CANTERBURY TALES: THE MAN OF LAW'S TALE (TV)
Summary
One in this six-part miniseries featuring modern-day retellings of Chaucer's famous fourteenth-century tales. In this installment, a man, Mark, finds a young Nigerian woman floating in a raft and quickly takes her home to care for her. When his boss Alan spots her, he claims that she is a relative of his wife Nicky's. The woman, Constance, explains that she escaped on the raft after the freighter she was on was raided, but cannot remember what happened to her before. Alan's mother Leila nags him to settle down with a wife, and Constance suffers nightmares about her experiences in Nigeria, comforted by Nicky. She soon finds solace in a church, though she experiences a fainting spell and is tended to by Terry, a parishioner. Mark and Nicky bring Constance along to a party at Leila's home, where she meets Alan and discusses her faith, stating that she is unsure of God's purpose for her. The narrative jumps ahead to a future date in which Alan desperately searches for Constance in Nigeria, but learns that she did not have a British visa and has vanished. In the past, Constance and Alan go sailing together, and Nicky accompanies Constance to her church despite not quite being a believer. Mark grows uncomfortable with the arrangement, particularly when Constance hosts a Bible study session in their home, and Terry notices when Alan continues flirting with her.
Constance and Alan spend more time together and eventually share a kiss, though Nicky warns Constance that she cannot tell him the truth about her origins. Terry then arrives at their home and makes strong advances on Constance, revealing his jealousy of Alan and claiming that she is his "angel." She experiences frightening memories of her past as she frantically pushes him away, and Nicky intervenes to rescue her. When Mark arrives home, however, he finds Constance cradling Nicky's bloodied dead body. Constance is arrested and Alan visits her in prison, where she swears that she does not remember what happened, but is convinced that God will save her, which exasperates him. Alan visits Mark, who is convinced of Constance's guilt, stating that she is a religious "fanatic" and manipulated them with her sad story. Alan searches for Constance in Nigeria and is briefly thrown in a cell, but he then meets a priest who agrees to help him for a price. Terry testifies at Constance's trial and claims that he saw Constance with her "boyfriend" and did not enter the house that night, and Constance is outraged that he would lie after swearing on the Bible. Her solicitor, Clare, takes advantage of Terry's faith and points out that he is committing a sin as she questions him, and Terry finally breaks down and admits that he killed Nicky.
Despite being proven innocent, Constance is deported, but Alan states that she can return to the U.K. legally if they marry, ignoring Leila's objections. The couple are wed and enjoy a brief honeymoon, and Constance heads back to Nigeria to retrieve her official visa. She fails to return, however, prompting Alan to search for her, and when he pays off the priest, he learns that Constance has had a child. He flees in shock, and when Constance telephones, Leila tells her that it was "all a mistake" and not to call again. Alan talks to Mark again, who expresses surprise at Alan's actions, and Alan realizes that his mother meddled in the situation and made him both parties erroneously believe that the other had abandoned them. He finally tracks Constance down in Nigeria, and she explains what happened to her and how she was treated badly and saved by the priest after having her baby seemingly out of wedlock, then finally confessing that she fled Nigeria in the first place after witnessing her parents' violent murders in Christian-Muslim skirmishes. The pair reconciles, and Alan meets his son, Isaac. Commercials deleted.
Details
- NETWORK: BBC
- DATE: October 2, 2003
- RUNNING TIME: 0:59:26
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: B:84605
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama; Literature; Miniseries
- SERIES RUN: BBC - TV series, 2003
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Franc Roddam … Executive Producer
- Laura Mackie … Executive Producer
- Sally Haynes … Executive Producer
- Kate Bartlett … Producer
- Carmel Maloney … Line Producer
- Julian Jarrold … Director
- Olivia Hetreed … Writer
- Geoffrey Chaucer … Based on the tales by
- Adrian Johnston … Music by
- Murray Gold … Theme Music by
- Andrew Lincoln … Cast, Alan King
- Nikki Amuka-Bird … Cast, Constance Musa
- Adam Kotz … Cast, Adam Constable
- Rakie Ayola … Cast, Nicky Constable
- Kika Markham … Cast, Leila King
- Leo Wringer … Cast, Minister
- Lindelani Buthelezi … Cast, Embassy Official
- Mo Amuludun … Cast, Minister's Wife
- Hakeem Kae-Kazim … Cast, Yasouf
- Mpho Osei Tutu … Cast, Man With Gun
- Nomsa Xaba … Cast, Mother
- Archie Panjabi … Cast, Clare
- Sello Motloung … Cast, Big Man
- Yule Masiteng … Cast, Priest
- James Woolley … Cast, Prosecution Barrister
- Donald Douglas … Cast, Judge