Hard Times

When announced as made by 'BBC Schools', a low cost production is expected. And the sparse sets and Coketown streets are indeed very basic. But this is more than compensated for by the quality of the cast. Bob Peck and Alan Bates lead a team of superb actors, who drive the story along, and provide the character so essential to Dickens through a glance or a gesture, in what is a very stripped down and shortened version of Dickens' classic novel.

Inevitably a lot of Dickens' complexity is lost, and the effect of its abridgement leads to a rather jerky approach, with abrupt shifts of time and scene. But overall this is a great success, substituting character development for fast-moving action. It is a tribute to the BBC's commitment (ten years ago) to quality educational films.