Summer's Lease

7.3 Nov 1989 1 Season 4 Episodes

Ended

Overview

Fortysomething wife and mother Molly Pargeter leads a stable but dull life in 1980s West London. She feels overweight and there is no passion in her relationship with her husband Hugh, who is secretly seeing another woman. For most of her life, Molly has found escape in detective novels and art books, especially on 15th-century Italian fresco painter Piero Della Francesca. Suddenly, in the small ads, she spots the details of a Tuscany villa to let, and after a viewing, she takes it for holiday.

Created by John Mortimer

BBC · GBH · Television New Zealand

🇬🇧 United Kingdom · 🇺🇸 United States · English

Cast

Susan Fleetwood

Molly Pargeter

John Gielgud

Haverford Downs

Michael Pennington

Hugh Pargeter

Rosemary Leach

Nancy Leadbetter

Caroline Waldron

Henry Pargeter

Veronica Lazăr

Baronessa Dulcibene

Suzanne Hay

Sam Pargeter

Samantha Glenn

Jack Pargeter

Siria Betti

Giovanna

Key Crew

Martyn Friend

Director

Diana Brookes

Script Supervisor

John Mortimer

Novel

John Mortimer

Screenplay

Colin Rogers

Producer

Remi Adefarasin

Director of Photography

Tariq Anwar

Editor

Nigel Hess

Original Music Composer

Justin Amsden

Sound Editor

Villa to Let

Housewife Molly Pargeter arranges for her family to travel to a Tuscany summer rental, where she meets a variety of eccentric locals but is most fascinated by Chrissie and Buck Kettering, who own the villa.

Nov 1, 1989 55m

Where the Water Goes

La Felicita is hit by a water shortage, forcing the Pargeters to shack up with the Ketterings.

Nov 8, 1989 55m

A Battlefield

Molly pieces together the clues connecting Buck, Nancy and the local waterboard but her snooping draws threats from the displeased ex-pats. Meanwhile, Haverford tests his chances with his forgetful ex-flame.

Nov 15, 1989 55m

The Urbino Trail

As holiday's end draws nearer, Molly realises that the answer to her mystery is at the end of the Piero Della Francesca Trail. As she sets off on her trip of discovery, Haverford's night of passion ends in farce.

Nov 22, 1989 55m

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