The BBC period drama Fingersmith, based on the novel by Sarah Waters, is now streaming on Amazon Prime. The mini-series, released in 2005, has an IMDb rating of 7.8 and a 92% score on Rotten Tomatoes.
Plot and Cast
Set in the Victorian era, the story follows young thief Sue Trinder, played by Sally Hawkins, who becomes a maid to wealthy heiress Maud Lilly, portrayed by Elaine Cassidy, as part of a scheme to defraud her. However, an unexpected turn of events changes everything.
Audience Reception
One IMDb fan praised the adaptation, writing: "Having read the book prior to watching this adaptation you would think that it would have lost some of its thrill. However, the story is so clever I could never tire of it." They added: "Sally and Elaine really put their hearts into their roles and brought out so much of the characters. I fell in love with the story and the women all over again. Beautiful to watch thanks to direction, settings and [costumes]."
Another viewer commented: "This movie was incredible!!!! I did not know the backstory on it, so I needed to let it unfold before me on DVD. It had many twists and turns, but still kept the story fresh and exciting. The acting by Elaine Cassidy was, in a word, brilliant, as well as Sally Hawkins."
However, not all feedback was positive. One critic wrote: "I was sad I didn't like this movie because I loved the book. The colouring was dark or distinct enough - better cinematography is needed. And the sexual tension was not there. I only watched the first half and then gave up."
Other Adaptations
Fingersmith has also been adapted into the 2016 film The Handmaiden, directed by Park Chan-Wook, which relocates the story to Japanese-occupied Korea. That film is available on BFI Player and Curzon.
