The Life and Loves of a She-Devil (TV series)
| The Life and Loves of a She-Devil | |
|---|---|
| Genre | Drama |
| Based on | The Life and Loves of a She-Devil by Fay Weldon |
| Written by | Ted Whitehead |
| Directed by | Philip Saville |
| Starring | |
| Theme music composer | Peter Filleul |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of episodes | 4 |
| Production | |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC Two |
| Release | 8 October – 29 October 1986 |
The Life and Loves of a She-Devil is a 1986 award-winning BBC miniseries adapted from Fay Weldon's 1983 novel The Life and Loves of a She-Devil.
Plot
The story concerns married couple Ruth and Bobbo, who are on the verge of separating as Bobbo is having an affair with novelist Mary Fisher. After Bobbo leaves Ruth and moves in with Mary, Ruth develops a plan to get her revenge on both of them.[1]
Cast
The cast of the mini-series includes:[2]
- Dennis Waterman as Bobbo
- Patricia Hodge as Mary Fisher
- Julie T. Wallace as Ruth
- Miriam Margolyes as Nurse Hopkins
- John Bluthal as Angus
- John Rowe as Dr. Rohn
- Stephen Greif as Dr. Ghengis
- Tom Baker as Father Ferguson
- Bernard Hepton as Judge Bissop
Production
Writing
The adaption by Ted Whitehead was very faithful to the novel with only minor changes from the book.
Locations
It was partly shot at the Belle Tout Lighthouse at Beachy Head near Eastbourne in East Sussex, which has since been moved several metres from the cliff edge, due to the rapid rate of coastal erosion in the area.[3]
Episodes
| Episode | Title | Written by | Directed by | Original air date | Ratings | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Episode 1" | Ted Whitehead | Philip Saville | 8 October 1986 | N/A | |
|
Ruth is devastated when she realizes that her husband Bobbo has been cheating on her, and when he finally abandons her, and their two children, she decides that she will do anything to get revenge on Bobbo and his mistress, novelist Mary Fisher. | ||||||
| 2 | "Episode 2" | Ted Whitehead | Philip Saville | 15 October 1986 | N/A | |
|
Ruth takes on a number of different roles and aliases to get her revenge, including starting to study accountancy, and working in a care home with Mary's mother, and having sex with a lot of different men to desensitize herself. | ||||||
| 3 | "Episode 3" | Ted Whitehead | Philip Saville | 22 October 1986 | N/A | |
|
Because Ruth burnt down their family home, Bobbo and Mary have to let Bobbo's two children live with them, which spoils their romantic plans, meanwhile Ruth gets Mary's mother kicked out of her care home, and she moves in to Mary's home as well. | ||||||
| 4 | "Episode 4" | Ted Whitehead | Philip Saville | 29 October 1986 | N/A | |
|
Mary realizes that Ruth is targeting her, and the stress and worry is making her sick, so she turns to a priest for help but she doesn't suspect that the priest is in Ruth's thrall. Meanwhile Ruth gets Bobbo sent to jail, and starts to takes over Mary's life and identity. | ||||||
Awards
| Year | Association | Category | Nominated artist/work | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1987 | BAFTA | Best Drama Series | Sally Head, Philip Saville | Won |
| Best Video Lighting | John King | Won | ||
| Best Video Cameraman | Mike Winser, John Hawes | Won | ||
| Best VTR Editor | Malcolm Banthorpe, Dave Jervis | Won | ||
| Best Actress | Julie T. Wallace | Nominated | ||
| Best Make Up | Elizabeth Rowell | Nominated | ||
| Best Costume Design | Joyce Mortlock | Nominated | ||
| Best Graphics | Michael Graham-Smith | Nominated | ||
| Best Original Television Music | Peter Filleul | Nominated | ||
| 1988 | CableACE Awards | Writing a Movie or Miniseries | Ted Whitehead | Won |
| Actress in a Movie or Miniseries | Julie T. Wallace | Nominated | ||
| Make-Up | Elizabeth Rowell | Nominated |