September 30 - Middlemarch

This movie has a scene that happens today – September 30. I hope you will enjoy this film while watching it tonight.

MIDDLEMARCH

Dr. Tertius Lydgate arrives in Middlemarch as its new doctor and he works with town leaders to build a new hospital. On September 30, 1829 [10:40 to 16:05, Episode 1] Celia speaks with Dodo about dividing their deceased mother’s jewelry. Dodo cares nothing about this as she is more concerned about helping the poor. She rejects the neighboring landowner Sir James Chettam to marry the pedantic scholar  Rev. Edward Casaubon, who is working on a key to all mythologies. Dr. Lydgate ends up having to cast the deciding vote for the hospital Chaplin. The vote was between Farebrother, an amiable parson and Mr. Tyke, the candidate of Mr. Bulsrode, the banker. In Rome on their honeymoon, Dorothea realizes that her husband is both pompous and indolent and will probably never get around to actually writing his book. Fred Vincy has to borrow 160 pounds from Mr. Garth and his daughter Mary to pay a debt, even though they can’t afford it either.  The Casaubons return to England, where Dorothea learns her sister has become engaged to Sir James Chettam. While taking care of Fred Vincy after he becomes ill, his sister, Rosamond falls for Dr. Lydgate. Casaubon has a stroke. Dr. Lydgate tries to keep his distance from Rosamund, but finally succumbs and proposes to her. Fred Vincy’s uncle has made two wills one leaving everything to Fred, the other to Joshua Rigg. Dying he asks Mary Garth to destroy the one disinheriting Fred, but Mary, terrified of being accused of wrongdoing, refuses. Thus, Fred does not inherit and Rigg, Featherstone’s illegitimate son, does. Contrary to Dorothea’s request, her uncle invites Will Ladislaw, Casaubon’s nephew, whom she had met in Rome to visit. Dr. Lydgate and Rosamund marry. Ladislaw is installed as editor of a newspaper by Mr. Brooke.   Rosamond goes on a spending spree. Sir James Chettam appoints Mr. Garth as agent for his two estates.  Casaubon dies. In his will he disinherits Dorothea if she marries Ladislaw. Mr. Brooke’s run for parliament does not go very well and he sells the newspaper, dispossessing Mr. Ladislaw. Mr. Raffles shows up. He knows about Mr. Bulstrodes earlier unsavory beginnings. Rosamund’s stupid insistence of riding while pregnant leads to a miscarriage. Fred Vincy gets Mr. Farebrother, who also loves Mary to speak to her about him. She tells Mr. Farebrother she loves Fred. Ladislaw learns about the will and leaves. Fred starts working for Mr. Garth as his assistant. Tertius and Rosie fight about their debts. Bulstrode says he is leaving town and can’t support the hospital any more. Raffles returns to Middlemarch and Garth resigns as Bulstrode’s agent. The Lydgate’s furniture is repossessed.  Bulstrode lends Lydgate enough money to get him out of debt. Bulstrode kills Raffles by giving him liquor. Rigg Featherstone accuses Bulstrode of killing Raffles and the Lydgates suffer social ostracization.  Ladislaus returns.  Dorothea finds Ladislaw and Rosamond in a clinch, but Rosamond tells her that Ladislaw told her he loves Dorothea.  Bulstrode leases his estate to Fred Vincy, who marries Mary Garth. Dorothea marries Ladislaw, who is eventually elected to parliament.  

An interesting Victorian melodrama. Stays faithful to the source material, while bringing  out issues that will appeal to today’s audience. The costumes and scenery are excellent.

    

Middlemarch by George Elliott (Penguin Books, New York, 2003) at page 11 gives the date

Producer – Louis Marks

Director - Anthony Page

Screenplay - Andrew Davies

Runtime -  6 hours 15 minutes

Released  - January 12, 1994

Staring –

Juliet Aubrey as Dorothea Brooke

Patrick Malahide as Rev. Edward Casaubon

Rufus Sewell as Will Ladislaw

Douglas Hodge as Dr Tertius Lydgate

Robert Hardy as Arthur Brooke

Caroline Harker as Celia Brooke

Julian Wadham as Sir James Chettam

Elizabeth Spriggs as Mrs Cadwallader

Jonathan Firth as Fred Vincy

Trevyn McDowell as Rosamund Vincy

Rachel Power as Mary Garth

Peter Jeffrey as Bulstrode