The Silver Chair (1990 TV serial)

The Silver Chair (1990 TV Serial)

Title screen
Written by C.S. Lewis
Alan Seymour
Directed by Alex Kirby
Starring Camilla Power
Country of origin United Kingdom
No. of series 1
No. of episodes 6
Production
Producer(s) Paul Stone
Running time 26 min. per episode (approx.)
Broadcast
Original channel BBC
Picture format 4:3
Original run 18 November 1990 – 23 December 1990
Chronology
Preceded by Prince Caspian/The Voyage of the Dawn Treader
Related shows The Chronicles of Narnia

The Silver Chair was shown on BBC television in 1990. It was the third and final series of The Chronicles of Narnia that ran from 1988 to 1990.

Barbara Kellerman was used again as the Green Lady partly to save money; Barbara had recently played the Hag and the White Witch in the Narnia miniseries.

The six-part series followed the book in great detail including all key features. It was filmed in various locations including Peak Cavern, Derbyshire.[1]

Plot

When friends Eustace Scrubb and Jill Pole stumble into Narnia, they are given a quest by Aslan the Talking Lion. They must save Prince Rilian, son of the late King Caspian, from the Evil Green Lady. To help them on their quest they meet the gloomy but loyal Marshwiggle Puddleglum. Leaving Narnia, they journey deep into the desolate northern lands, where they encounter cold, hunger and hardship. The children soon begin to bicker among themselves, forgetting the Four Signs Aslan has given them for guidance along the way.

One frosty morning, the three travelers encounter a beautiful Green Lady, accompanied by a silent Black Knight. Not realizing that the charming lady is actually the same deadly serpent which enslaved the Prince and killed his mother, the children confide in her eagerly. Sensing their hunger and exhaustion, the sly witch sends them to the Gentle Giants of Harfang. The giants are kind to the children at first, but in reality they plan to fatten the travelers up with rich foods and then eat them for the Autumn Feast. Discovering the truth, Jill and her friends escape from Harfang and go underground, where they again encounter the Green Lady. She reveals that her plan all along has been to raise an army of underground gnomes to conquer Narnia, with Prince Rilian serving as her general. The Prince has been placed under a spell by the witch, and only when the travelers set him free, cutting him loose from the silver chair "in Aslan's name" does he regain his senses. The witch then attempts to put all three travelers under a similar spell, but her magic fails to work on Puddleglum. His defiance enrages the witch, who loses her temper and takes on her true form as a hideous green snake. Once she is no longer in the distracting shape of a woman, Prince Rilian recognizes who she truly is and kills her.

Cast

Note: To avoid giving away the plot surprise, Richard Henders (Prince Rilian) was credited as 'Masked Man' in Radio Times for Episode 6.

References

  1. ↑ Filming Locations for The Silver Chair, http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0098912/locations, at the Internet Movie Database. Retrieved 13 December 2011

External links