The Ash Tree (film)

The Ash Tree
Title screen
Based on"The Ash-tree"
by M. R. James
Written byDavid Rudkin
Directed byLawrence Gordon Clark
Starring
Production
ProducerRosemary Hill
Running time31 minutes
Original release
Release23 December 1975 (1975-12-23)
Related
A Ghost Story for Christmas
Infobox instructions (only shown in preview)

The Ash Tree is a short film which is part of the British supernatural anthology series A Ghost Story for Christmas. Written by David Rudkin, produced by Rosemary Hill, and directed by the series' creator, Lawrence Gordon Clark, it is based on the ghost story "The Ash-tree" by M. R. James, first published in the collection Ghost Stories of an Antiquary (1904), and first aired on BBC1 on 23 December 1975.[1][2][3]

It stars Edward Petherbridge in the dual role of Sir Richard, an 18th century aristocrat who inherits the estate of his late uncle, and of Sir Matthew, his 17th century ancestor whose role in the witch trial of Ann Mothersole (Barbara Ewing) haunts Sir Richard via nighttime visions. Sir Richard is also disturbed by strange noises coming from an ash tree outside his bedroom window, which is revealed to have a connection with these events.

Since airing it has received a mixed response from critics in comparison with the other James adaptations produced in the series' original run, with even Clark regarding it as a disappointment.[4] It was the last James adaptation produced as part of the series' original run, and the last one to air until A View from a Hill (2005).

  1. ^ "The Ash Tree". British Film Institute Database. Archived from the original on 30 January 2009. Retrieved 22 September 2010.
  2. ^ Brockhurst, Colin. "A Ghost Story for Christmas". phantomframe.co.uk. Archived from the original on 13 October 2011. Retrieved 10 September 2010.
  3. ^ Angelini, Sergio, The Ash Tree at the BFI's Screenonline. Retrieved 2010-7-7.
  4. ^ Cite error: The named reference smughorror was invoked but never defined (see the help page).