BRIDESHEAD REVISITED, PART 10: A TWITCH UPON THE THREAD (TV)
Summary
Part ten in this eleven-part adaptation of Evelyn Waugh's novel about Charles Ryder and his relationship with the aristocratic Flyte family, residents of the Brideshead estate. In this episode, two years have passed since Julia and Charles were reunited. They sit by the fountain at Brideshead reminiscing about their years together. Julia says that she wants to marry Charles, that she wants a year or two of real peace with him before the war. Brideshead comes for dinner and announces that he's engaged to be married. When Julia wonders why he didn't bring his fiancée with him, Brideshead says that he could hardly bring a proper Catholic woman to Brideshead considering the circumstances of Julia and Charles "living in sin." Julia is shocked and upset and runs outside and down to the fountain. She tells Charles that she's never free from her sin, that it's like a child she has to care for, a burden that everyone knows about. Strangely, Julia then returns to Brideshead's side and discusses his wedding plans as if nothing had happened. Later, out at the fountain again, Julia hits Charles and wonders if she's going crazy. She reiterates her desire to marry him. Divorces are set in motion for both Charles and Celia and Julia and Rex. Cordelia, who has been working in a convent in Spain, comes to visit. She says that she's been to Tunis and seen Sebastian, who is living in a monastery but not feeling very well. He had been taken in by the monks only when they realized that he was ill and not just drunk. He said Kurt had been arrested in Greece after a brawl and sent back to Germany. Sebastian followed him there and searched for him for a few years before hearing that Kurt had hanged himself in a concentration camp. Sebastian then returned to North Africa where he thought he'd be happy. Cordelia concludes that both she and Sebastian are people who don't really fit in, either in the material world or the religious orders. Meanwhile, Lord Marchmain decides to come back to England and spend his declining years in his old home.
Details
- NETWORK: ITV (United Kingdom)
- DATE: November 30, 1999
- RUNNING TIME: 0:52:21
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:29139
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; International Collection - United Kingdom; LGBT Collection - Drama
- SERIES RUN: ITV (United Kingdom) - TV series, 1981
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Derek Granger … Producer
- Martin Thompson … Associate Producer
- Michael Lindsay-Hogg … Director
- Charles Sturridge … Director
- Waugh, Evelyn (Arthur St. John) … Based on the novel by
- John Mortimer … Adapted by
- Geoffrey Burgon … Music by
- Jeremy Irons … Cast, Charles Ryder
- Diana Quick … Cast, Julia Flyte Mottram
- Phoebe Nicholls … Cast, Cordelia Flyte
- Mona Washbourne … Cast, Nanny Hawkins
- John Gielgud … Cast, Edward Ryder
- Simon Jones … Cast, Brideshead
- Jeremy Sinden … Cast, Boy Mulcaster
- Charles Keating … Cast, Rex Mottram
- Van de Stolpe, Martin … Cast, Father Superior
- Roger Milner … Cast, Wilcox