Today’s movie is a mini-series with a scene that happens on September
30. Watch it tonight and enjoy.
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
Rachel Power as Mary Garth
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