1981 British TV series or programme
| The Good Soldier | |
|---|---|
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| Based on | The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford |
| Screenplay by | Julian Mitchell |
| Directed by | Kevin Billington |
| Music by | John McCabe |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| Production | |
| Producer | Peter Eckersley |
| Cinematography | Tony Pierce-Roberts |
| Editor | Edward Mansell |
| Running time | 105 minutes |
| Production company | Granada Television |
| Original release | |
| Network | ITV |
| Release | 15 April 1981 (1981-04-15) |
The Good Soldier is a 1981 British television drama film directed by Kevin Billington, starring Robin Ellis, Vickery Turner, Jeremy Brett and Susan Fleetwood. It tells the story of two couples that fall apart due to lies and infidelity. The film is based on the 1915 novel of the same name by Ford Madox Ford. It was produced by Granada Television.
Synopsis
John and Florence Dowells, and the aristocratically English Edward and Leonora Ashburnham, met regularly and pleasantly in a small German spa town for nine years. Then, with shocking suddenness, the even, stable and civilized pattern of their lives are broken under the impact of a series of brutal events and dramatic revelations.
Cast
- Robin Ellis as John Dowell
- Vickery Turner as Florence Dowell
- Jeremy Brett as Edward Ashburnham
- Susan Fleetwood as Leonora Ashburnham
- Elizabeth Garvie as Nancy Rufford
- Pauline Moran as Maisie Maidan
- John Ratzenberger as Jimmy
- Geoffrey Chater as Bagshawe
- John Grillo as Herr Schontz
- Roger Hammond as Grand Duke
Release
The Good Soldier premiered on British television in 1981. It was broadcast on the American network PBS in 1983 as an episode of the series Masterpiece Theatre.
Reception
In a contemporary review, the New York Times wrote the series was "adapted beautifully" and "it has been transposed to the television screen splendidly... This is a powerfully intelligent and insightful work." In a 2015 review of the book, Kevin T. Di Camillo called the adaptation "pretty forgettable".
References
- ^ "The Good Soldier (1981)". Films & TV programmes. British Film Institute. Archived from the original on 3 August 2012. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
- "The Good Soldier". pbs.org. PBS. Retrieved 27 December 2014.
- O'Connor, John J. (17 January 1983). "Ford Maddox Fords' The Good Soldier". New York Times. Retrieved 6 March 2019.
- Ford Madox Ford’s The Good Soldier at 100: A Tale of Passion
External links
| Films directed by Kevin Billington | |
|---|---|
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- 1981 television films
- 1981 films
- 1980s English-language films
- Films based on British novels
- Films directed by Kevin Billington
- Films set in Germany
- Adaptations of works by Ford Madox Ford
- ITV television dramas
- Television series by ITV Studios
- Television shows produced by Granada Television
- Television shows based on British novels
- Films shot in Greater Manchester
- 1980s British films
- British drama television films
- English-language drama films
- 1980s British film stubs
- Drama television film stubs