Release CalendarTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersIndependent Spirit AwardsWomen's History MonthSXSWSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
Sign In
New Customer? Create account
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Episode guide
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
IMDbPro

The Mill on the Floss

  • TV Mini Series
  • 1978–19791978–1979
  • 4h
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
158
YOUR RATING
Pippa Guard and Anton Lesser in The Mill on the Floss (1978)
DramaHistoryRomance
The tragic tale of Maggie Tulliver, the miller's daughter, who defies her embittered brother in standing by the man she loves - shocking the stifling society in which she lives - in an attem... Read allThe tragic tale of Maggie Tulliver, the miller's daughter, who defies her embittered brother in standing by the man she loves - shocking the stifling society in which she lives - in an attempt to pursue her blighted dreams.The tragic tale of Maggie Tulliver, the miller's daughter, who defies her embittered brother in standing by the man she loves - shocking the stifling society in which she lives - in an attempt to pursue her blighted dreams.
IMDb RATING
6.6/10
158
YOUR RATING
  • Stars
    • Judy Cornwell
    • Barbara Hicks
    • Pippa Guard
  • Stars
    • Judy Cornwell
    • Barbara Hicks
    • Pippa Guard
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 7User reviews
    • 2Critic reviews
  • See production, box office & company info
  • See more at IMDbPro
  • Episodes8

    Browse episodes
    TopTop-rated1 Season

    Photos

    Rufus Sewell and Juliet Aubrey in Silas Marner (1985)
    Pippa Guard in The Mill on the Floss (1978)
    The Mill on the Floss (1978)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Judy Cornwell
    Judy Cornwell
    • Bessy Tulliver
    Barbara Hicks
    Barbara Hicks
    • Aunt Glegg
    Pippa Guard
    Pippa Guard
    • Maggie Tulliver
    Christopher Blake
    Christopher Blake
    • Tom Tulliver
    Ray Smith
    • Mr. Tulliver
    Anton Lesser
    Anton Lesser
    • Philip Wakem
    Peter Howell
    Peter Howell
    • Uncle Glegg
    John Stratton
    John Stratton
    • Uncle Deane
    Julie Dawn Cole
    Julie Dawn Cole
    • Lucy Deane
    John Moulder-Brown
    John Moulder-Brown
    • Stephen Guest
    Gillian Martell
    • Aunt Pullet
    Michael Troughton
    Michael Troughton
    • Bob Jakin
    Jonathan Scott-Taylor
    Jonathan Scott-Taylor
    • Tom Tulliver…
    Georgia Slowe
    Georgia Slowe
    • Maggie Tulliver…
    Philip Locke
    Philip Locke
    • Lawyer Wakem
    Sheila Grant
    • Aunt Deane
    Amanda Walker
    Amanda Walker
    • Gritty Moss
    Jonathan Adams
    Jonathan Adams
    • Luke Moggs
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Mill on the Floss
    6.1
    The Mill on the Floss
    Middlemarch
    Middlemarch
    The Mill on the Floss
    5.2
    The Mill on the Floss
    Middlemarch
    7.5
    Middlemarch
    Triangle
    5.0
    Triangle
    Silas Marner
    7.3
    Silas Marner
    Poldark
    8.3
    Poldark
    Damien: Omen II
    6.2
    Damien: Omen II
    Angels
    6.6
    Angels
    Nicholas Nickleby
    7.2
    Nicholas Nickleby
    An Unsuitable Job for a Woman
    5.9
    An Unsuitable Job for a Woman
    That Lucky Touch
    4.8
    That Lucky Touch

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Connections
      Version of The Mill on the Floss (1915)

    User reviews7

    Review
    Review
    Featured review
    7/10
    One of the weaker adaptations of the George Eliot Collection but still above decent
    As with all George Eliot's writing Mill on the Floss is well worth the read. It is not quite complex or layered as Middlemarch and Daniel Deronda but the characterisation is still rich, the conflicts and social commentary sharply observed and the emotions high. Although it is the book from Eliot that is adapted the most(I admit that I've yet to see the other versions, have heard a lot of good things about the 1997 version), Mill on the Floss is still very difficult to adapt. This adaptation is one of the weaker ones in the collection, the weakest being Adam Bede(still quite good) and the best being Middlemarch(which is outstanding) but does a respectable job, it is long(necessary) and wisely takes its time telling the story. In that regard it doesn't always work, it can lack momentum and does drag, at the same time though because there are omissions the storytelling also can feel rushed and not always flowing as it ought to in a jumpy sense. You do miss the scene where Lucy visits Maggie after Maggie's aborted elopement, one of the book's most poignant moments. And John Moulder Brown is very annoying as Stephen, the character is a very shallow one in the first place but that and Stephen's conceit are taken to extremities here and generally you don't just get what anyone sees in him. Him aside, this adaptation is very well-acted if perhaps somewhat stagy for some.

    Anton Lesser really stood out, he does wonderfully with the role and is both grotesque and affecting making it easy for us to be repulsed by him as well as pitying him. Ray Smith is nobly powerful, Lucy is appropriately vivacious and Judy Cornwell is every bit as sympathetic. Christopher Blake portrays Tom's arrogance very well and Maggie is played with spirit and delicacy. The children do competently match their adult counterparts. The characters and their relationships and conflicts(Maggie and Tom's especially, and Maggie, Mill on the Floss' central character is still very complex) are well realised, these are characters that are not black and white but ones with strengths and flaws(always a strong point with Eliot). The story does have great emotional impact, especially the ending, the romance between Maggie and Tom very touching, the rivalry between the Wakams and Tullivers having some intensity and Mr Tulliver shows genuine love for his family. While the spirit of the book is still there, if not as well-paced or as cohesive as it could have been. The script respects Eliot's style and while it takes its time to tell the story there is a certain tautness as well meaning that it doesn't feel overly padded. The music is unobtrusive, sensitive and haunting as well as sympathetic to the drama and the adaptation is well-made. It's darker and more soft-grained than the other four adaptations in the collection but just as atmospheric and evocative. The attention to detail is done in a way that is not too rich-looking or bleak and the scenery is beautiful. All in all, decent as an adaptation and on its own but falls short at the same time. 7/10 Bethany Cox
    helpful•1
    1
    • TheLittleSongbird
    • Jan 5, 2014

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 31, 1978 (United Kingdom)
    • Country of origin
      • United Kingdom
    • Language
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Livet vid floden
    • Production company
      • British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      4 hours
    • Color
      • Color

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    Pippa Guard and Anton Lesser in The Mill on the Floss (1978)
    Top Gap
    By what name was The Mill on the Floss (1978) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit pageAdd episode

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2023 by IMDb.com, Inc.