Mill on the Floss

In this fine BBC film adaptation of George Eliot's semi-autobiographical novel of the same name, the Tulliver family struggles to maintain ownership of a small town mill situated on the river Floss. But the more compelling narrative revolves around strong-willed Maggie (Emily Watson), beloved daughter and sister, and object of desire for Philip Waken, the deformed son of her father's worst enemy, as well as for Stephen, Maggie's cousin's fiancé. The sets are stupendous, the acting filled with verve and conviction (especially Watson's Maggie), and the themes of passion, truth, and familial responsibility are all expertly mined in this superb British drama. There's much life in the small spaces of this film. George Eliot would approve. Highly recommended. (A. Glover)