I don't know when there has been such a gathering of female talent, of all generations, as this production was blessed with. The Sirs tend to get most of the limelight, but as the song says, there is nothing like a Dame -- in this case Dames Judi Dench (a longtime favorite) and Eileen Atkins (not enough seen on screen, and always a pleasure) These two great ladies provide the linchpin for the adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskill's works, here collectively presented as "Cranford". The town arbiter of decorum and propriety, Miss Deborah (Atkins) seems at first to be a severe stick of a woman, but proves to have more heart than one might expect, and ends up rather lovable in her own way. Miss Matty (Dench), Deborah's sister, is quieter, more timid, and used to being ruled by her elder sister, but possesses more backbone than even she knew she had. Add to this the likes of Imelda Staunton as neighborhood busybody and town crier Miss Pole (hilarious bit near the beginning where the town doctor uses her to disseminate news), Francesca Annis as local aristocrat Lady Ludlow, Julia Salawha as newcomer Jessie Brown (with her own romantic secrets)and Barbara Flynn as affluent (and wants the world to know about it) Miss Jameison, a 'chick flick' doesn't get much better than this. For those who have run out of Jane Austen adaptations, or just if you want a superior costume drama with a liberal dose of comedy and a bit of romance, Cranford is the place to visit.
Review of Cranford
