A Harlot's Progress (2006)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A Harlot’s Progress is a historical drama (based on a true story) which premiered on British television (Channel 4) in 2006.

 

A harlot and a painter are the main characters in this story which is set in London in the year 1731.

 

Here is some basic information about it:

 

*** Director: Justin Hardy

*** Writer: Clive Bradley

*** Musical score composed by Richard Blair-Oliphant

*** Released on DVD in 2008

*** Run time: 100 minutes

 

The cast includes the following:

 

** Zoe Tapper as Mary Collins – the harlot

** Toby Jones as William Hogarth – the painter

** Sophie Thompson as Jane Hogarth – William’s wife

** Richard Wilson as Sir James Thornhill - Jane’s father

** Geraldine James as Madame Needham

 

This historical drama is based on a series of six paintings (from 1731) and six engravings (from 1732) by the English artist William Hogarth (1697-1764).

 

The paintings were destroyed in a fire at Fonthill House in 1755, but fortunately the plates which were used to make the engravings survived. 

 

Here is a brief summary of the six motives:

 

# 1. Mary arrives in London.

An old woman praises her beauty

 

# 2. Mary is a kept woman.

She is the mistress of a wealthy merchant.

 

# 3. Mary is a common prostitute who is on the point of being arrested.

 

# 4. Mary is beating hemp while she is in Bridewell Prison.

 

# 5. Mary is dying from venereal disease.

 

# 6. Mary is dead at the age of 23.  

The year is 1731.

 

As stated above, this historical drama is based on a true story. What do reviewers say about it?

 

On IMDb it has a rating of 69 per cent, which corresponds to 3.5 stars on Amazon.

 

On Amazon there are at the moment more than 100 ratings of this product.

 

The average rating is 3.7 stars which corresponds to a rating of 74 percent.

 

If you ask me, both these ratings are too low. I think this product deserves a rating of four stars (80 percent).

 

PS # 1. William Hogarth: A Life and a World by Jenny Uglow was published in 1998 (hardcover) and 2002 (paperback). This book is a long and detailed biography of the painter.

 

PS # 2. A Harlot’s Progress is a historical novel by David Dabydeen which was published in 2000. This novel is based on and inspired by the six paintings made by William Hogarth.

 

PS # 3. City of Vice is a historical crime drama in five parts. It was shown on British television (Channel 4) and released on DVD in 2008.

 

PS # 4. Harlots – a British-American television series – is created by Moira Buffini and Alison Newman and inspired by the book The Convent Garden Ladies by Hallie Rubenhold (2005) (2006).

 

The series, which premiered on Hulu in 2017, ran for three seasons (24 episodes).

 

*****

A Harlot's Progress

A historical drama which premiered on

British television (Channel 4)

in 2006

 

*****

Another poster for the historical drama 

which premiered in 2006

 

*****

The six engravings made 

by the English artist

William Hogarth

in 1732

 

*****