Fingersmith (TV serial)

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''Fingersmith'' is a three part

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mini-series that was televised in 2005. The story is an adaptation of

Sarah Waters Sarah Ann Waters (born 21 July 1966) is a Welsh novelist. She is best known for her novels set in Victorian society and featuring lesbian protagonists, such as '' Tipping the Velvet'' and '' Fingersmith''. Life and education Early life Sa ...

' 2002 novel of the same name and follows the meeting of two very different young women and what madness ensues. Directed by

Aisling Walsh Aisling Walsh (born 1958) is an Irish people, Irish screenwriter and director. Her work has screened at festivals around the world and she has won several accolades, including a BAFTA TV Award for ''Room at the Top (2012 film), Room at the Top'' ...

, it stars

Sally Hawkins Sally Cecilia Hawkins (born 27 April 1976) is an English actress who began her career on stage and then moved into film. She has received several awards including a Golden Globe Award and the Berlin International Film Festival's Silver Bear fo ...

Imelda Staunton Imelda Mary Philomena Bernadette Staunton (born 9 January 1956) is an English actress and singer. After training at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art, Staunton began her career in repertory theatre in 1976 and appeared in various theatre prod ...

Elaine Cassidy Elaine Cassidy (born 31 December 1979) is an Irish actress. She is best known for playing DC Dinah Kowalska in ''No Offence'', Abby Mills in the American television series ''Harper's Island'' for CBS, Felicia in '' Felicia's Journey'', Runt in ...

Rupert Evans Rupert Evans (born 9 March 1977) is a British actor. He is a member of the Royal Shakespeare Company and starred in the Amazon series '' The Man in the High Castle'' and also in the CW's '' Charmed'' series. In 2021 Evans appeared in '' Bridge ...

and

Charles Dance Walter Charles Dance (born 10 October 1946) is an English actor. He is known for playing strict, authoritarian characters and villains. His most notable film roles include Sardo Numspa in '' The Golden Child'' (1986), Dr. Jonathan Clemens in '' ...

. The mini-series was nominated for Best Drama Serial at the

2006 British Academy Television Awards The 2006 British Academy Television Awards were held on Sunday 7 May at the Grosvenor House Hotel in London. The ceremony was hosted by television presenter Davina McCall and broadcast on ITV the following day. The nominees for the audience-voted ...

Plot

Since she was orphaned, Sue Trinder (

) has been brought up amongst thieves and

charlatan A charlatan (also called a swindler or mountebank) is a person practicing quackery or a similar confidence trick in order to obtain money, power, fame, or other advantages through pretense or deception. Synonyms for ''charlatan'' include '' ...

s. She has been protected and cared for by Mrs Sucksby (

) and taught to become a fingersmith (a pickpocket). But when Mrs Sucksby's old friend Richard Rivers (

), known as Gentleman, offers 20-year-old Sue £2,000 to assist him in one of his scams, she cannot resist. Passing himself off as a proper gent, Rivers has befriended a young lady, Maud Lilly (

), who stands to inherit a fortune when she marries. However, Maud's maid has recently left her service and, without a chaperone, Rivers' access to Maud is limited. He wants Sue to be accepted as the new maid and to help him win Maud over. Once married, Rivers plans to have Maud committed to an asylum and he will then take her fortune for himself. Arriving at Briar, the estate where Maud lives with her wealthy bookish Uncle Lilly (

), Sue enters another world. Maud and Sue are of a similar age and appearance but their experience of life could not be further apart. Maud's existence is one of wealth and prosperity inside a grand house, where she is her uncle's secretary and also has the duty of reading to her uncle and his friends. Over the course of a few months, Sue and Maud become friends and, briefly, lovers. Despite Sue's growing feelings for Maud, she is convinced to proceed with Rivers' scam. On Sue's advice, Maud accepts Rivers' proposal of marriage as a way of gaining her freedom from her uncle. Once married to Maud, Rivers' next plan is to get her admitted to the asylum. But in a dramatic twist, Sue is taken to the madhouse as "Mrs Rivers" and she realises that Maud has been in on the plan from the very beginning. Having disposed of Sue, Rivers takes Maud to London to Mrs Sucksby's house. There Maud learns that Mrs Sucksby is the mastermind behind her escape and Sue's downfall. Maud is plagued by doubts over her treatment of Sue and the fake life that she presented. In reality Maud was orphaned and brought up by her uncle, a cruel man, who hardened her heart. The nightly readings in his library were not as innocent as it appeared to Sue. Maud was forced to read pornography to her uncle and his friends. Tormented by the cruelty of her existence, Maud found in Rivers a way out. By marrying him, she could escape the prison of her uncle's house. But what Maud had not expected was to be so affected by her friendship with Sue – or indeed that she would fall in love with her. In order to save herself from her uncle, Maud had to reconcile herself to hurting Sue. But even Maud could not have imagined that her world would be further turned upside down. Mrs Sucksby reveals that through a series of twists and turns Maud and Sue were switched at birth – they have been living each other's lives. Mrs Sucksby arranged the whole scheme. Marianne Lilly, before being incarcerated in the asylum by her evil brother, changed her will, leaving one half of her wealth to her own daughter, Susan, and the other half to Maud. Mrs Sucksby explains to Maud that she has no choice but to comply with the rest of the plan. Maud is further devastated to learn that they have no intention of rescuing Sue from the asylum. Acknowledging the wrong she has done, Maud knows she must escape Mrs Sucksby if she is to rescue Sue. She manages to get out and finds her way to an old business associate of her uncle's, but he refuses to help and sends her away. Alone in the alleyways and streets of London and unaware of the dangers that lurk, Maud realises she has no choice but to return to

