Fingersmith

2005

Seasons & Episodes

  • 1
7.8| NR| en| More Info
Released: 27 March 2005 Ended
Producted By: BBC
Country: United Kingdom
Budget: 0
Revenue: 0
Official Website: http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/fingersmith
Info

A young woman is hired as a maid to an heiress who lives a secluded life on a large countryside estate with her domineering uncle. But, the maid has a secret: she is a pickpocket recruited by a swindler posing as a gentleman to help him seduce the heiress to elope with him, rob her of her fortune, and lock her up in a madhouse. The plan seems to proceed according to plan until the women discover some unexpected emotions.

Genre

Drama, Crime, Mystery

Watch Online

Fingersmith (2005) is now streaming with subscription on AMC+

Director

Aisling Walsh

Production Companies

BBC

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Fingersmith Audience Reviews

ChicDragon It's a mild crowd pleaser for people who are exhausted by blockbusters.
Ketrivie It isn't all that great, actually. Really cheesy and very predicable of how certain scenes are gonna turn play out. However, I guess that's the charm of it all, because I would consider this one of my guilty pleasures.
Sienna-Rose Mclaughlin The movie really just wants to entertain people.
Edwin The storyline feels a little thin and moth-eaten in parts but this sequel is plenty of fun.
Miracles Happen When I started watching this series I was impressed by the accuracy of its scenery, costumes and the realistic acting. I thought the plot was something I had seen somewhere else but then something happened which totally surprised me! If you think you've seen it all then this movie is for you because it will make you realize that there is still a lot to understand about human nature. Impeccable acting and believable characters. I'll definitely watch it again!
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.
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.
dark_willow_7 I had never read any of Sarah Waters' novels, or watched Tipping the Velvet. I only heard about Fingersmith when i was flipping through "The L word" websites. The storyline of Fingersmith interested me, yet i passed it away, thinking "Lesbian in Victorian period, that never ends well, i have enough of those lesbo series and movies that go no where"However, during Christmas my local DVD store gave Fingersmith a discount, i brought the DVD, and my life has never been more colourfulThis mini series deserves to be cherished and praised. The acting is so great that i call it rare. Sally Hawkins, Elaine Cassidy, Rupert Evans, Imelda Staunton, and many more that i can't name all, brought light and darkness to their characters. Just by a little gesture, a little look, a little touch, they made their characters real and as a viewer, i couldn't help it but take them home, keep them close. Fingersmith, sets in Victorian area, is a story of Sue-a thief who loves and lives with her "Family" of pick-pockets. Little did she know that her fate is linked to Maud Lily-a somewhat shy, timid girl grows up in a Mansion miles and miles away. Maud's mother left her a fortune, but Maud herself can't touch it, unless she married. Worst of all, Maud's uncle makes sure she never will by keeping her prisoned in the house. Enter Mr Gentlement, a charming, good-looking thief with a heart as bad as any. He wants Maud's fortune for himself, and in order to do so he sets Sue up as Maud Lily's maid, asking Sue to Persuade Maud to elope with him. as time goes by, Things would be simple, if Sue didn't fall in love with Maud. And things would be simple, if the story was what i have just told. I do not wish to spoil, so i would like to stop there. But i can asure you that everything is twisted and turned before you can even aware of what has happened. Once it happened, you then question what would happen next. On top of that, the story is filled with passion unlike any others. There are no self-searching, sexuality questioning, "Oh my god do i like girls" moments, because the girls in Fingersmith are buried so deep in their own darkness that they barely be able to care. the story with such twisted plot moves as smooth as water, running passionately, but strangely calm. Weeks have passed since i watched "Fingersmith", yet Maud's eyes still haunt me, and Sue's words still warm my heart "You pearl, you pearl, you pearl", she said. And such pearl it is.