MASTERPIECE THEATRE: CLARISSA {EPISODE 3} (TV)
Summary
Continued from T:29938. One in this ongoing series of dramas presented under the umbrella of "Masterpiece Theatre," hosted by Alistair Cooke. This program is the final part in a three-part adaptation of Samuel Richardson's seven-volume work, "Clarissa," about the decisions a young woman makes when her family forces her to marry against her will. This episode begins as Lovelace finds out that Clarissa has run off to Hampstead. He quickly hatches a new plot in which two of his prostitute friends pretend that they are his aunt and cousin, in order to gain Clarissa's trust and bring her back to the London brothel. When Lovelace confides his plans to his friend, Jack urges him to stop tormenting Clarissa. However, Lovelace proclaims that he has thrown away his conscience, and that he will have Clarissa at any price. And when Clarissa will not submit to him, he brutally rapes her, and holds her prisoner in the brothel. At this point, Lovelace receives a sudden summons to his dying uncle's bedside, and he hurries off to the country, leaving Clarissa in the care of the prostitutes and Jack. Clarissa takes advantage of his absence and escapes from the house; but she is soon captured by the police and jailed because of the brothel owner's accusations of robbery. In jail, Clarissa decides that her only means of salvation is death, and she begins to starve herself. The Harlowes hear of Clarissa's suffering too late to save her. Jack is the only one who stands by her throughout her hunger strike; and when Lovelace finally returns from the countryside, Jack challenges him to a swordfight to avenge Clarissa. The final scenes show Anna's wedding party leaving the church and passing by Clarissa's grave.
Cataloging of this program was made possible by the Corporation for Public Broadcasting, 1998.
Details
- NETWORK: PBS
- DATE: April 19, 1992 9:00 PM
- RUNNING TIME: 0:55:29
- COLOR/B&W: Color
- CATALOG ID: T:29939
- GENRE: Drama
- SUBJECT HEADING: Drama
- SERIES RUN: PBS - TV series, 1971-
- COMMERCIALS: N/A
CREDITS
- Michael Wearing … Executive Producer
- Kevin Loader … Producer
- Robert Bierman … Director
- Samuel Richardson … Based on the novel by
- David Nokes … Writer
- Janet Barron … Writer
- Colin Towns … Music by
- Sean Bean … Cast, Lovelace
- Saskia Wickham … Cast, Clarissa
- Jonathan Phillips … Cast, James
- Lynsey Baxter … Cast, Bella
- Jeffry Wickham … Cast, Mr. Harlowe
- Frances Viner … Cast, Mrs. Harlowe
- Ralph Riach … Cast, Uncle Anthony
- Diana Quick … Cast, "Lady Betty"
- Cathryn Harrison … Cast, Mrs. Sinclair
- Michael Feast … Cast, Tom Linson
- Shirley Henderson … Cast, Sally
- Lucy Robinson … Cast, Deb
- Darby Hawker … Cast, Dorcas
- Hermione Norris … Cast, Anna Howe
- Sean Pertwee … Cast, Jack Belford
- Lorna Heilbron … Cast, Mrs. Howe
- Jon Sotherton … Cast, Hickman
- Julia Dearden … Cast, Mrs. Moore
- Amanda Wearing … Cast, Widow Bemis
- Francesca Longrigg … Cast, "Cousin Charlotte"
- Delia Lindsay … Cast, the Real Lady Betty
- Jennifer Wiltsie … Cast, Miss D'Oyley
- Jack Deam … Cast, Will
- Ben Cole … Cast, the Gentleman at Ball
- William Hoyland … Cast, the Doctor
- Geoffrey Drew … Cast, the Bailiff
- Patsy Palmer … Cast, Kitty
- Julie May … Cast, Miss Lyons