Who Starred In The TV Version Of “The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie”?
The film version of Muriel Spark’s novel is perhaps better known (this was made in 1968 and starred Maggie Smith.) However, the 1978 ITV version was very well received. Starring Geraldine McEwan, it closely followed Spark’s story. Set in 1930s Edinburgh, it follows the career of ac advanced, charismatic schoolmistress who chooses a group of girls to mould into her ideal of “the crème de la crème.” As the six girls grow up, Miss Brodie seeks to direct their lives, even encouraging one of them to have an affair with a married art teacher whom she herself has “renounced.” It is only when they are older that they realise that many of her doctrines about leadership and truth are, in fact, Fascist, and one of her own “special” girls eventually betrays her to the school authorities, who have long wanted to get rid of her. In after years the girls are marked by Miss Brodie’s influence, especially one girl, Sandy, her closest follower and eventual betrayer.
