The Crimson Petal and the White (2011)

The presence of Gillian Anderson drew me to The Crimson Petal and the White, because she simply does not do enough TV or movies, so I've got to find her where I can. She was last scene in the fantastic literary adaptation of Any Human Heart in a small role as Wallis Simpson. Anderson had a similar sized role here, appearing in just 2 episodes as brothel madam Mrs Castaway, mother of our heroine, Sugar. Mrs Castaway is a grotesque, sly, devious character, who was responsible for introducing her daughter to prostitution in a Victorian London backstreet, and she's just one of a whole host of superb performances in a show packed with them, from Mark Gatiss' nervous priest and Shirley Henderson's crusading prostitute-reformer, to Richard E. Grant's fairly sinister doctor who does something so unspeakable to Agnes Rackham that it sends her round the bend. 

Romola Garai is the undoubted star, as fearless Sugar, who begins the story as a prostitute with an edge - she's writing a book to get back at all of the men who have used and abused her - and then she comes across the slightly gormless yet strangely charming William Rackham, played by Chris O'Dowd (who I didn't expect much from, only knowing him from The IT Crowd, which I've never 'got' - he turned out to be a very fine dramatic actor), who becomes enamoured with her - especially when he only has a frigid, disturbed Agnes waiting for him at home. Amanda Hale puts in a mesmerising performance as Agnes, loopy but with lucid moments, she plays both equally well, and it's only a shame that the story's needs mean she isn't present in part 4. 

Garai's Sugar is a wonderfully complicated character, first against all men, then gradually falling for William. She becomes Agnes' guardian angel, there's no animosity from her to her master's wife, even when Sugar is moved into the family home to be governess to little-mentioned-previously daughter Sophie (a beguiling Isla Watt). The story rarely developed in ways I expected, and was directed in a really effective manner, that felt by turns disorientating, hallucinagenic or frantic. Odd camera angles, soft focuses and 'moody' lighting gave Crimson Petal a distinctive look that added to and didn't distract from the drama of Sugar and William's stories. An unflinching depiction of Victorian London, the scenes around the brothels looked horribly grimy, full of people half-dead, crippled with disease or baring their breasts for work - there are no coy Pretty Woman versions of prostitution here, the sex is rough, nudity rife, and Sugar at one point applies balm to her nethers to prevent pregnancy. Garai deserves praise for taking on and nailing such a frank portrayal of a wounded woman forced into a life she excels at. If Gillian Anderson continues to make these excellent choices of role I'll be assured of some top quality viewing in future.