The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders
In her filthy cell in Newgate prison Moll Flanders (Alex Kingston), dubbed "the wickedest woman in England" tells her story. Born in jail, after her mother is transported there, Moll is raised by the kindly Mayor of Colchester and his wife, whose two sons lust after her. She enjoys sex with handsome Rowland (Colin Buchanan), who teaches her that money talks, but, realizing he only wants her as a mistress, she marries his duller brother Robin (Ian Driver), who conveniently dies after five years, leaving her wealthy. She goes to London, briefly meeting highwayman James "Jemmy" Seagrave (Daniel Craig), and marries parvenu draper Daniel Dawkins (Christopher Fulford), but he has huge debts and must flee to France, leaving Moll alone and poor. Moll meets handsome young American sea Captain Lemuel Golightly (Tom Ward), who marries her and takes her to Virginia and a good lifestyle, along with his mother. They have two children and are blissfully happy until Moll discovers her mother-in-law (Dame Diana Rigg) is also her birth mother. She has married her own brother. She returns to England and poses as wealthy widow Lady Flanders, being proposed to by James "Jemmy" Seagrave, who has land in Ireland. Jemmy Seagrave turns out to be a penniless fortune-seeker like Moll, but there is love on both sides. He leaves her to resume life as a highwayman, but says he will return for her. On a coach to London - which Jemmy robs, but secretly gives Moll the other victims' goods - she meets protective banker Mr. Bland (James Fleet), who becomes her next spouse, but dies of shock when he learns he has been financially ruined. Moll is left poor and alone again and resorts to crime. Moll moves in with landlady Mrs. Riordan (Patti Love), a robbers' fence, along with fellow thief Lucy Diver (Nicola Walker), whom she initially meets after stealing the loot Jenny has hidden. The two women steal, and sometimes sleep, together, but Jenny is caught and hanged. Moll is depressed and even seems remorseful after stooping to robbing a little girl. She takes to rolling rich drunken lechers at the theatre, including Sir Richard Gregory (Ronald Fraser), who is much taken by her, but she is caught and sentenced to the gallows. In Newgate, she sees Jemmy, who has also been captured and whose fate is transportation. Moll prepares to meet her death, but Jemmy arrives at the gallows, having "persuaded" Sir Richard to commute her sentence to transportation. They sail to America together, to see her relatives again.
- 1996-1996
- 1 season
- PBS
- Comedy, Drama
In her filthy cell in Newgate prison Moll Flanders (Alex Kingston), dubbed "the wickedest woman in England" tells her story. Born in jail, after her mother is transported there, Moll is raised by the kindly Mayor of Colchester and his wife, whose two sons lust after her. She enjoys sex with handsome Rowland (Colin Buchanan), who teaches her that money talks, but, realizing he only wants her as a mistress, she marries his duller brother Robin (Ian Driver), who conveniently dies after five years, leaving her wealthy. She goes to London, briefly meeting highwayman James "Jemmy" Seagrave (Daniel Craig), and marries parvenu draper Daniel Dawkins (Christopher Fulford), but he has huge debts and must flee to France, leaving Moll alone and poor. Moll meets handsome young American sea Captain Lemuel Golightly (Tom Ward), who marries her and takes her to Virginia and a good lifestyle, along with his mother. They have two children and are blissfully happy until Moll discovers her mother-in-law (Dame Diana Rigg) is also her birth mother. She has married her own brother. She returns to England and poses as wealthy widow Lady Flanders, being proposed to by James "Jemmy" Seagrave, who has land in Ireland. Jemmy Seagrave turns out to be a penniless fortune-seeker like Moll, but there is love on both sides. He leaves her to resume life as a highwayman, but says he will return for her. On a coach to London - which Jemmy robs, but secretly gives Moll the other victims' goods - she meets protective banker Mr. Bland (James Fleet), who becomes her next spouse, but dies of shock when he learns he has been financially ruined. Moll is left poor and alone again and resorts to crime. Moll moves in with landlady Mrs. Riordan (Patti Love), a robbers' fence, along with fellow thief Lucy Diver (Nicola Walker), whom she initially meets after stealing the loot Jenny has hidden. The two women steal, and sometimes sleep, together, but Jenny is caught and hanged. Moll is depressed and even seems remorseful after stooping to robbing a little girl. She takes to rolling rich drunken lechers at the theatre, including Sir Richard Gregory (Ronald Fraser), who is much taken by her, but she is caught and sentenced to the gallows. In Newgate, she sees Jemmy, who has also been captured and whose fate is transportation. Moll prepares to meet her death, but Jemmy arrives at the gallows, having "persuaded" Sir Richard to commute her sentence to transportation. They sail to America together, to see her relatives again.
Season 1 Episode Guide
4 Episodes 1996
Episode 1
Episode 1
49 mins
Moll is born in London's Newgate Prison to a woman awaiting transportation. No longer pregnant, the mother is immediately sent to the Colonies. Baby Moll is sold several times ending up with a band of gypsies. She runs away as a child and is taken in by the Mayor of Colchester, to be raised as "almost one of the family". When she is 18, the eldest son, Rowland Richardson, seduces her with a promise of marriage. The younger son, Robin, actually offers marriage and they are wed. Five years later, after Moll has borne him two children, he dies. Moll leaves the children with her in-laws and moves to London. She marries Daniel Dawkins, a young man who came into a rich inheritance from his father's drapery business. After running through all the money, plus what she had brought with her, her husband flees to France when the bailiffs come knocking on the door. Moll is left penniless and on her own.
Episode 2
Episode 2
47 mins
Moll travels to Chatham and becomes Mrs Flanders, a rich widow. She marries a Virginian sea captain, sails to the colonies and meets her new mother-in-law. They have two children, but then Moll discovers that his mother is her mother too. She returns to England, travels to Lancashire and is introduced into society as Lady Flanders.
Episode 3
Episode 3
49 mins
Moll falls for a Roman Catholic and converts before marrying him. Travelling to his estate in Ireland, she finds her husband's "sister" was paid to find him a rich wife, as he is as broke as her. They part and she travels back to London, but the coach is robbed by a highway man. A fellow passenger offers to stand guard in her room for protection and becomes for financial adviser as well as her lover. Learning that his wife is a whore, she persuades him to divorce her so that they can marry. When his bank fails and the shock kills him, Moll must flee the bailiffs again and now turns to theft.
Episode 4
Episode 4
48 mins
Moll becomes used to her new life, until an encounter with a young girl upsets her. Her landlady suggest she team up with another girl and the pair have success as thieves and lovers, until Lucy is caught and hung. A brief venture into prostitution leads to her robbing a drunken judge, but shortly after she is caught stealing a bolt of cloth and jailed. Under sentence of death, she meets two of her former lovers and strikes a deal for transportation to Virginia.