Wives and Daughters 

The daughter of a country doctor copes with an unwanted stepmother, an impetuous stepsister, burdensome secrets, the town gossips, and the tug on her own heartstrings for a man who thinks of her only as a friend.

Stars:

Francesca Annis, Justine Waddell, Bill Paterson

8 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Series cast summary:
Francesca Annis	...	Mrs. Gibson 4 episodes, 1999
Justine Waddell	...	Molly 4 episodes, 1999
Bill Paterson	...	Mr. Gibson 4 episodes, 1999
Keeley Hawes	...	Cynthia 4 episodes, 1999
Deborah Findlay	...	Miss Phoebe 4 episodes, 1999
Barbara Flynn	...	Miss Browning 4 episodes, 1999
Emily McKenzie	...	Maria / ... 4 episodes, 1999
Iain Glen	...	Mr. Preston 4 episodes, 1999
Tom Hollander	...	Osborne Hamley 4 episodes, 1999
Anthony Howell	...	Roger Hamley 4 episodes, 1999
Michael Gambon	...	Squire Hamley 4 episodes, 1999
Ian Carmichael	...	Lord Cumnor 3 episodes, 1999
Tonia Chauvet	...	Aimee 3 episodes, 1999
Elizabeth Spriggs	...	Mrs. Goodenough 3 episodes, 1999
Barbara Leigh-Hunt	...	Lady Cumnor 3 episodes, 1999
Peter Copley	...	Robinson 3 episodes, 1999
Rosamund Pike	...	Lady Harriet 3 episodes, 1999
Shaughan Seymour	...	Lord Hollingford 3 episodes, 1999
Fred Pearson	...	Sheepshanks / ... 3 episodes, 1999
Richard Coyle	...	Mr. Coxe 2 episodes, 1999
Jemima Rooper	...	Lizzie Goodenough 2 episodes, 1999
Georgie Glen	...	Miss Hornblower 2 episodes, 1999
Jacqueline Pilton	...	Mrs. Dawes 2 episodes, 1999
Tim Wallers	...	Mr. Henderson 2 episodes, 1999
Roddy Maude-Roxby	...	St. Hilaire 2 episodes, 1999
Dariel Pertwee	...	Lady Cuxhaven 2 episodes, 1999
Ben Illis	...	Mr. Wynne 2 episodes, 1999
Gordon Gostelow	...	Williams 2 episodes, 1999
Penelope Wilton	...	Mrs. Hamley 2 episodes, 1999

Storyline

For many years, young Molly Gibson had lived a blissful sheltered life with her widower father. However, her world is shaken with the introduction of new acquaintances and situations. Molly becomes friends with a landed gentry family, which includes two brothers with very different temperaments. Meanwhile, her father marries a widow with a daughter close in age to Molly. Eventually, Molly becomes a trusted confidante for her new friends and family; but the secrets become burdensome, as the gossip begins to circulate about Molly herself.

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Plot Keywords:

sister sister relationship | africa | gossip | stepsister | stepmother | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

TV-PG

Details

Official Sites:

PBS [United States]

Country:

UK USA

Language:

English French Amharic

Release Date:

15 December 2002 (USA)

Also Known As:

Wives and Daughters

Filming Locations:

Charlestown, Cornwall, England, UK

Company Credits

Production Co:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC), Dune Films, WGBH

Technical Specs

Runtime:

301 min (4 parts)

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

The blue and white print gown worn by a guest at the Easter Ball is the same costume worn by Julia Sawalha (Maria) to church in Hornblower: Duty (2003).

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Quotes

[to Mr. Preston]
Cynthia Kirkpatrick: I didn't sell myself. I liked you then, but oh, do I hate you now!

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Connections

Featured in The Best of Masterpiece Theatre (2007)

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Soundtracks

Tu t'en repentiras, Colin
Traditional
Sung by Keeley Hawes

User Reviews

Splendid

A treasure, really. I enjoy films portraying this period, but this is above all my favorite. The acting is incredibly touching. I was in awe with the portrayal of the story throughout its entirety.

Waddell portrayed the character of Molly so well, it made me ache for her. Her obvious childishness throughout the movie makes her eventual development so much more satisfying. She is one of the best dynamic characters I have seen on film. Paterson is all at once likable, firm, loving to his daughter, annoying, and trustworthy. Truly a real characters, full of depth, intricacies, and idiosyncrasies.

This movie reads like an excellent, cozy book. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys excellent acting and reading fine literature.