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Fingersmith
- Director: Aisling Walsh
- Writer: Peter Ransley; Sarah Waters
- Producer: Sally Head; Georgina Lowe
CGiii Comment
What a story...
This lulls you into a false sense of discomfort - just when you start to think the inevitable will happen...it flips.
The first part is a little slow, dangerously so...but, stick with it - you will not be disappointed.
Obviously, comparisons will be made with Tipping the Velvet - same source writer, same period, similar production values, same medium, different directors.
Fingersmith deserved a more inventive approach - the slowness of the first part is down to the direction not the writing, the second part certainly picks up but does tend to fizzle out in the closing scenes - again, that's down to the direction and not the writing. In other words, the direction is rather flat and formulaic...it deserved better.
That said...it still is a damn decent production - it could have been exceptional.
Trailer...
The(ir) Blurb...
Susan "Sue" Trinder is a fingersmith (British slang for thief) who lives in the slums of London with a baby farmer (person who looks after unwanted babies) Mrs.Sucksby. When a once rich man, who gambled all his money away, presents them with a scam that has a payout of 40,000 pounds, Sue signs on to swindle rich Maud Lilly. Maud is an orphan who lives with her uncle, but what exactly is going on in the Lilly house? Sue will pose as Maud's maid so that Mr.Rivers (the gentleman) can get close to and eventually marry her. Their plan is to put Maud in the madhouse and take the money for themselves. All goes astray though when Sue falls in love with Maud. And the question is: Who can you trust?
Cast & Characters
Elaine Cassidy as Maud Lilly;
Sally Hawkins as Sue Trinder;
Imelda Staunton as Mrs. Sucksby;
Rupert Evans as Richard 'Gentleman' Rivers;
Charles Dance as Mr. Christopher Lilly;
David Troughton as Mr. Ibbs;
Bronson Webb as John Vroom;
Demelza Randall as Dainty;
Stephen Wight as Charles;
Polly Hemingway as Mrs. Stiles;
Stephanie Middleton as Young Sue;
Tallulah Pitt-Brown as Young Maud;
Richard Durden as Mr. Hawtrey;
Sam Graham as Dr. Christie;
William Oliver as Dr. Graves