Bleak House (2005 TV serial)
| Bleak House | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Genre | Serial drama |
| Created by | Charles Dickens |
| Written by |
Based upon the novel by Charles Dickens Screenplay by Andrew Davies |
| Directed by |
Justin Chadwick Susanna White |
| Starring | |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language(s) | English |
| No. of series | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 15 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer(s) | Sally Haynes Laura Mackie |
| Producer(s) | Nigel Stafford-Clark |
| Running time | 30 minutes 60 minutes (episode 1) |
| Production company(s) | BBC Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | BBC One |
| Picture format | 1080i (16:9) |
| Audio format | Stereo |
| Original release | 27 October – 16 December 2005 |
| Chronology | |
| Preceded by | Bleak House (1985) |
| Website | |
Bleak House is a fifteen-part BBC television drama serial adaptation of Charles Dickens' novel Bleak House, which was originally published in 1852–53. Produced with an all-star cast, the serial was shown on BBC One from 27 October to 16 December 2005, and drew much critical and popular praise. It has been reported that the total cost of the production was in the region of £8 million.
Written by Andrew Davies, the serial was produced by Nigel Stafford-Clark, Sally Haynes and Laura Mackie. It was directed by Justin Chadwick and Susanna White.
The longstanding estate battle of Jarndyce v Jarndyce hangs over the heads of many conflicting heirs, confused by multiple wills. Possible beneficiary John Jarndyce of Bleak House welcomes orphaned cousins Ada Clare and Richard Carstone — also potential heirs — as his wards, and has hired Esther Summerson as a housekeeper and companion for Ada. Lady Honoria Dedlock, married to the imperious baronet Sir Leicester, is also a possible beneficiary of the estate. The Dedlocks' lawyer, Tulkinghorn, sniffs out a connection between Lady Dedlock and a newly deceased man called Nemo; as he tries to discover Nemo's true identity, Lady Dedlock secretly seeks information about the dead man herself. Meanwhile, Richard and Ada are falling in love. Richard keeps changing his mind on which career to pursue — first a physician, then a lawyer and then a soldier — but the prospect of his inheritance from the ongoing litigation begins to consume him, despite warnings from John, now his former guardian. Esther and the young doctor Allan Woodcourt are attracted to each other, but Esther feels unworthy and Allan accepts a commission as a navy physician.
The law clerk Mr. Guppy, enamoured of Esther, hopes to win her affection by helping her discover the identity of her parents. He finds connections to both Lady Dedlock and the deceased Nemo, who has been identified as Captain James Hawdon, and is eventually alerted to the existence of letters left behind by Hawdon but kept by his drunken landlord, Krook. Realizing that Esther is her daughter whom she was told had died — fathered by Hawdon before her current marriage — Lady Dedlock confesses to Esther but swears her to secrecy. Esther is stricken by smallpox and nearly dies; she recovers but is terribly scarred. John proposes marriage to Esther, but though she accepts, he convinces her to keep it secret until she is sure it is what she wants. While amassing other enemies, Tulkinghorn deduces Lady Dedlock's secret and tries to use it to keep her in line.
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