''The Brides in the Bath'' is a 2003

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie or TV film/movie, is a feature-length film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a television network, in contrast to theatrical films made for ...

Yorkshire Television ITV Yorkshire, previously known as Yorkshire Television and commonly referred to as just YTV, is the British television service provided by ITV Broadcasting Limited for the Yorkshire franchise area on the ITV (TV network), ITV network. Until 19 ...

for ITV, based on the life and

trial In law, a trial is a coming together of parties to a dispute, to present information (in the form of evidence) in a tribunal, a formal setting with the authority to adjudicate claims or disputes. One form of tribunal is a court. The tribunal ...

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

serial killer A serial killer is typically a person who murders three or more persons,A * * * * with the murders taking place over more than a month and including a significant period of time between them. While most authorities set a threshold of three ...

and

bigamist In cultures where monogamy is mandated, bigamy is the act of entering into a marriage with one person while still legally married to another. A legal or de facto separation of the couple does not alter their marital status as married persons. I ...

George Joseph Smith George Joseph Smith (11 January 1872 – 13 August 1915) was an English serial killer and bigamist who was convicted and subsequently hanged for the murders of three women in 1915, the case becoming known as the Brides in the Bath Murders. As w ...

, the "Brides in the Bath Murderer".

Martin Kemp Martin John Kemp (born 10 October 1961) is an English musician and actor, best known as the bassist in the new wave band Spandau Ballet and for his role as Steve Owen in ''EastEnders''. He is the younger brother of Gary Kemp, who is also ...

plays the role of Smith, and Richard Griffiths plays barrister Sir Edward Marshall-Hall. The film was directed by

Harry Bradbeer Harry Bradbeer is a British director, producer, and writer. He is known for his work on the television series ''Fleabag'' and '' Killing Eve'', and the films '' Enola Holmes'' and ''Enola Holmes 2''. Early life and education Bradbeer was brought ...

, and written by

Glenn Chandler Glenn Chandler (born 12 March 1949) is a Scottish playwright, novelist, producer and theatre director. He has written plays for theatre and radio, original screenplays for television and films, television series, and also novels. His best known ...

Production

Set to portray coastal Weymouth, filming took place in

Yorkshire Yorkshire ( ; abbreviated Yorks), formally known as the County of York, is a historic county in northern England and by far the largest in the United Kingdom. Because of its large area in comparison with other English counties, functions have ...

locations of

Bridlington Bridlington is a coastal town and a civil parish on the Holderness Coast of the North Sea in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England. It is about north of Hull and east of York. The Gypsey Race enters the North Sea at its harbour. The 2011 ...

Filey Filey () is a seaside town and civil parish in the Borough of Scarborough in North Yorkshire, England. Historically part of the East Riding of Yorkshire, it is located between Scarborough and Bridlington on Filey Bay. Although it was a fishing ...

and

Scarborough Scarborough or Scarboro may refer to: People * Scarborough (surname) * Earl of Scarbrough Places Australia * Scarborough, Western Australia, suburb of Perth * Scarborough, New South Wales, suburb of Wollongong * Scarborough, Queensland, su ...

from June to mid-July, 2003.

Bradford City Hall Bradford City Hall is a 19th-century town hall in Centenary Square, Bradford, West Yorkshire, England. It is a Grade I listed building which has a distinctive clock tower. History Before its relocation, between 1847 and 1873, the town hall ...

in Bradford, doubled for the court room and holding cells of the Old Bailey in the

City of London The City of London is a city, ceremonial county and local government district that contains the historic centre and constitutes, alongside Canary Wharf, the primary central business district (CBD) of London. It constituted most of London f ...

Plot

The film focuses on the trial of George Smith and flashbacks showing how he met each of his wives. Smith is married to his wife Edith. He often goes away on the pretext of business. Whilst he is away he meets wealthy women, marries them within a few weeks, insures their lives and then drowns them in the bath. He returns with the insurance money (sometimes he brings the latest victims' possessions to Edith as gifts). He is eventually arrested and ultimately hanged for his crimes. At the trial it is revealed that his marriage to Edith is bigamous; in total he had eight wives, most of which he left after stealing all of their possessions.

Cast

as George Joseph Smith * Richard Griffiths as Sir Edward Marshall-Hall * Charlotte Randle as Bessie Mundy * Emma Ferguson as Alice Burnham * Jennifer Calvert as Caroline Thornhill * Susan Brown as Mrs Crossley * Carolyn Backhouse as Margaret Lofty *

Tracey Wilkinson Tracey Wilkinson is an English actress primarily known for her role as Di Barker in the series '' Bad Girls''. She joined the prison drama in Series 2 as a caring prison officer new to G-Wing, but by the end of her time on the programme in Series 7 ...

as Edith Smith * Peter Wight as Charles Burnham *

Joanna David Joanna David (born Joanna Elizabeth Hacking; 17 January 1947) is an English actress, best known for her television work. Life David was born in Lancaster, England, to Davida Elizabeth (''née'' Nesbitt) and John Almond Hacking. In 1971, she ...

as Elizabeth Burnham * James Woolley as Mr Archibald Bodkin * Howard Gay as

Montague Shearman Sir Montague Shearman (7 April 1857 – 6 January 1930) was an English judge and athlete. He is best remembered as co-founder of the Amateur Athletics Association in 1880. Biography Early life and career Shearman was the second son of M ...

Philip Voss Philip James Voss (20 August 1936 – 13 November 2020) was a British stage, radio, film and television actor. Early life Voss was born in Leicester, the elder son of James Voss, a pharmacist, and his wife, Viola (née Walmsley). He had a yo ...

as Mr Justice Scrutton * Lisa Ellis as Maisy Crossley * Alan McKenna as DI Arthur Neil * Ian Connaughton as Travers Humphreys * Anthony Calf as Howard Mundy * Timothy Kightley as Mr Wilkinson * Philip Bowen as Dr French * Ian Barritt as Dr Billing * Helen Ryan as Mrs Farraday * Joanna Wake as Louise Blatch * Stephanie Fayerman as Miss Rapley * Naomi Allisstone as Ellen Stanley *

Ed Waters Ed Waters (September 23, 1930 – October 30, 2004) (date correction for death) was an American writer for film and television. He co-wrote ''Sorority Girl'', wrote an episode of the television series ''The Lieutenant'', and won an Emmy Award i ...

as DS Page * Robert Calvert as Police Constable * Tim Beasley as Clerk of the Court * John Banfield as Jury Foreman * Joanna Booth as Bessie's Companion * Corinne Handforth as Bessie's Companion

References

External links

* *
''The Brides in the Bath DVD at Amazon''
2003 television films 2003 films British television films ITV crime shows Television series by Yorkshire Television Television series by ITV Studios Films directed by Harry Bradbeer Films shot in Bradford Television shows shot in Bradford Films shot in Bridlington Television shows shot in Bridlington Films shot in Scarborough Television shows shot in Scarborough {{UK-tv-film-stub