Red-125 "Fingersmith" (2005) is a BBC miniseries, directed by Aisling Walsh. It's adapted from a novel by Sarah Waters. The basic plot is the interaction of two women. One is Maud Lilly, played by Elaine Cassidy. The other is Sue Trinder, played by Sally Hawkins. The women come together from entirely different backgrounds. They have nothing in common except that they are both young and beautiful.Each one has her own tragedy. Maud is a gentlewoman, but has been raised by her harsh, perverted uncle. He specializes in pornographic novels, and he forces Maud to read them aloud to small groups of invited "sophisticates."Sue is a "fingersmith," which is English slang means a talented pickpocket. She has been raised in what is (literally) a den of thieves, run by Mrs. Sucksby, portrayed by Imelda Staunton. Sue has very little money and she can't read or write.The plot begins with treachery. Richard "Gentleman" Rivers (played by Rupert Evans), offers Sue an immense sum of money if she will help him swindle Maud. She accepts, and he and she arrive at the mansion of Maud's uncle. That's as much as I'll say about the plot, except to warn you that nothing is what it seems to be. It's a complicated tale, which flips back and forth when you least expect it to.Cassidy, Hawkins, Staunton, and Evans are all superb actors, and it's a pleasure to see them act and interact. As you would expect from the BBC, production values are high. The supporting actors, the sets, and the streets look real. We know that there are production people everywhere, just outside of the range of the camera, but, still, the sense of realism is there.We saw this film on DVD, where it worked well. It probably would be better in a theater-- most movies are. However, it was made for television and it looks good on the smaller screen. Important note: The 2016 Japanese/Korean film Handmaiden is based on the same novel. Being Korean substitutes for being lower class, and being Japanese substitutes for being among the elite. Most of the story is basically the same, although some revelations in the last third of the BBC production are not included in the Japanese/Korean production.I enjoyed both films, and it makes sense to see them both.

Irishchatter During the beginning, I thought it was so unfair to sent young Mrs Lilly to her horrible creepy uncle.That scene reminded me of Jane Eyre when she was send to Lowood School as a young girl.In those days you were either sent to a close family member or a boarding school which was quite tough and extremely sad that you had no parents to rely on! I have to admit Charles Dance really did a good job on acting as a tough uncle haha!As we move on, we are introduced to Fingersmith Sue and not-a- fiancée-material type Gentlemen Rivers. I think it was so cruel that he made a bet with Sue to give her lots of money if he marries Maud Lilly and send her off to a mental asylum like her mother. I mean like come on, the girl went through hell of not having parents by her side like! No sympathy whatsoever from that man!Thankfully Sue didn't let that happen by loving Mrs Lilly even more and I found that very touching! I honestly think that the pair of them should've got married as they were such an adorable couple :)

Here Sometimes I discovered Fingersmith precisely in one of IMDb users lists a few months ago, which I found strange because Fingersmith dates from 2005. I had never heard about the series before but decided to give it a try, since the story seemed so appealing. And well, what can I say? I've watched it a few months ago and no matter how many times I watch it, I never grow tired. I envy those of you who haven't watched it, for all those marvelous sensations are yet to come! I don't think we could expect anything less from such a masterpiece as Fingersmith (relating to the book, now). Notwithstanding the fact that books are generally better than its adaptations, this one really matches the former. The acting is astonishing, even though Sally Hawkins could have been more intense at times (but perhaps that's just due to the fact that Sue's not as intense as Maud). What's more, Elaine Cassidy is brilliant! You only must be delighted watching her eye-expression, those eyes really say it all. And then, Imelda Staunton, Rupert Evans, Charles Dance and David Troughton are indeed wonderfully characterized. The twists and turns, apart from the acting, are something, which make the story unpredictable. However, it took me a moment to understand all the twists in the last part of the series, for they come quite fast and unexpected, but in the end they make perfect sense. I also feel that they could've explored Maud's childhood a bit more (as the book does), so that the viewer would truly understand why she would do such a thing. Despite these few critical aspects, I strongly recommend Fingersmith to those who enjoy a love story. And an outstanding one.

Theodor This TV adaptation of Sarah Waters' novel was so lovingly done I can hardly find the words to appreciate it. Not since "Tipping the Velvet" (also highly recommended) have I seen such a performance by the lead actresses, this time by Sally Hawkins and Elaine Cassidy. They acted with their souls, and this is what gets across to the audience! The supporting actors were well chosen, too, they made a great ensemble.For those who think the story is just about a lesbian relationship - no, this is only one part. The other main theme is the betrayal of the person you love. And the plot has some further surprising twists. So the movie should be interesting for straight people or guys like me as well.