Andrew Davies Movies

In this witty romantic thriller, Alan (Jared Harris) is a London schoolteacher who leads a quiet, mildly stuffy life. As a hobby, he serves as a jazz disc jockey, spinning tunes for a hospital's public address system, but he craves danger and excitement. One night, Alan stops into a bar for a drink and sees Beatrice (Asia Argento), a beautiful woman who is arguing with two men. Alan is immediately enraptured by Beatrice and begins to pursue her. What Alan doesn't know is that Beatrice is an infamous thief known to the police as "B. Monkey" (named for her ability to break into anything), and the men she was quarreling with were Paul (Rupert Everett) and Bruno (Jonathan Rhys Meyers), a gay couple who are her partners in crime. When Alan becomes aware of Beatrice's secret, he tries to lead her into a safer and more honest way of life, even as she lures him into the thrilling existence he's been dreaming of. Leading lady Asia Argento is the daughter of Italian horror auteur Dario Argento. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Though not the most ambitious British TV adaptation of William Makepeace Thackeray's 19th century novel Vanity Fair, this six-part BBC1 version was arguably the most expensive and elaborate. Natasha Little was cast as scheming country lass Becky Sharp, who managed to climb to the top of the British social ladder during and after the Napoleonic Wars, leaving a trail of broken hearts, betrayed friendships, and shattered reputations in her wake. Somehow, however, Becky always managed to land on her feet, and after mending her ways in middle age, she lived out her declining years as a much-beloved "Lady Bountiful." Debuting in Britain on November 1, 1998, Vanity Fair subsequently aired as part of the American public TV Masterpiece Theatre anthology beginning October 24, 1999. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this made-for-TV adaptation of Jane Austen's classic novel, Emma Woodhouse (Kate Beckinsale) is a clever young woman from a wealthy family who fancies herself a matchmaker and tries to find a husband for her shy friend Harriet (Samantha Morton). However, Emma's skills in bringing romances together are not all she imagines them to be, which causes no small annoyance for Harriet. What's more, Emma's interest in the affairs of others nearly causes her to miss out on the love of her life. This adaptation of Emma was first shown in the U.S. on the A&E cable network; it followed both Douglas McGrath's acclaimed film version starring Gwyneth Paltrow, and Amy Heckerling's considerably updated variation on the story, Clueless. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

Jane Austen's classic novel is brought to the screen once again in this intelligent and witty romantic drama. Elizabeth Bennett (Jennifer Ehle) is one of five sisters living on a British country estate in the 1800s. At a time and place in which matrimony is considered a woman's logical goal in life, Elizabeth displays a cautious reluctance toward marriage -- so when a wealthy young man, Fitzwilliam Darcy (Colin Firth) expresses an interest in courting her, she isn't so sure she cares for him. Elizabeth and Darcy discover that they have a great deal to learn about each other -- and no small amount to overcome in their minds -- if they are to find happiness together. Pride and Prejudice was produced as a five hour mini-series by the BBC and was first shown in the U.S. on the A&E cable network. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide

In this 1994 BBC adaptation of George Eliot's novel, altruism, social reform, and romantic love struggle to survive against snobbery, economic oppression, and self-indulgence. Set in the fictional town of Middlemarch in the 1830s, the film begins when Dr. Tertius Lydgate (Douglas Hodge) arrives in the community to begin a medical practice. Because of his knowledge of the latest medical techniques and his desire to do humanitarian work and pioneering laboratory research, Lydgate becomes the ideal candidate for the pro bono position of superintendent of a new Middlemarch hospital. Meanwhile, Dorothea Brooke (Juliet Aubrey), a well-to-do resident of the nearby town of Tipton Grange, desperately searches for a noble cause to occupy her time. She and her sister Celia, both orphans, live with their uncle, Arthur Brooke (Robert Hardy), in a spacious home where they enjoy a comfortable life. After Dorothea observes the plight of poor tenant farmers during a horseback ride in the country, she decides to promote new housing for the farmers. But Dorothea and Lydgate both encounter obstacles as they attempt to realize their dreams. In Dorothea's case, her own uncle, Mr. Brooke, who operates the worst of the tenant farms, refuses to endorse her housing plan. As a self-satisfied member of the local establishment and a possible candidate for Parliament, he deems it wise to maintain the status quo. In Lydgate's case, a corrupt banker, Nicholas Bulstrode (Peter Jeffrey), threatens to block the physician's appointment as hospital superintendent unless he supports Bulstrode's candidate for the hospital chaplaincy. Against his better judgment, Lydgate compromises his integrity and backs Bulstrode's man rather than the man better-suited for the job. But the problems of Dorothea and Lydgate don't stop there. Dorothea, who is strikingly attractive, intelligent, and sensitive, chooses a middle-aged husband, the Rev. Edward Casaubon (Patrick Malahide), because she thinks she can contribute to his scholarly pursuits. But after marrying him, she discovers he is cold and conceited -- a walking book with an attitude. Her real love, though she doesn't fully realize it, is Will Ladislaw (Rufus Sewell), a handsome painter and social reformer who now must keep his distance from the married woman. Lydgate, deeply in love with pretty Rosamond Vincy (Trevyn McDowell), marries her only to discover that she is a self-centered spendthrift. While he dotes on her, she dotes on his bank account. Subplots emerge to add suspense and intrigue. One involves Rosamond's brother, Fred (Jonathan Firth), who abandons his studies for the ministry against his father's wishes to work the land and to pursue a young woman below his social status. Another involves the grasping banker Bulstrode, who is being blackmailed for acquiring money illegally. Casaubon dies of a heart ailment less than two years after he marries Dorothea, but he manages to hold onto her from the grave. His will states that she must forfeit all the property she inherits if she marries Ladislaw. Because she has already committed portions of her considerable inheritance to charitable causes, she rejects Ladislaw, but cannot tell him why. By this time, Rosamond has bankrupted Lydgate. Suspense builds as the film moves toward its conclusion and discloses the fate of the central characters -- Dorothea, Ladislaw, Lydgate, Rosamond, Bulstrode, and the others. ~ Mike Cummings, All Movie Guide

