The Mayor of Casterbridge (1978)

The Dennis Potter adaptation of Thomas Hardy's classic tale

Michael Henchard, an out-of-work hay-trusser, gets drunk at a fair and for five guineas sells his wife and child to a sailor. When the horror of his act finally sets in, Henchard swears he will not touch alcohol for twenty-one years. Through hard work and acumen, he becomes rich, respected, and eventually the mayor of Casterbridge. But eighteen years after his fateful oath, his wife and daughter, Elizabeth-Jane, return to Casterbridge, and his fortunes steadily decline.

• First Air Date: 1978-01-22
• Last Air Date: 1978-03-05
• Total Seasons: 1
• Total Episodes: 7
• Episode Runtime: 50 min.
• Network: BBC Two
• Writer: Dennis Potter