This adaptation of Henry James' 'The Wings of the Dove' was an episode from 'Affairs of the Heart', which presented a selection of stories and novels from James in fifty minute segments.
Milly Theale (Rosalind Ayres), an American heiress in poor health, comes to London where Kate Croy (Lois Baxter) hatches a plan to get her hands on her money. This entails setting a trap where Milly will get ensnared, involving Kate's fiancé, Robert Merton (Gary Bond) - Merton Densher in the novel, not sure why the name is changed here. Also in the mix are an admirer of Kate's and Milly's called Lord Mark (Stuart Wilson), who knows more than he originally lets on.
In comparison to the film made in 1997 and featuring Linus Roache as Merton, Alison Elliott as Milly, and Helena Bonham Carter as Kate (all rather miscast) this version is much more true to the novel, and better played, especially by Ayres and Bond. Where you didn't really care about the characters in the Roache film and found them all a little cold, here they do come across as having some warmth and depth.
A very successful adaptation and well worth watching.
Milly Theale (Rosalind Ayres), an American heiress in poor health, comes to London where Kate Croy (Lois Baxter) hatches a plan to get her hands on her money. This entails setting a trap where Milly will get ensnared, involving Kate's fiancé, Robert Merton (Gary Bond) - Merton Densher in the novel, not sure why the name is changed here. Also in the mix are an admirer of Kate's and Milly's called Lord Mark (Stuart Wilson), who knows more than he originally lets on.
In comparison to the film made in 1997 and featuring Linus Roache as Merton, Alison Elliott as Milly, and Helena Bonham Carter as Kate (all rather miscast) this version is much more true to the novel, and better played, especially by Ayres and Bond. Where you didn't really care about the characters in the Roache film and found them all a little cold, here they do come across as having some warmth and depth.
A very successful adaptation and well worth watching.