Cranford (2007-2010) is a BBC television series. It was directed by Simon Curtis and Steve Hudson. The series is based on three novels by Elizabeth Gaskell. (One of the novels had the title Cranford.) The time is 1840, and life hasn't changed much in years in this small rural village.
Gossip is the preferred mode of communication, and propriety is all. (One young woman scandalizes society by walking behind her father's funeral hearse. It just wasn't done.)
One real development is that the railroad is coming to the village. Sentiment about this is mixed. Some people believe it will boost the economy, but many believe it will change their way of life for the worse.
Dame Judy Dench stars and, of course, she can do no wrong. The rest of the cast is strong, and this type of production illustrates why we say "BBC production values."
Because this series was made for television, it works well on the small screen. The series has a very high IMDb rating of 8.3. I rated it 9.
I recently reviewed the BBC production of another Gaskell novel--North and South. Cranford depicts a small town. North and South depicts Manchester. Each series is outstanding. However, they are very different. See them both!
Gossip is the preferred mode of communication, and propriety is all. (One young woman scandalizes society by walking behind her father's funeral hearse. It just wasn't done.)
One real development is that the railroad is coming to the village. Sentiment about this is mixed. Some people believe it will boost the economy, but many believe it will change their way of life for the worse.
Dame Judy Dench stars and, of course, she can do no wrong. The rest of the cast is strong, and this type of production illustrates why we say "BBC production values."
Because this series was made for television, it works well on the small screen. The series has a very high IMDb rating of 8.3. I rated it 9.
I recently reviewed the BBC production of another Gaskell novel--North and South. Cranford depicts a small town. North and South depicts Manchester. Each series is outstanding. However, they are very different. See them both!