Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky

2005 British TV series or programme

Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky

Genre| Drama
Based on| 20,000 Streets Under the Sky by Patrick Hamilton
Written by| Kevin Elyot
Directed by| Simon Curtis
Starring| Bryan Dick
Sally Hawkins
Zoë Tapper
Theme music composer| John Lunn
Country of origin| United Kingdom
Original language| English
No. of series| 1
No. of episodes| 3
Production
Executive producers| Richard Fell, Gareth Neame
Producer| Kate Harwood
Cinematography| John Daly
Editor| Adam Recht
Running time| 2 hours, 30 minutes
Production company| BBC
Original release
Network| BBC Four
Release| 19 April (2005-04-19) –
21 April 2005 (2005-04-21)

Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky is a 2005 BBC television serial depicting the intersecting lives of three working-class Londoners in the 1920s. The series is based on the trilogy 20,000 Streets Under the Sky by British author Patrick Hamilton.[1] It stars Sally Hawkins, Zoë Tapper and Bryan Dick. The three-part drama was shown on BBC Four, accompanied by the documentary Words, Whisky and Women, and was also released on DVD, HD DVD and Blu-ray. The series was released in the United States on BBC America on 11 February 2006.

## Cast

[edit]

* Bryan Dick – Bob
* Sally Hawkins – Ella
* Zoë Tapper – Jenny Maple
* Phil Davis – Ernest Eccles
* Susan Wooldridge – Ella's Mother
* Elisabeth Dermot Walsh – Mrs Sanderson-Chantry
* Kellie Shirley – Violet
* Tony Haygarth – The Governor (pub landlord)
* Jacqueline Tong – The Governor's Wife

## Episodes

[edit]

Episode #  | Title  | Original release date  | Length

|
|
|

1| "The Midnight Bell: Bob’s Story"| 19 April 2005 (2005-04-19)| TBA

Bob, a waiter at a pub called The Midnight Bell, falls in love with Jenny, a prostitute. Ella, a barmaid at the pub, is secretly in love with Bob. He begins to drain his savings in order to entertain Jenny and win her love, even though she repeatedly stands him up.

2| "The Siege of Pleasure: Jenny’s Story"| 20 April 2005 (2005-04-20)| TBA

Jenny begins her working life as a housemaid. An encounter with an unscrupulous upper-class man turns her life towards prostitution.

3| "The Plains of Cement: Ella’s Story"| 21 April 2005 (2005-04-21)| TBA

Taking place at the same time as "The Midnight Bell: Bob’s Story", "The Plains of Cement" is seen from Ella’s perspective. Ella catches the attention of Ernest Eccles, a much older man, who wants to marry her. She loves Bob, but because she finds her love is not returned she wants to change her life.

## Reception

[edit]

The Los Angeles Times called the series "a dreamy but gritty period drama, superbly acted" and "the kind of television at which the BBC repeatedly excels – rich and fulfilling for its understatement, discreet tales that are well told."[2]

Variety praised the series, writing that it "brims with a sense of yearning that takes the very old quandary of not being able to control who one loves and puts an evergreen spin on it. Moreover, the production itself is as meticulous as the storytelling, from the drab palette used in capturing the Depression-era surroundings to the melancholy score."[3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ BBC ‘’Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky’’
2. ^ Paul, Brownfield (11 February 2006). "In British 'Streets,' doomed love and unrequited yearning". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 18 October 2016.
3. ^ Brian, Lowrey (9 February 2006). "Review: Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky". Variety. Retrieved 18 October 2016.

## External links

[edit]

* Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky at BBC Online
* Twenty Thousand Streets Under the Sky at IMDb

*[No.]: Number