ITV's hilariously funny, very bawdy and occasionally moving adaptation of Daniel Defoe's tale about an ordinary woman trying all she can to make her mark upon the world in vice-ridden 18th century London, "'The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders" is a TV production not to be sniffed at. Alex Kingston stars as the titular heroine, who plays the character with remarkable integrity and gusto, exactly how she is meant to be. The production spares no details of Moll's dubious careers, and succeeds in angering and moving the audience to tears within minutes of each other. Top class actors, accurate costumes and wonderful settings combined with a tight script results in an intoxicating concoction of televisual brilliance. This adaptation made in 1996 is still as popular as ever, and the new Moll Flanders film is not a patch on this. It is very faithful to the novel and yet still adds its own elements to the original story, adapting it for a more modern audience. A masterpiece!
