woman is convicted of killing and butchering her mother and sister and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, when she is assigned to write a book about her life, author Rosalind Leigh (Goodall) begins to develop a relationship ... Read allOlive Martin (Quirke), a heavily overweight young woman is convicted of killing and butchering her mother and sister and sentenced to life imprisonment. However, when she is assigned to write a book about her life, author Rosalind Leigh (Goodall) begins to develop a relationship with Olive and is soon convinced of her innocence. With the help of restaurant owner and f... Read all
IMDb RATING
7.3/10
370
YOUR RATING
  • Stars
    • Pauline Quirke
    • Caroline Goodall
    • Christopher Fulford
Top credits
  • Stars
    • Pauline Quirke
    • Caroline Goodall
    • Christopher Fulford
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 5User reviews
    • 1Critic review
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 1 BAFTA Award
      • 3 wins & 3 nominations total

    Episodes4

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated
    1 Season
    1996

    Videos1

    The Sculptress
    Trailer 1:08
    The Sculptress

    Photos

    The Sculptress (1996)
    The Sculptress (1996)
    The Sculptress (1996)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Pauline Quirke
    Pauline Quirke
    • Olive Martinas Olive Martin
    4 episodes4 eps • 1996
    Caroline Goodall
    Caroline Goodall
    • Rosalind Leighas Rosalind Leigh
    4 episodes4 eps • 1996
    Christopher Fulford
    Christopher Fulford
    • Hal Hawksleyas Hal Hawksley
    4 episodes4 eps • 1996
    Sophie Stanton
    Sophie Stanton
    • Prison Officer #1as Prison Officer #1
    4 episodes4 eps • 1996
    Michael Percival
    Michael Percival
    • Peter Crewas Peter Crew
    4 episodes4 eps • 1996
    Maureen Hibbert
    Maureen Hibbert
    • Prison Officer #2as Prison Officer #2
    4 episodes4 eps • 1996
    Dermot Crowley
    Dermot Crowley
    • Father Julianas Father Julian
    4 episodes4 eps • 1996
    David Horovitch
    David Horovitch
    • Edward Clarkeas Edward Clarke
    3 episodes3 eps • 1996
    Ann Davies
    • Dorothy Clarkeas Dorothy Clarke
    3 episodes3 eps • 1996
    James McCarthy
    • Geoff Wyattas Geoff Wyatt
    2 episodes2 eps • 1996
    Angela Belton
    • Dinaas Dina
    2 episodes2 eps • 1996
    Timothy Bateson
    Timothy Bateson
    • Albert Hayesas Albert Hayes
    2 episodes2 eps • 1996
    Jay Villiers
    Jay Villiers
    • Rupertas Rupert
    2 episodes2 eps • 1996
    Wendy Nottingham
    • Marnie O'Brienas Marnie O'Brien
    2 episodes2 eps • 1996
    Jim Barclay
    • Reggie Wheelanas Reggie Wheelan
    2 episodes2 eps • 1996
    Karen Westwood
    Karen Westwood
    • Amber Martinas Amber Martin
    2 episodes2 eps • 1996
    Lynda Rooke
    • Irisas Iris
    1 episode1 ep • 1996
    Felicity Finch
    • Sally Wyattas Sally Wyatt
    1 episode1 ep • 1996
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
    • All cast & crew

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Pauline Quirke wore a bulky, 22-stone "fat suit" in order to look the part for her role as the heavyweight killer Olive Martin.
    • Connections
      References Demons 2 (1986)

    User reviews5

    Review
    Top review
    6/10
    Good but could have been better.
    Having stumbled upon 'The Sculptress' on IMDb some years ago, I was immediately interested: Pauline Quirke ('Birds of a Feather') playing Olive Martin, a young woman incarcerated for brutally murdering her mother and sister, with Caroline Goodall as a work-hungry novelist trying to understand get inside her murderous psyche. After a few years trying to see it, I finally managed to borrow it on an old VCR and settle down one evening to watch it.

    The first hour and a half is highly captivating portraying Olive and Roz (Goodall) initial encounter with Roz embarking on her investigation. The acting between Quirke and Goodall is fantastic, the script is well written and the directing is highly admirable. It was a pleasant surprise to see the exteriors of Oxford Prison, primarily known for it's use on ITVs 'Bad Girls', being used for the forbidden jail where much of the action takes place.

    My main issue with 'The Sculptress' would be that I did find that the scriptwriter (and possibly Minnette Walters in her original novel) went off on a complete, wild tangent. He appears to forget about Quirke - who for the bulk of the second hour and half isn't featured – and instead focuses way too much on Goodhall's character and the unnecessary subplots surrounding her character. Because of this, the dark psychological thriller-element seems to be abandoned and it quickly turns into any other trashy TV drama. The seemingly-hastily written ending is rather obscure and very confusing. It is jam-packed with twists, turns and one-too-many flashbacks, leaving me completely baffled as to what had actually happened. I am a great admirer of open-endings but this was far too unclear and a little too amateurish.

    Nonetheless, Pauline Quirke was sensational as Olive Martin. Forget Sharon Theodopolopodous - here she is barely recognizable: hidden beneath a gigantic fat-suit, with long dark hair and a ghostly-pale complexion, borrowing an evil glare in the process. I was particularly unnerved by the eerie lullaby she sings over the credits at the end. I did feel for Caroline Goodall's character when she and Olive come face to face in that dark prison cell. Caroline Goodall was also very good as the eager journalist desperate to uncover the truth behind Olive's disturbed behaviour.

    Still, I'm very glad I was finally able to see this and would recommend it to anyone interested in the psychological thriller/crime-detective genre. Not to mention, anyone who admires Pauline Quirke.
    helpful•12
    1
    • Arctic_Wizard
    • Mar 18, 2010

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • November 13, 1997 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Official site
      • official site
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Skulptrisen
    • Filming locations
      • The Royal Masonic School, Bushey, Hertfordshire, England, UK
    • Production companies
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
      • Red Rooster Film & Television Entertainment
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

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    • Runtime
      3 hours
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Stereo

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