The Sleeper is a single British television crime drama film, written by Gwyneth Hughes and directed by Stuart Orme, that first broadcast on BBC1 on 26 December 2000.[1] The film was initially broadcast in two parts,[2] and is based on the novel by Gillian White.[3]
The Sleeper | |
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Genre | Crime drama |
Created by | Gillian White |
Written by | Gwyneth Hughes |
Directed by | Stuart Orme |
Starring | |
Composer | Colin Towns |
Country of origin | United Kingdom |
Original language | English |
No. of series | 1 |
No. of episodes | 2 |
Production | |
Executive producer | Pippa Harris |
Producer | Joy Spink |
Cinematography | Derek Suter |
Editor | Ardan Fisher |
Running time | 60 minutes |
Production company | BBC Worldwide |
Release | |
Original network | BBC1 |
Picture format | 16:9 |
Audio format | Stereo |
Original release | 26 December (2000-12-26) – 27 December 2000 (2000-12-27) |
The film was commissioned as part of the BBC's £42 million-pound Christmas schedule line-up for 2000.[4] Neither part of the film attracted more than 6.4 million viewers, placing it outside of the Top 30 most watched programmes that week.[5] Although the film remains unreleased on VHS or DVD, both parts are available to watch on YouTube.[6]
The Sleeper focuses on the Moon family, headed by Violet (Eileen Atkins), who descend into conflict when Fergus (Ciarán Hinds) and Claire (Annabelle Apsion), Violet's son and daughter-in-law, decide to sell the family farm from beneath her.
In Part One, as the family gather in the farmhouse to spend one last family Christmas together, a figure from Violet's past, determined to exact revenge, makes his way up to the farm amidst a rain and hail storm which cuts off power in the area, leaving the farm in pitch darkness.[1]
In Part Two, suspicious are raised amongst the family when Cath goes missing, forcing Lillian and George to mount a search party. Claire also begins to suspect her mother's motives for bringing the family together.[2]