The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders   Starring: Alex Kingston, Daniel Craig and Diana Rigg ITV DVD RRP: £17.99 3711531403 Certificate: 18 Available 06 April 2009

Five times married, once to her own brother, Moll has had more than her fair share of sexual adventures but when the stock of husbands runs out she turns to a dangerous life of crime. Moll soon becomes Britain’s most wanted criminal...

Based on the 18th century novel by Daniel Defoe, this production was originally broadcast on ITV in 1996 in four parts. There's plenty of comedy splattered through out this series, but it's more subtle than laugh out loud comedy.

Each episode opens with members of polite society being given a tour of a large prison, with Moll Flanders as the main attraction - an example of the lowest of the low of human society. A sexual predator and England's most notorious female thief, Flanders is locked in her own cell, and she looks like she's gone insane. Then we flash back to see Moll earlier in her life. The first episode starts with her birth, and each subsequent episode carries on where the previous episode left off.

There's some impressive actors that appear throughout the course of this series. Diana Rigg plays Flanders's birth mother, while Daniel Craig plays a scoundrel Flanders marries, but he ends up leaving her to start a life of crime - promising to come back for her once he's made his fortune. James Fleet (who most people will remember as Hugh Grant's bumbling friend in Four Weddings and a Funeral) also makes an appearance as one of Flanders's husbands. John Savident (who most will remember as Fred Elliott in Coronation Street) makes easily the funniest cameo appearance as the very opinionated and loud mouthed Clergyman.

The only extra is The Making of Moll Flanders (26 min, 54 sec). This is an interesting feature, mainly focusing on the creation of the lavish sets.

The only aspects that I thought distracted from what is otherwise a classy period drama was the pointless nudity and Moll's numerous to camera pieces. Other than that, this could be about the best £18 you spend.

An interesting release that will be enjoyed by those who like period dramas with a splash of humour thrown in for good measure.

9

Darren Rea