The Onedin Line: Plain Sailing (BBC-1 22 Oct 1971)

In Plain Sailing the Charlotte Rhodes is en-route from Lisbon laden with Braganza’s wine. When many of the crew fall sick, including James, Anne is thrown in at the deep to try and get the ship home.

Baines thinks the men are suffering from ocean sickness but Anne knows it’s from eating tainted meat. She orders it all to be thrown overboard. Trouble maker Taffy is sure it’s bad luck from having a woman aboard.

It’s a real baptism of fire for Anne, especially as Baines isn’t happy about the fact she is in charge. After several run-ins, a ship drifting away from home and with a crew close to mutiny the pair agree to work together to bring the Charlotte Rhodes back on course.

Meanwhile back on dry land Robert is growing increasingly concerned about the amount of debts that are being called in, made even worse by the fact that the Charlotte Rhodes is a week late. What he doesn’t know yet of course is that James has made sure Robert won’t get a penny in profit from the voyage – which feels pretty mean in our opinion.

On the romance front Daniel Fogarty is put out when he hears that Albert Frazer has been making approaches to Elizabeth.

production details
UK / BBC One / 1×50 minute episode / Broadcast 22 October 1971 at 9.20pm

Writer: Cyril Abraham / Production Design: Oliver Bayldon / Director: Paul Ciappessoni

Series: The Onedin Line Season 1 Episode 2

cast
Windsor Davies as Taffy
Gawn Grainger as Armitage
Ronald Hackett as Jacko Waters
Peter Gilmore as James
Anne Stallybrass as Anne
Howard Lang as Baines
Jessica Benton as Elizabeth
Brian Rawlinson as Robert
Declan Mulholland as Simpson
Mary Webster as Sarah
Michael Billington as Fogarty
Mary Dennison as Jacko’s mother
Ruth Kettlewell as Mrs Waters