Cranford

Oscar-winner Judi Dench leads a magnificent ensemble cast in this classic Elizabeth Gaskell adaptation! This witty and poignant story follows the small absurdities and major tragedies in the lives of the people of Cranford, as they are besieged by forces that they can't withstand. Cranford in the 1840s is a small northern English town on the cusp of change. Things are on the move. The railway is pushing its way relentlessly towards the town from Manchester, bringing fears of migrant workers and the breakdown of law and order. The arrival of a handsome new doctor from London causes a stir, not only because of his revolutionary medical methods, but also because of the effect he has on many of the ladies' hearts in the town. Three Gaskell novels (Cranford, My Lady Ludlow, Mrs. Harrison's Confession) have been woven together to create this uniquely rich and comic drama about ordinary human lives during one extraordinary year. (2 DVD) approx. 295 mins.