Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky

"20,000 Streets Under the Sky" is a television adaptation of Patrick Hamilton's London trilogy of the 1930's, providing Americans with exposure to an author, at his centenary, and period, classes and British characters we haven't seen on British exports before.

These are folks hanging on to not quite lower middle class, shopkeeper-level, respectability with their fingernails or elbows, one temptation or bad choice away from sliding into impoverishment or disgrace.

The period costumes, almost black and white production design, slang and non-posh accents to indicate a variety of backgrounds were marvelous. The casting was a terrific selection of talented character actors who were completely believable as mixed-motive people.

Part 1 is the story of Bob, the erstwhile writer and semi-autobiographical stand-in, based on "The Midnight Bell", also the name of the pub where the three naïve young people intersect. As played by Bryan Dick, Bob seems like a younger and handsomer version of the old professor obsessed with Marlene Dietrich in "The Blue Angel (Der Blaue Engel)" in the same period, as he is an unabashed, unrealistic romantic. Bob is unexpectedly, and not well-explained, well-educated, immersing himself in writing about the fall of the Roman Empire, while his fantasies run to popular cinema.

Part 2 is the story of Jenny the prostitute (a sprightly Jean Harlow-like Zoë Tapper), based on "The Siege of Pleasure." This is not quite raw Theodore Dreiser or Stephen Crane territory in presenting how a fallen woman in the big city got there but comes close. We see her what would seem like quite stupidly giving in to temptations if there weren't so many films now on young women from Eastern Europe getting trapped in identical snares today, but which are a bit overplayed here in terms of alcohol and the very frankly single-minded intentions of despicable and not particularly charismatic or sexy men who practically twirl their mustaches. It seemed odd that we didn't discover some hidden illegitimate child to explain her missed assignations, disappearances and manipulative need of cash. The stereotypes finally fell away as we saw her hard-earned cynicism when she faces the man who helped lead her astray, as she is now sadly beyond salvation.

Part 3 is the story of Ella, the bar maid, based on the novel "The Plains of Cement." This was the most effective, as well as the most touchingly bittersweet story, concluding in surprising directions and the characters seemed less types and more real people. Sally Hawkins well conveyed a young woman caught between an array of emotions and expectations at home, work and romance that confuse her.

Not having read the novels (let alone even heard of the author until seeing this adaptation) I presumed it was the source material that had a lot of stereotypes, if this was faithful, but this trilogy may have helped create the clichés in the first place. But I was finally taken by how each character did not go off into soap opera directions.

The time frame of when each character intersected at crucial points in their lives wasn't always 100% clear until the conclusion, as no specific points of reference are provided amidst the flashbacks.

I viewed this on BBC America over three hours with commercials, so I am not sure if there were any cuts from the original production.

Patrick Hamilton was a depressing genius, and the subject of poverty and meagre jobs for those who are educated, and can get nowhere is applicable for today in many countries. His novels depict the dispossessed very accurately, either emotionally, financially or mentally. In this television series it was brave of the BBC to put this long book to the small screen. Since then the BBC has lost interest in adapting classic novels of the last century, or even the books of the 19th C. As for this adaptation of a trilogy of novels I found it painful to watch, and the three main protagonists, two women and a man were acted well. Bryan Dick as the young waiter in a pub I found especially good, and Sally Hawkins as a barmaid in the same pub very moving in her unrequited love for him. He is infatuated with a worthless prostitute who seduces him out of his savings and gives him nothing in return except ' love scam ' promises. All this is in no way an historical situation. Sadly I found the depiction of London in the 1930's not as good as it could have been. The direction formulaic, and the settings too studio bound and the pub unrealistically unpopulated. If anyone who has read the book the final image in the book was missing, and this I feel was a loss as it hammers home the extreme solitude these three character's inhabit. I would rather return to the trilogy of novels than this adaptation, although it was much, much better than the pitiful film adaptation of 1963 under the title of ' Bitter Harvest. '

I bought the DVD some 7 years ago , not knowing what to get. But a BBC production must stand at least for a minimum of quality. I was pleasantly surprised by this lovely drama. I was not familliar with the 3 leads , but all three , Bryan Dick, Zoé Tapper and Sally Hawkins delivered a great performance. As a viewer u want things to end good for all of them, and find love. The spirit of the 1930-ies is well presented in here. I wish there were more of these goodies. Peter Piessens/Belgium

Initially I thought it was incredible, yet after reading the book again & listened to the radio adaptation, I feel it's a departure from how I interpreted it Bob is far too young & meek , in the book he's more confident. Ella also has a stronger nature than in this .

Ernest Eccles is more caricature is funnier and gentler than depicted in the series. I feel Phil Daniels comes across a bit sharp and it's just more bumbling irritating than harsh. He's got the concept of unrequited love well covered it's beautiful in its own concept. Yeah I do prefer the book and particular the radio adaptation is the best I think that's a good viewing on its own merits.

There isn't enough space here to write enough about how great this 'series' was (is). I've rated it as a 10 because it is simply faultless. The only time I've seen any TV quite this good is in some of Poliakoff's films...and, like them, don't be fooled by the slow pace of 20,000...for within these 3 episodes you will have time to get to know the characters and see how complex the stories that weave them all together are. Above all...way above all, is Sally Hawkins whose acting is off the scale. Her character's stories of love are absolutely wonderful and many of us who have been in similar situations will see how brilliant her acting, the script, the whole production are. Watch out for one scene in particular when she has a letter read out to her...watch her facial microexpressions closely and you will see acting at its very best...not even a word is spoken. If you don't like slow paced productions then you may not like this, but if you like fine acting and stories of characters and how they relate to one another, then you will find this one of the finest productions ever made.