PALLISERS, THE {PART 1 OF 22} (TV)
Summary
Part one of twenty-two. The premiere episode of this adaptation of six novels by Anthony Trollope, chronicling twenty-five years in the lives of an aristocratic Victorian couple -- Plantagenet "Planty" Palliser, a respected but dull member of Parliament, and his beautiful, strong-willed wife, the former heiress Glencora McCloskey. This episode begins at a garden party at the country seat of the Duke of Omnium. Adelaide, the Countess of Midlothian, and Charlotte, the Marchioness of Auld Reekie, despair over their niece Glencora's flirtation with the wastrel Burgo Fitzgerald. They propose to the Duke that Glencora be matched with his nephew, Plantagenet. He agrees to the plan since rumors about Plantagenet and the married Lady Dumbello have surfaced. Both Planty and Glencora try to visit their lovers secretly -- Planty tries through innocent walks in the park, but he is watched, and Glencora makes a botched attempt to meet Burgo at her cousin Alice Vavasor's house. Finally, Planty and Glencora succumb to their relatives' pressures and marry. On their honeymoon in Switzerland, the newly married Pallisers come across Alice, who is in a romantic quandary: she is engaged to the reliable and uninspiring Mr. Grey, but prefers her dashing and unfaithful cousin, George. Glencora also discovers Burgo, who has traveled to Switzerland with the intention of wooing her away from her husband. But Planty intervenes, and the Pallisers are soon back home in England. In order to dispel the boredom Glencora feels as the wife of a politician, Planty proposes that Alice come for a visit. This plan is equally agreeable to George, who believes that the grand life at the Pallisers' home will cause Alice to develop a distaste for her bland fiance. And Burgo hopes to learn news of Glencora from Alice. As the episode concludes, Glencora tells Alice of her desire to have a baby in the hopes of helping her marriage.
Details
- NETWORK: BBC2 (United Kingdom)
- DATE: November 30, 1973
- RUNNING TIME: 1:29:49
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:28949
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; International Collection - United Kingdom
- SERIES RUN: BBC2 (United Kingdom) - TV series, 1974
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Martin Lisemore … Producer
- Hugh David … Director
- Anthony Trollope … Writer, Based on the novels of
- Simon Raven … Writer, Written for television by
- Wilfred Josephs … Composer, Glencora's Waltz by
- Marcus Dods … Conductor
- Geraldine Stephenson … Choreographer
- Herbert Chappell … Theme Music by
- New Philharmonia Orchestra … Symphony Orchestra
- Susan Hampshire … Cast, Glencora
- Philip Latham … Cast, Plantagenet
- Roland Culver … Cast, the Duke of Omnium
- Caroline Mortimer … Cast, Alice Vavasor
- Barry Justice … Cast, Burgo Fitzgerald
- Fabia Drake … Cast, the Countess of Midlothian
- Sonia Dresdel … Cast, the Marchioness of Auld Reekie
- Roger Livesey … Cast, the Duke of St. Bungay
- Gary Watson … Cast, George Vavasor
- Donald Pickering … Cast, Dolly Longstaffe
- Moray Watson … Cast, Barrington Erle
- Rachel Herbert … Cast, Lady Dumbello
- John Stratton … Cast, Mr. Bott
- John Nettleton … Cast, Mr. Fothergill
- Bernard Brown … Cast, John Grey
- Karin MacCarthy … Cast, Kate Vavasor
- John Glyn-Jones … Cast, John Vavasor
- Alan Judd … Cast, the Archbishop
- Kenneth Benda … Cast, the Major Domo
- Lynn Smith … Cast, Alice's Maid
- Edith Savile … Cast, Lady Hartletop
- Martyn Jacobs … Cast, the Fencing Instructor