Woman of Stone
| Woman of Stone | |
|---|---|
| Based on | "Man-Size in Marble" by E. Nesbitt |
| Written by | Mark Gatiss |
| Directed by | Mark Gatiss |
| Starring | Éanna Hardwicke Phoebe Horn Monica Dolan Celia Imrie Mawaan Rizwan |
| Production | |
| Producer | Isibéal Ballance |
| Running time | 30 minutes[1] |
| Related | |
| A Ghost Story for Christmas | |
Woman of Stone is a short film which is part of the British supernatural anthology series A Ghost Story for Christmas. Produced by Isibéal Ballance and written and directed by Mark Gatiss, it is an adaptation of E. Nesbit’s short story "Man-Size in Marble".
Synopsis
[edit]A couple receive a warning from their superstitious housekeeper.[2]
Cast
[edit]- Éanna Hardwicke as Jack Lorimer
- Phoebe Horn as Laura Lorimer
- Celia Imrie as Edith Nesbit
- Monica Dolan as Mrs Dorman
- Mawaan Rizwan as Dr. Zubin
Production
[edit]Mark Gatiss wrote and directed the film, which is his seventh A Ghost Story for Christmas special. It is an adaptation of E Nesbit’s short story "Man-Size in Marble" which Gatiss described as "the very first ghost story I ever read". It is produced by Adorable Media for BBC Two and BBC iPlayer. Isibéal Ballance produces for Adorable Media.[3]
The cast includes Éanna Hardwicke, Celia Imrie, Monica Dolan, Mawaan Rizwan and Phoebe Horn.[4]
During the film, the character of Jack exclaims “Imperial!” and “Capitol!”, both phrases used by the character of Cavor, played by Lionel Jeffries in First Men in the Moon, a role writer Gatiss later played in his 2010 BBC adaptation, The First Men in the Moon. Jeffries himself directed the 1970 film of Nesbit’s The Railway Children, adding an extra meaning to the reference.
Broadcast
[edit]A special preview screening of the film was held at BFI Southbank in December 2024 prior to its broadcast.[5] It was broadcast on BBC Two on 24 December 2024.[6]
Reception
[edit]Joel Golby in The Guardian praised the "exemplary casting" and the plotting by Gatiss whose "clever tweaks make the already good story even better".[7]
References
[edit]- ^ "Woman of Stone – A Ghost Story for Christmas". Whatson.bfi.org. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
- ^ Jenkins, Carolyn (21 November 2024). "Mark Gatiss Returns To Direct Another Edition of 'A Christmas Ghost Story'". Collider. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ Yossman, KJ (21 November 2024). "BBC Anthology Series 'A Ghost Story for Christmas' Sets E. Nesbit's 'Man-Size in Marble' as Next Adaptation, Mark Gatiss Directs (EXCLUSIVE)". Variety. Retrieved 21 November 2024.
- ^ Hibbs, James (22 November 2024). "Thursday Murder Club and Black Mirror stars cast in Mark Gatiss's Ghost Story for Christmas". Radio Times. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
- ^ "BFI announce programme highlights for December". British Cinematographer. 25 October 2024. Retrieved 23 November 2024.
- ^ "A Ghost Story For Christmas: Woman Of Stone". TV Zone UK. 14 December 2024.
- ^ Golby, Joel (21 December 2024). "A Ghost Story for Christmas: Woman of Stone – far too good to only exist as festive TV". The Guardian. Retrieved 21 December 2024.