Five husbands, two continents, one prison birth—Moll Flanders did it all before Instagram.
After being born in prison, Moll Flanders wends her way through the top and bottom of 18th-century English society, has five husbands and many male and female lovers, travels to America and back again, and in general discovers all that is cruel and sweet in life.
Acting
Alex Kingston carries every reinvention with wicked charisma.
Production
BBC period detail that makes poverty look almost romantic.
Writing
Daniel Defoe's episodic structure translates surprisingly well.
Director
David Attwood
Alex Kingston
Moll Flanders
Geoffrey Beevers
Judge
Lucy Evans
Little Moll
Struan Rodger
Mr. Richardson
Peter Jonfield
Parish Officer
Neville Phillips
Magistrate
Maureen O'Brien
Mrs. Richardson
Caroline Harker
Maria
Daniel Craig
James 'Jemmy' Seagrave
Roger Ashton-Griffiths
Gent at Mint
Tom Ward
Lemuel
Diana Rigg
Mrs. Golightly
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
This aired as a BBC miniseries before theatrical release—hence the 197-minute runtime that terrifies streaming algorithms.
Defoe's 1722 novel was so scandalous it was published pseudonymously; this adaptation soft-pedals the incest subplot that made original readers clutch their pearls.
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