''Biddy'' is a 1983 film written and directed by Christine Edzard, and produced by

Richard B. Goodwin Richard B. Goodwin (born 13 September 1934) is a British film producer. As a producer, he received an Academy Award nomination for '' A Passage to India'' oscars.org Accessed 2016-2-18 (1984). His other films include ''The Tales of Beatrix Potte ...

Sands Films Sands Films is a small British film production company, founded by producer Richard Goodwin and director Christine Edzard in the early 1970s, and based in Rotherhithe, London. The company is known for its production of costumes for period dramas ...

Studios in London. The film stars acclaimed actress and theatre director

Celia Bannerman Celia Bannerman (born 3 June 1944) is an English actress and director. Career Bannerman was born at Abingdon, Oxfordshire, and trained at the London Drama Centre. She started her professional career with Ralph Richardson as Dolly in Bernard S ...

(in the title role), Sam Ghazoros, Kate Elphic, Patricia Napier, Sally Ashby, and

John Dalby John Leonard Burkitt Dalby (April 22, 1929 – July 13, 2017) was an English singer, pianist and composer. Dalby was hailed in London and New York City for his witty and sophisticated cabaret performances. As an accomplished entertainer, he was ...

. The music was arranged by Michael Sanvoisin and cinematography was by

Alec Mills Alec Thomas Mills (born November 30, 1991) is an American professional baseball pitcher who is a free agent. The Kansas City Royals selected Mills in the 22nd round of the 2012 Major League Baseball draft. He previously played for the Kansas ...

Plot Summary

The film tells the nostalgic story of a gentle and loving nursery maid in Victorian England and her relationship with the two children in her care as they grow into adulthood. The nanny imparts the lessons of her life through poetry and homily, with an eccentric sense of humour.

Production

, the production company that made the film, is owned and run by Christine Edzard, the screenwriter and director, and her husband

. ''Biddy'' was the third film made in collaboration with Goodwin by Edzard, who is known for her meticulous filmmaking, often based on Victorian English sources. The earlier productions were ''

Stories from a Flying Trunk ''Stories from a Flying Trunk'' is a 1979 film based on three stories by Hans Christian Andersen. It was devised, written and directed by Christine Edzard and produced by John Brabourne and Richard Goodwin. The music by Giacchino Rossini was ...

'' (1979) and ''

The Nightingale The common nightingale is a songbird found in Eurasia. Nightingale may also refer to: Birds * Thrush nightingale, a songbird found in Eurasia * Red-billed leiothrix, a songbird of the Indian Subcontinent Literature * "Nightingale" (short sto ...

'' (1981), and the couple's later films include '' Little Dorrit'' (1987), '' The Fool'' (1990), ''

As You Like It ''As You Like It'' is a pastoral comedy by William Shakespeare believed to have been written in 1599 and first published in the First Folio in 1623. The play's first performance is uncertain, though a performance at Wilton House in 1603 has b ...

'' (1991), ''

Amahl and the Night Visitors ''Amahl and the Night Visitors'' is an opera in one act by Gian Carlo Menotti with an original English libretto by the composer.Menotti, Gian-Carlo: ''Amahl and the Night Visitors (piano-vocal score)'', G. Schirmer, Inc., 1997. It was commission ...

'' (1996), ''

The IMAX Nutcracker ''The IMAX Nutcracker'' is a 1997 short film directed by Christine Edzard based on The Nutcracker and the Mouse King by E. T. A. Hoffmann. It was produced by Celia Bannerman, Andrew Gellis, Lorne Orleans and Olivier Stockman at Sands Films Studi ...

'' (1997), ''

The Children's Midsummer Night's Dream ''The Children's Midsummer Night's Dream'' is a 2001 film based on the play ''A Midsummer Night's Dream'' by William Shakespeare. It was written and directed by Christine Edzard and produced by Olivier Stockman. The music by Michel Sanvoisin was ...

'' (2001) and '' The Good Soldier Schwejk'' (2018).

Reception

received an award at the Moscow Film Festival for her portrayal of the title character ''Biddy''. ''

Time Out Time-out, Time Out, or timeout may refer to: Time * Time-out (sport), in various sports, a break in play, called by a team * Television timeout, a break in sporting action so that a commercial break may be taken * Timeout (computing), an enginee ...

'' was very positive, describing it as "a meticulously realised" and "perfectly nostalgic picture" which "extolls the virtues of Biddy" but whose real celebration is of the "paraphernalia of these lives. The sewing-boxes, the button-holes, the pieces of treen and piles of handworked lace, these are the real stars of the film". '' Empire'' gave the film three out of five stars, writing "Edzard's pensive drama...chronicles a maid's ritualistic devotion to her master's children in fetishistic detail. Here, story is replaced by the soothing rhythm of routine, all hushed voice-over and clock-ticking interiors. A gentle, whispering cinematic lullaby."

References

External links

''Sands Productions'' at Sands Films Movie Trailer at ''YouTube''
*{{rotten-tomatoes, Biddy 1983 films 1980s British films Films produced by Richard Goodwin (producer) Films set in the Victorian era British historical drama films 1980s historical drama films 1983 drama films 1980s English-language films