The Mallens
| The Mallens | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| No. of episodes | 13 |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Granada Television |
| Release | |
| Original network | ITV |
| Original release | 10 June 1979 – 1980 |
The Mallens was a popular Granada Television adaptation of Catherine Cookson novels that ran for 13 episodes from 1979 to 1980. The series is based on The Mallen Streak, The Mallen Girls, and The Mallen Litter.
It is about a ruthless 19th century Northumberland Squire Thomas Mallen (played by John Hallam) of Highbank hall, who has a genetic white streak in his hair and fathers numerous illegitimate children, who inherit the trait and live tainted lives. One of them is Donald Radlet (John Duttine), who stars in both The Mallen Streak and The Mallen Girls. Thomas Mallen is then made bankrupt after his attempt to get his legitimate son Richard (David Rintoul) married to a girl from a wealthy family; he fails due to his son losing his temper at a servant and killing a bailiff in the process causing Thomas Mallen to lose everything. This forces him to move to a small cottage along with his nieces Barbara (Pippa Guard) and Constance (Julia Chambers) and their Governess Anna Brigmore (Caroline Blakiston), who starts a relationship with the now bankrupt Squire. Some time after this Donald along with his half brother Matthew Radlet (Ian Saynor) comes to the cottage and meets his father. A short time after this he and his brother start developing a romance with both Barbara and Constance. While Donald is courting Barbara, he is also secretly trying to take Constance away from his brother, who has now fallen in love with her. Donald eventually achieves this by the end of the Mallen Streak.
In the Mallen Girls Matthew and Constance are secretly meeting and on one occasion sleep together. Constance says they should be married but Matthew refuses, fearing his brother and that he is dying. He tells her to say yes if Donald should make a marriage proposal but she refuses. Mrs Brigmore, realising what has happened persuades Constance to marry Donald in fear that Constance may now be pregnant. She marries Donald and later gives birth to a son named Michael. Meanwhile, Thomas Mallen, still with Brigmore starts turning to drink and sleeping with other women. Eventually one night he mistakes his niece Barbara for someone else, rapes her and realising what he has done commits suicide. Sometime after this it is revealed that Barbara is pregnant with her uncle's child. Months later Barbara dies while giving birth to a daughter, who is also named Barbara. Donald then comes to take the child, so that he can lay claim to her inheritance left to her by her half brother Richard. Richard had managed to get bail and become very rich over seas. Donald hopes that by doing this he will be able to buy Highbank hall. Mrs Brigmore refuses to, realizing that Donald does not care for the child, as well as out of guilt for failing to stop Barbara being raped. Donald refuses to listen and says that the child is now his. When Donald goes to pick up Barbara, Matthew comes along. After some last attempt to change his half brothers mind, Matthew wrestles with Donald, causing them both to fall to their deaths.
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