The Scold's Bridle

Matilda was a cruel, wealthy tyrant, who enjoyed manipulating people, so when she is found dead in a bath wearing a scold's bridal, suspicions arise that she was murdered.

I read the book many years ago, and have to say this is one impressive dramatisation, it is very faithful to the text, the characters are exactly as you picture them, particular Joanna and Matilda, spot on.

Superb acting, they're all wonderful, Trudie Styler is captivating as Joanna.

It's an excellent two part drama, it's well paced, gritty and pretty shocking, with some graphic and upsetting scenes. For 1998 this pushed the boundaries.

It doesn't let up, the opening scenes of Part two are the most shocking, very harrowing.

Anyone that's watched this or read the book, I'd ask the question do you feel at all sorry for Joanna? Does she deserve sympathy?

Having read the book and seen the TV series several times I'm still amazed as to how close to the characters in the book this adaptation gets. Miranda Richardson as the unbridled (pardon the pun) and headstrong GP and Trudie Styler (Sting's wife I've been told) as the troubled Joanna are the two actors and characters that will stay with me for a while, but this is an all around top notch cast they're all brilliant.