The Scarlet Letter

The Scarlet Letter is a 1979 miniseries based on the novel of the same name that aired on WGBH from March 3, 1979, to March 24, 1979. The series consists of four episodes, each 60 minutes long. Part 2 won the 1979 Emmy Award for Outstanding Video Tape Editing for a Limited Series or Special, awarded to film editors Ken Denisoff, Janet McFadden, and Tucker Wiard. In 1979, when most literary programs were being produced in the United Kingdom, Boston public television station WGBH decided to produce a homegrown adaptation of a literary classic. The result is this version of Nathaniel Hawthorne's novel, which explores Puritan America in search of its soul. Hester Prynne overcomes the stigma of adultery to emerge as one of the first great heroines in American literature. Hawthorne's themes, including the nature of sin, social hypocrisy, and community repression, remain relevant in American society. Meg Foster portrays Hester with quiet strength, as the woman condemned to wear a scarlet "A" for the rest of her life. John Heard plays Reverend Arthur Dimmesdale, Hester's partner in the affair, and convincingly conveys his private torment. Kevin Conway completes the central trio as the enigmatic and malevolent Roger Chillingworth. The costumes and scenery are intentionally simple, allowing the dialogue to remain the focus as each character confronts the meaning of sin, forgiveness, and redemption.

Sign in to rate, log, or skip individual seasons & episodes.