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Women

See Gillian Anderson In London's Seedy Victorian Underbelly on DVD Today

Don't miss Gillian Anderson, Romola Garai, and Chris O'Dowd in 'The Crimson Petal and the White'

Sunnivie Brydum

<p>Sunnivie is an award-winning journalist and the managing editor at <em>The Advocate</em>. A proud spouse and puppy-parent, Sunnivie strives to queer up the world of reporting while covering the politics of equality daily.</p>

Read Full Bio

Sunnivie Brydum

sunnivie

September 25 2012 7:34 PM EST

November 08 2024 6:47 AM EST

The Crimson Petal and the White is a four-episode BBC mini-series exposing the steamy, sultry, and scandalous underbelly of the Victorian Englad's rigid class and gender inequities. Based on the best-selling novel of the same name by Michel Faber, Crimson follows Sugar, an ambitious prostitute played expertly by Romola Garai (Atonement, The Hour), as she tries to escape the grasp of her domineering brothel madame Mrs. Castaway, portrayed by Gillian Anderson (Bleak House, The X-Files).

Sugar finds what seems a promising escape in the wealthy but mysterious perfume heir William Rackham, played by Chris O'Dowd (Bridesmaids, The IT Crowd), a man who seems unaware of the privilege he is afforded as a wealthy, white male in 1864 London. William's wife is bedridden by mental illness and a "womb [that] has moved," according to a doctor who seems to have his own, surreptitious motives. As William and Sugar become increasingly involved, it becomes less clear whose hands are truly doing the bulk of the manipulation.

The miniseries made its North American debut on Encore earlier this month, launching the cable movie network's Big Miniseries Showcase on Sept 10. The two-disc DVD set, featuring all four episodes, deleted scenes, director and actor interviews, and character biographies. The DVD is available through Acorn Media, a leading distributor of British programming in North America.