The Scarlet Letter (miniseries)
The Scarlet Letter is a 1979 miniseries based on the 1850 novel of the same name by Nathaniel Hawthorne: it aired on WGBH from March 3, 1979 to March 24, 1979. The series is four episodes long, 60 minutes each. Part 2 won the 1979 Emmy Award for Outstanding Video Tape Editing for a Limited Series or Special for film editors Ken Denisoff, Janet McFadden, and Tucker Wiard.[2]
| The Scarlet Letter | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Written by | Nathaniel Hawthorne Allan Knee Alvin Sapinsley |
| Directed by | Rick Hauser |
| Starring | Josef Sommer Meg Foster Elisa Erali John Heard Kevin Conway |
| Music by | John Morris |
| Country of origin | United States |
| Original language(s) | English |
| Production | |
| Producer(s) | Rick Hauser[1] Herbert Hirschman |
| Cinematography | Bob Collins |
| Editor(s) | Ken Denisoff Janet McFadden Tucker Wiard |
| Running time | 240 minutes (four 60 minute episodes) |
| Production company(s) | WGBH Boston |
| Distributor | PBS Home Video |
| Release | |
| Original release | 1979 |
In 1979, when most literary programs were being produced in the United Kingdom, Boston public television station WGBH decided to produce a homegrown literary classic of its own.[3] The result was this version of Hawthorne's enduring novel of Puritan America in search of its soul. Hester Prynne becomes stigmatized after committing adultery, and is doomed to live with the consequences forever. Hawthorne's themes, the nature of sin, social hypocrisy, and community repression, still reverberate through American society.
Hester Prynne (Meg Foster) is a young, Puritan woman who commits adultery while her husband is in Europe, and, upon the birth of her illegitimate child, is subsequently condemned to wear a scarlet "A" for the rest of her life. Her secret partner, the Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, (John Heard) writhes in private torment as he deals with hiding his sin. The person of Hester's husband, Roger Chillingworth (Kevin Conway) completes this grim triangle as the mysterious situation leads to a shattering climax. The story follows the main characters as they grapple with sin, forgiveness, and redemption.
Principal Cast
- Josef Sommer as Nathaniel Hawthorne
- Meg Foster as Hester Prynne
- Elisa Erali as Pearl Prynne
- John Heard as Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale
- Kevin Conway as Roger Chillingworth
- George Martin as the Rev. Mr. Wilson
Crew
- Directed by Rick Hauser
- Writing credits: Nathaniel Hawthorne, Allan Knee, and Alvin Sapinsley
- Produced by Rick Hauser and Herbert Hirschman
- Original music by John Morris
- Cinematography by Bob Collins
- Film editing by Ken Denisoff, Janet McFadden, and Tucker Wiard
References
- Barlowe, Jamie (2000). The Scarlet Mob of Scribblers: Rereading Hester Prynne p. 142. SIU Press. ISBN 978-0-8093-2273-2.
- Franks, Don (2004). Entertainment Awards: A Music, Cinema, Theatre and Broadcasting Guide, 1928 through 2003, 3d ed. p.408. McFarland. ISBN 978-0-7864-1798-8.
- Rifkin, Glenn (May 20, 1984). "Public TV's WGBH Takes Risks in Pursuit of Provocative Fare". The New York Times. Retrieved May 7, 2017.