Cranford Is Fantastic And Infuriating

On my rampage through period movies I rewatched Cranford (just the 2007 series) this week. I've had a long-simmering beef with this adaptation and so now is the time to get it off my chest. 

Cranford by Elizabeth Gaskell is a remarkable book. It is a series of stories about a small town, where all of the lead characters are older, unmarried women. It is not a story driven by romance, shocking secrets, or political intrigue. The woman of Cranford live very quiet, unremarkable lives by most metrics. But for them, their town is their whole world, and so the book is a treasure trove of funny, sweet, and heartbreaking stories about everyday lives.

For the screen adaptation, the filmmakers enlisted some of the best older British actresses in the game, the standouts being Imelda Staunton, Eileen Atkins, and Judi Dench.

Staunton plays town busybody Miss Pole. She is Cranford's own 24-hour news cycle, dramatically running here and there to breathlessly relay the latest gossip. She seems to always be in a state of agitation and can turn even the smallest bit of news into the scandal of the century.

Atkins and Dench play sisters Deborah and Matilda "Matty" Jenkyns. Deborah is the arbiter of decorum and propriety in the town and has extremely high standards.  In the first episode there is this very funny scene about consuming oranges (which were a rare treat in Victorian England). Deborah is worried about eating something with so much messy juice and finds the word "suck" to be vulgar. So she decides that each of them will retire to their own rooms to eat their fruit alone so that any indecent behavior can be done in private.

Judi Dench is glorious as younger sister Miss Matty. She is the heart of the story and the kind of character that makes Cranford so remarkable. Her life and experiences have been very limited, and she isn't particularly clever or quick-witted. She hasn't "done" anything with her life (no husband, no children, no great accomplishments) but has made an impact on Cranford by being exceptionally kind and compassionate to those around her.

It has been more than 150 years since Elizabeth Gaskell's day and we still have very little media that puts older women at the center of a story. Whenever this adaptation follows the book and lets its exceptional cast of actresses do their thing, it is absolutely sublime. Very funny at times and deeply moving at others. I laughed out loud and cried multiple times.

BUT

The filmmakers didn't trust that modern audiences could handle a story focused on a bunch of old biddies. So they added what they thought the story desperately needed: more men and more young romance. To be fair, these added stories are based on other Gaskell writings. But that is the last fair thing I will say about this. Now I will rant. Strap in.

I'm bringing a lot of Miss Pole energy to this post

The FIRST added story is about Lady Ludlow, a rich woman who thinks poor people shouldn't be educated. Her backwards views are emphasized by her costuming and hair. It is a common (and very annoying) trope in period films to dress older ladies in decades-old fashions. A few years outdated is possible for women who are older and more set in their ways and certainly more likely for women of limited means. But a super-wealthy woman dressed like it is the 1790s when it is actually the 1840s is absolutely ridiculous.

particularly THE HAIR

She clashes with her land manager (a man) who tries to get her to embrace more modern ideas. Whereas the other older Cranford ladies feel like fully realized characters, Lady Ludlow is one dimensional. She is set her her ways. That is her entire deal. She is really just background dressing to a bigger story about her land manager educating a young impoverished boy. Sure. Fine. Whatever.

Lady Ludlow also speaks and moves very slowly. Maybe it is because her feeble lady brain can't process information quickly? Or is it because the character is supposed to be 90 even though the actress is only in her 60s? I mean, once a lady is past 50 it is all the same, right? 

MUCH WORSE is the story of Dr. Harrison. A young man who comes to town to fall in love with the blandest woman he can find. He is dopey and earnest and the object of his affection is Sophie Hutton, a cherubic looking blonde whose mother has died and who thinks she will never marry because she is too busy selflessly raising her siblings and running her father's house. She is sweet and perfect and says very little. I realize I just praised Judi Dench's character for being sweet and kind but Miss Matty seems like an actual human woman. Sophie Hutton feels like a male fantasy.

She probably has a hairless body and never farts

Through various hijinks, two other women in town believe that Dr. Harrison is romantically interested in them. It is misinterpretations and in one case a cruel prank that causes them to think so. They are both older than him (one substantially) and we are supposed to chuckle and how delusional they are.

The unfortunate ladies who think dull Dr. Harrison is worth their time

Everything comes to a head at a May Day festival when all three women say they are being courted by Dr. Harrison. Everyone is shocked, Dr. Harrison is shunned by the town, and the women are all devastated. Well, we are told that the older women are devastated but they work it out behind closed doors. Clearly, they are side characters and their feelings matter less. The focus, of course, is on Sophie Hutton who nearly dies of a broken heart (and also a fever) and Dr. Harrison has to swoop in to save her. The series ends with everyone in town attending their wedding.

Congrats to Dr. and Mrs. Blandy McBlanderson!

In summary:

Actual Cranford story: Here is a fascinating, hilarious, and powerful story about older women.

Added Cranford stories: LOL JK women over 30 are dried up, old fashioned, and it is hilarious when they think men are attracted to them. Anyway here are some male characters and younger women who are clearly more important.