Lant Street Lant Street is a street south of Marshalsea Road in Southwark, south London, England.Lant Street Association ...

. Mrs Sucksby is overjoyed to see her and Maud discovers that she is in fact Mrs Sucksby's own daughter. Meanwhile, employing all the underhanded tricks that her childhood has taught her, Sue escapes from the asylum. She heads for London where she plans to get her revenge on Maud for what she sees as betrayal. At Mrs Sucksby's, Sue confronts Maud, Mrs Sucksby and Rivers; a huge row ensues and in a struggle Rivers is killed. Despite Maud being guilty of Rivers' murder, Mrs Sucksby confesses to protect both girls and soon after is executed for the crime. Maud disappears and Sue, realising that Maud was just an innocent in Mrs Sucksby's scheme, sets off to find her. Acknowledging their feelings for one another, the two women are reunited.

Cast

as Sue Trinder *

as Maud Lilly *

as Mrs Sucksby *

as Richard 'Gentleman' Rivers *

as Uncle Lilly *

David Troughton David Troughton (born 9 June 1950) is an English actor. He is known for his Shakespearean roles on the British stage and for his many roles on British television, including Dr Bob Buzzard in ''A Very Peculiar Practice'' and Ricky Hanson in ''Ne ...

as Mr Ibbs *

Bronson Webb Bronson John Webb (born 20 February 1983) is a British actor. Career Webb has had supporting roles in ''Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban'' (2005), ''The Dark Knight'' (2008) from the Batman franchise, ''Robin Hood'' (2010), and '' ...

as John Vroom *

Stephen Wight Stephen Wight (born Stephen Gray; 27 February 1980) is an English actor. He was nominated for a Laurence Olivier Award for his performance in the 2007 production of the play ''Dealer's Choice'', and had a minor role as Ben in the British dra ...

as Charles *

Michelle Dockery Michelle Suzanne Dockery (born 15 December 1981) is an English television and film actress. She is best known for her leading performance as Lady Mary Crawley in the ITV television period drama series ''Downton Abbey'' (2010–2015), for which ...

as Betty *

Richard Durden Mark Richard Durden-Smith (born 8 February 1944), known as Richard Durden, is an English actor, with a range of television, film and stage credits. Personal life Durden-Smith was educated at Haileybury and Imperial Service College and Merton ...

as Mr Hawtrey * Polly Hemingway as Mrs Stiles *

Sarah Badel Sarah M. Badel (born 30 March 1943) is a retired British stage and film actress. She is the daughter of actors Alan Badel and Yvonne Owen. Life and career Badel was born in London to actor, Alan Badel and actress, Yvonne Owen. She was educ ...

as Mrs Frobisher *

as a maid *

Ian Midlane Ian Midlane (born 2 February 1976) is an English actor, known for portraying the role of Al Haskey on the BBC soap opera '' Doctors''. For his performance as Al, he won the award for Best Comedy Performance at the 2018 British Soap Awards. Ca ...

as a warder

References

External links

* *
Official BBC website

LOGO page

Review of the film at BBC Press OfficeInterview with Elaine Cassidy at BBC Press Office

Rotten Tomatoes page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Fingersmith (TV Serial) 2005 British television series debuts 2005 British television series endings 2000s British drama television series 2000s British television miniseries English-language television shows Television shows based on British novels Lesbian-related television shows Lesbian-related films BBC television dramas Pickpockets 2000s British LGBT-related television series Adaptations of works by Welsh writers

Plot

Cast

See also

References

External links