Period drama serial Jamaica Inn is set in 1821 when Mary Yellam (Jessica Brown Findlay), after the death of her mother, goes to live with her aunt who runs a pub on the windswept Cornish coast called Jamaica Inn. Mary very quickly discovers that her Aunt’s husband Joss (Sean Harris) is involved in smuggling along the coastline and may even be mixed up in murder.
Classic tale well told, previously filmed by HTV in 1983 with Jane Seymour, Trevor Eve and Patrick McGoohan. Despite the handsome production values the BBC came in for a lot of criticism thanks to a less than clear soundtrack. Volume issues for some viewers meant they could barely hear the dialogue and the incidental music was excessively loud. The BBC fixed things somewhat after the first episode but the damage had already been done.
Cast: Jessica Brown Findlay as Mary Yellan; Matthew McNulty as Jem Merlyn; Sean Harris as Joss Merlyn; Shirley Henderson as Hannah; Joanne Whalley as Aunt Patience; Ben Daniels as Francis Davey; Andrew Scarborough as Magistrate Bassat; Scarlett Archer as Beth
Writer: Emma Frost / Novel: Daphne Du Maurier / Executive Producers: Ed Rubin, Joanie Blaikie, Hilary Heath, Hugo Heppell, Sarah Stack, Stephen Wright / Producers: David Thompson, Dan Winch / Director: Philippa Lowthorpe
UK / BBC-1 – Origin Pictures – Screen Yorkshire / 3×60 minute episodes / Broadcast 21 -23 April 2014
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