SILAS MARNER: THE WEAVER OF RAVELOE (TV)
Summary
This made-for-television drama film is based on the 1861 novel by George Eliot (the pen name of Mary Ann Evans). The story begins as Silas Marner, a weaver and devout Christian, attends church and then is asked to watch over the gravely ill deacon. During the night, he experiences "a kind of fit" and does not notice as his friend William steals the congregation's money, awakening to find that the deacon has died. He is later accused of the crime, as the box was opened with his own knife, and cannot sufficiently explain why he was not aware of the theft. He is proclaimed guilty by a form of lottery and cast out of the church, and he leaves town, having lost his faith. He settles in Raveloe and works for many years, living alone and rarely speaking to his neighbors, though Dolly Winthrop shows him kindness and ignores the "silly stories" about him. Jem Rodney observes Silas having one of his trance-like fits and finds that he is carrying a great deal of money at the time, later speculating with his friends at the tavern about the strange incident.
Dunstan Cass spends the evening in the tavern and then returns home drunk to his wealthy father, the squire, who condemns his bad behavior. His elder brother Godfrey then demands that Dunstan give him the money collected from one of their tenants, Fowler, saying that their father will evict the man without it, but Dunstan laughs him off and threatens to blackmail him with a certain secret. In the morning, Dunstan suggests that Godfrey sell his beloved horse to recoup the money, though he himself ends up injuring the horse during a hunt. Elsewhere, Godfrey visits the rundown home of his secret wife, an opium addict named Molly, and she threatens to reveal their relationship and their child to the squire if Godfrey does not bring her money. At night, Dunstan visits Silas' shop and finds it empty and, remembering the rumors about Silas' miserly habits, searches and finds a large fortune hidden under the floorboards. Silas later barges into the tavern and declares that he has been robbed, and Jem is quick to swear his innocence. Godfrey learns that Dunstan never arrived home, and the other townsmen tell Silas that there is no sign of the thief and that his money will likely go unrecovered.
Around Christmas, the squire, unaware of Molly's existence, urges Godfrey to finally propose to Nancy Lammeter. Dolly visits Silas with her young son Aaron and urges him to attend church and hope for better luck in the new year. The squire throws a holiday party and Godfrey flirtatiously dances with Nancy, unaware that Molly is making her way towards the squire's home with their daughter. Silas experiences another fit and then discovers the child in his home and the mother passed out in the snow. He bursts into the party carrying the little girl, and Godfrey remains silent, knowing that he cannot confess the truth. Molly's body is recovered, and Silas declares that he will raise the child himself, as no one else has a clear "right to her." Now free to remarry, Godfrey proposes to Nancy on New Year's Eve, and Dolly offers her assistance to Silas in raising the girl, whom he names Hepzibah, or "Eppie," after his mother. Silas struggles to balance his work and fatherhood as the mischievous Eppie repeatedly runs out of the shop, though he tells Dolly that punishment "sours a person" and quickly grows to love his adopted daughter.
Over the years, Eppie grows up into a happy young lady, though Nancy and Godfrey find themselves childless and Dunstan's fate remains unknown. Godfrey visits Silas and Eppie and offers to enlarge their small home without raising the rent, clearly wanting to provide for his daughter. He tells Nancy that they "need a child," but she argues that Eppie is not rightfully theirs. Young Aaron tends a garden at the weaver's home as Eppie asks Silas yet again about her birth parents, while elsewhere a skeleton is found in the quarry when the lake is drained. Godfrey realizes that it is Dunstan and that he drowned years ago after robbing Silas, and he finally confesses the full truth to Nancy, admitting that Eppie is his child. She states that she would have raised her as her own had she known, and Godfrey vows that he will now care for her and live a "plain and honest" life. Silas finally gets his money back, though he admits that he cares far less for it now that he has something far better to love. Godfrey and Nancy arrive and offer to take Eppie and raise her as a lady while Silas enjoys his retirement, and when Eppie politely declines, Godfrey reveals that he is her true father. He tells her that she is entitled to enjoy his wealth, but she protests that she is happy in her humble life and cannot bear the idea of leaving Silas. Later, Eppie marries Aaron, and Silas reflects to Dolly that Eppie greatly changed his life for the better. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: BBC (United Kingdom)
- DATE: December 30, 1985
- RUNNING TIME: 1:30:28
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:09905
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: International Collection - United Kingdom; Drama; Classics
- SERIES RUN: BBC - TV, 1985
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Louis Marks … Producer
- Giles Foster … Director, Writer
- Louis Marks … Writer
- George Eliot … Based on the novel by
- Carl Davis … Music by
- Sue Weston … Choreographer
- Ben Kingsley … Cast, Silas Marner
- Jenny Agutter … Cast, Nancy Lammeter
- Rosemary Martin … Cast, Dolly Winthrop
- Patrick Ryecart … Cast, Godfrey Cass
- Jonathan Coy … Cast, Dunstan Cass
- Angela Pleasence … Cast, Molly
- Freddie Jones … Cast, Squire Cass
- Patsy Kensit … Cast, Eppie
- Elizabeth Hoyle … Cast, Baby Eppie
- Melinda Whiting … Cast, Little Eppie
- Robert Putt … Cast, Ben Winthrop
- Jim Broadbent … Cast, Jem Rodney
- Tony Caunter … Cast, Mr. Snell
- Michael Bilton … Cast, Mr. Macey
- Nick Brimble … Cast, Bob Dowlas
- Frederick Treves … Cast, Mr. Lammeter
- Johnnie van Derrick … Cast, Soloman the Fiddler
- Roy Evans … Cast, Matthews
- Donald Eccles … Cast, Rev. Crackenthorpe
- Rosamund Greenwood … Cast, Mrs. Crackenthorpe
- Jane Freeman … Cast, Mrs. Kimble
- Edward Jewesbury … Cast, Dr. Kimble
- Billy Fellows … Cast, Aaron Winthrop
- Guy Keith Miller … Cast, Young Aaron
- Kenneth MacDonald … Cast, Bryce
- Chris Langham … Cast, Keating
- Oscar Quitak … Cast, Senior Chapel Elder
- Paul Copley … Cast, William Dane
- Natalie Ogle … Cast, Sarah