A source of joy for Matty
SPOILER ALERT: This is a detailed plot description, it may spoil the experience for any viewers and potential viewers.
Cranford Ep 5/5
Sunday 16 December
9.00-10.00pm BBC ONE
Miss Matty’s (Dame Judi Dench) crisis is discussed by the ladies of Cranford in a secret meeting
Jem and Martha marry and live as lodgers in Matty’s house – a source of joy for Matty – in the final part of this wonderful, witty and poignant story, written by Heidi Thomas, about the lives of the people of Cranford.
Miss Pole invites the ladies of the town to a secret meeting to discuss Matty’s crisis. United in their love for Matty, they decide to secretly share part of their own incomes with her. Mary is recruited to devise a means of getting this to Matty without her knowing where it came from.
Dr Harrison, on the other hand, is shunned by the town – no patients will come to him now that he has been exposed as a philanderer. Dr Morgan suggests he must move on to start afresh.
Mr Carter is horrified to discover that Lady Ludlow has secretly mortgaged her estate to raise money for her son’s villa in Italy. He confronts her and there is a heated exchange. Mr Carter despairs because he knows what pain such an unfathomable mortgage has cost her personally.
An ill Sophy, meanwhile, returns to Cranford but Dr Morgan diagnoses that she is simply heartbroken. He assures Rev Hutton that, with time and love from her family, she will recover. By the time Jack Marshland arrives in town to help clear Dr Harrison’s name, Sophy’s condition has worsened – she has typhoid fever. Mrs Rose’s help is enlisted while Dr Harrison is physically barred from either seeing Sophy or assisting.
Mr Carter visits Captain Brown at the railway works in a desperate attempt to see if he can raise capital for Lady Ludlow’s mortgage by selling timber or tools. While he is there, disaster strikes and the injured are taken to Dr Harrison’s for emergency treatment. As Sophy’s condition deteriorates, her young sisters defy their father and ask Dr Harrison for help. But has the call come too late?
Andrew Buchan is Jem Hearne; Claudie Blakley is Martha; Dame Judi Dench is Matty; Imelda Staunton is Miss Pole; Lisa Dillon is Mary; Simon Woods is Dr Harrison; John Bowe is Dr Morgan; Philip Glenister is Mr Carter; Francesca Annis is Lady Ludlow; Kimberley Nixon is Sophy; Alex Jennings is Rev Hutton; Joe McFadden is Dr Jack Marshland; Lesley Manville is Mrs Rose; and Jim Carter is Captain Brown.
9 Responses to “A source of joy for Matty”
Comment from admin
Time 26 November 2007 at 2:02 pm
I see your point.
moving the episode guides off the front page, and I’ll put spoiler warnings on them.
silly to delete this stuff since it comes from press releases.
Thanks for letting me know.
Comment from Jon Rowe
Time 26 November 2007 at 3:31 pm
May I ask also if you have an email where I may contact you direct?
thanks
Jon
Comment from Steve W
Time 11 December 2007 at 7:51 am
I do not see why the Beeb can be upset with your content as all the information you have presented here is available through the BBC’s own press releases!
I would like to say thank you for this information as through the nature of my work I missed a great deal of this series. No doubt it will be repeated but it is not NOW!
As Dame Judi Dench says in her interview it is nice to have something on television that is not a game show, reality TV, cooking or the police! Way to go Judi, if I were a fortnight older I’d marry you, heck, I’d marry you anyway if you would have me!
Comment from Shazza
Time 11 December 2007 at 2:42 pm
I agree with Steve W – if this information that the BBC has already released themselves, why are they getting uppity about it? You’re not revealing any more information than we would find if we looked it up on the web or read the Radio Times.
Far from spoiling me, I find these episode reviews wet my appitite for the next episode. There is precious little on Cranford on the BBC’s own website apart from a few video interviews, you are just filling a gap that has been left – are you listening Mr Rowe?!
This is a wonderful programme, brilliantly cast and beautifully acted. What a shame it doesn’t get advertised properly.
Comment from Suze
Time 13 December 2007 at 8:00 pm
The BBC website for Cranford is a big disappointment. When they did Jane Eyre the site was great – a very funny diary by the director, written right from the casting stage and continuing through the shoot, a diary by one of the crew with lots of photos, and far more information about the characters and the actors. This time around, they just don’t seem that interested, and yet I’ll bet Cranford’s ratings are better.
Comment from Susan
Time 15 December 2007 at 2:17 am
I was hoping there’d be some resolution between Jessie Brown and Major. Gordon. It’s a shame. There was lots of potential in that story line.
Comment from Jill
Time 17 December 2007 at 10:22 am
brilliant series, and I actually managed to watch all of it, quite a feat due to shift working! Put me out of my misery though. Who played Peter, mattie’s brother? I cannot think of his name.
Comment from willoughby
Time 29 December 2007 at 3:30 am
the actor was martin shaw
Comment from Jon Rowe
Time 26 November 2007 at 12:59 pm
From the Cranford Production Office:
To the site administrator,
While we greatly appreciate the enthusiasm and depth on this site, it would be hugely helpful if you could remove this detailed plot description, as we feel it will spoil the experience for any viewers and potential viewers. This applies to any surprising plot moments across the episodes.
If you would like some other features to add, Producer, Sue Birtwistle, would be willing to answer a few questions, if you post them here for her response.
Thanks for your help,
Jon