In this three-part British adaptation of Kingsley Amis' novel The Old Devils, John Stride stars as popular TV host Alun Weaver. Returning to his home town in Wales after a four-decade absence, Weaver hoped to write a novel about his youth, and in this pursuit, he renewed his relationships with his former drinking buddies. Unfortunatley, Weaver's arrival ended up causing nothing but trouble for his old pub pals -- not to mention himself. Produced by Tyne Tees Television, The Old Devils originally aired in 1991. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Based on a novel by Michael Dobbs, the British miniseries House of Cards was the first entry in a darkly satirical trilogy about ruthless, unscrupulous Conservative MP Francis Urquhart (Ian Richardson). Determined to advance himself politically, socially, and financially, Urquhart would stop at nothing to achieve his goal, and was eager and willing to sell out his friends and loved ones whenever the price was right. Although he managed to cover his tracks so far as the public was concerned, Urquhart was threatened with exposure by investigative reporter Mattie Storin (Susannah Harker). The battle of wits and wills between Urquhart and Storin provided the bulk of the drama and intrigue in this four-part saga, which originally aired over the BBC1 from November 18 to December 9, 1990. House of Cards was followed by two additional miniseries, To Play the King and The Final Cut, all starring Ian Richardson as the "hero." ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Diana Rigg won the BAFTA Best Actress award for her bravura performance in the British miniseries Mother Love. Light-years removed from her Avengers heroics, Rigg was cast as the ultra-possessive Helena Vesey, who dearly loved her grown son Kit (James Wilby). In fact, she was willing to love Kit to death, and this fact resulted in disaster for Kit's lovely young wife, not to mention several other unfortunates who happened to get in Helena's way. Also in the cast was another veteran of the 1960s TV spy-show craze, David McCallum. Based on the novel by Laura Black, Mother Love was broadcast in four 55-minute installments by the BBC in 1989. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This moving family drama is set in South Africa. It concerns an "interracial" marriage between a white policeman and a white-looking woman who is unable to document her racial heritage, and under apartheid this earns her the classification "colored." Since interracial marriages are illegal, the couple must resort to all sorts of evasions and dodges in order not to stand out. The real difficulty comes when their son grows up and wants to marry his white girlfiend. Because he, too, cannot document his racial heritage, they are unable to marry. Also, because of his racial classification, he cannot perform many jobs, is unable to live in most areas, etc. His rage at his parents for having "done this" to him has a tragic result. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Based on a novel by Molly Keane, this literary drama focuses on the mutually antagonistic lives of three aging Irish sisters and a brother who live together in a run-down family mansion. One of the sisters is a widow, another a shoplifter, and a third a happy-go-lucky type. Although their brother Jasper (John Gielgud) tries to keep the peace, he is not always successful. Their tight enclave is disrupted when cousin Leda (Googie Withers) comes for a visit, stirring up unwanted memories. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Although he has received plaudits from adult critics for his script work on such TV and film projects as To Serve Them All My Days and Bridget Jones's Diary, Andrew Davies is best known to British youngsters as the creator of Miss Marmalade Atkins. Cheerfully describing herself as "the worst girl in the world," the troublesome Marmalade (played on television by Charlotte Colman) was the bane of the existence of every grown-up that crossed her path, especially her long-suffering parents. Originally beamed out by Thames Television from October 25, 1982 to January 3, 1983, Educating Marmalade consisted of ten 20-minute episodes, each of which found the "heroine" pulling pranks on her elders and laughing uproariously at their discomfiture. The series spawned a brace of spin-offs, including Marmalade Atkins in Space (in which her parents, at their wit's end, bundled the girl into a rocket ship bound for the far reaches of the universe!) and Danger: Marmalade at Work! ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This self-explanatory British drama series was a coproduction of the BBC and its American distributor, Time-Life. In straightforward, nonjudgmental fashion, the series' eight half-hour episodes recounted the saga of Arthur, Camelot, and the Round Table, utilizing a topnotch British cast and superlative production values. Not surprisingly, special emphasis was given to the clandestine romance between Arthur's queen Guinevere (Felicity Dean) and his trusted knight Lancelot Du Lac (a very young David Robb). The Legend of King Arthur first aired in Britain from October 7 to November 25, 1979. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide