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I was extremely fortunate to see the original play in London with Eric Portman and Margaret Leighton when I was a student there. I was knocked out with it, especially as the two leads doubled the roles as indeed Julie Christie and Alan Bates do in this wonderful TV version. What a tour de force this is for any actor and you need actors of great quality to make these roles completely different and, more importantly, believable. For anyone who is not familiar with Rattigan's stage play then this is the version to watch. The film version with Burt Lancaster, David Niven and Deborah Kerr, was messed about with by combining the two separate plays and re-writing the characters to suit the American casting of Burt Lancaster and Rita Hayworth. In this TV production the casting throughout is superlative. They bring this tale of deep loneliness and pathetic hypocrisy to life without it being overly sentimental in any way. I have since directed the play on stage and the more you read the actual script you realize what a wonderful performance this TV version is. Clare Bloom is very effective as Pat Cooper, the hotel manageress. Irene Worth is just superb as the vicious Mrs Railton Bell and the rest of the cast are faultless. Alan Bates and Julie Christie make this a joyous feast of acting to watch. I truly don't know which is the better performance. Also I really loved the music used as the introduction and prologue to this film. A must for anybody who really enjoys first class acting.

I have watched this video several times now and I cannot fault it in anyway. The performances are excellent, the settings are wonderfully authentic and the story line is strong and the direction taut.The wonderful thing about the Tyne Tees productions of the Cookson books is the outstanding authenticity and atmosphere they get in their settings. This one absolutely reeked with atmosphere - misty dimly lit alleyways, dramatic lighting on faces in the darkness, all suggesting the sordid and seamy side of the back streets of the Tyneside underworld of that period. The marvellous street scenes with their pathetic flotsam and jetsam of poverty. It's all there. Robson Green gives a strong and compelling performance as Rory, showing all the complex sides of this character. His make-up after the beatings and burning is wonderfully realistic, some of the best I have ever seen. Sylvestra le Touzel is superb as Charlotte, totally believable and sincere and Stephanie Putson's Janie is equally strong. You feel genuine sympathy for her unhappy situation. And I particularly liked Ann Kent's Lizzie. All the performances are excellent, with particularly villainous villains. Bernard Hill can do more with one piercing look than a million words. The final fire sequence is terrific. How it was filmed I can't imagine, it has you cringing in your seat. Lovers of Cookson and anyone who enjoys really good drama don't miss this terrific presentation.

I found this mini-series extremely entertaining. The acting was excellent. Michael Gambon was particularly outstanding. Justine Waddell did a wonderful job with Molly. She could have been an insufferable prig, but Justine brought such sincerity and vulnerability to her that you took her to your heart. Francesca Annis touched all the right buttons with her characterisation of the social climbing wife and Bill Paterson's wry humour and warmth made his relationship with Molly all the more realistic. Every role was well performed and no-one struck an artificial note. The settings, of course, were superb. How can you fail with the wonderful wealth of historic houses and the countryside available in England. The costumes,too, were excellent. No detail was missed. This series is one you can watch several times and still find new facets in the characterisations. PLEASE let us have more of this quality. Highly recommended.