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The Onedin Line

1971

Seasons & Episodes

  • 8
  • 7
  • 6
  • 5
  • 4
  • 3
  • 2
  • 1

EP1 A Royal Return Aug 31, 1980

Letty has died from diphtheria caught from one of her orphans and Elizabeth has returned from Turkey to ensure the orphanage remains open. Sarah is on a Cook's tour of the world, Samuel has his own ships, bought from selling the shares William left his son Robert, as well as becoming the youngest chairman of the chamber of commerce. He divorces Charlotte and is awarded custody of the children but agrees to repay the shares in the little boy's account.

EP2 Revenge Sep 07, 1980

Still in Bulgaria having dropped off the disguised, fugitive Prince Alexander Onedin and Captain Baines are captured by Tsarists, a fifty thousand pound ransom being required for their freedom. By selling off some of her shares and four of her brother's ships, Elizabeth raises the money and travels to Bulgaria with Samuel to hand it over. However the captives have already been rescued by the quick-thinking Tom and James is far from grateful to his sister for her gesture, which, he claims, will ruin him.

EP3 Blood Ties Sep 14, 1980

An ancient cannon Captain Baines believes to have belonged to Henry Morgan and spirited Margarita, daughter of South American president Juarez, join James' latest cargo but on arrival in Margarita's home country James finds that her father is about to be overthrown in a revolution by his brother-in-law. When the rebels attack James and Tom help the Juarezes to escape but the president is shot by a sniper and, as the surviving trio row back to the ship under fire, the cannon comes in very handy. Elizabeth counts the financial cost of putting up ransom money for her brother.

EP4 The Honeymoon Sep 21, 1980

James marries Margarita and they sail to Sumatra to establish trade in the East Indies, staying with Dutch ship-owning brothers Max and Theodore Van der Rheede. The brothers are not happy to learn that James has undercut them on a tobacco contract and the dominant Max suggests to his younger brother that they sell up and return to Europe. On the voyage home Margarita intercedes on behalf of a sailor she believes to be harshly-treated, influencing Baines to show him leniency. Back in Liverpool they find that Max has moved there ahead of them but his brother has drowned himself.

EP5 Jonah’s Luck Sep 28, 1980

Defying the superstition that it is bad luck to set sail on a Friday, James travels to Africa and outwits a local witch doctor to establish a trading post on the Niger. However he falls out with Captain Baines, who now has his own ship, 'The Sea Spray', in the process. Back in Liverpool Margarita is mugged whilst exploring the city alone and Samuel uses his uncle's debt to pay Van Der Rheede for a warehouse in New York.

EP6 The Price of Pride Oct 05, 1980

Captain Baines leaves the Onedin Line and, with Tom aboard, collects his first cargo as owner of the 'Sea Spray'. James suffers as some clients will only trust their freight to his old ship-mate and the vengeful Van Der Rheede - who is out to break him - calls in the debt sold on by Samuel, who returns from New York with a wealthy American bride. To compound matters Charlotte arrives back in Liverpool as a music-hall singer. Ultimately, though, it is Captain Baines who pays the price of pride as his ship blows up, killing Tom.

EP7 Vengeance Oct 12, 1980

Devastated by Tom's death, Captain Baines blames Onedin for hectoring the boy into running away and joining the 'Sea Spray'. With no ship of his own he allows Van Der Rheede to bail him out but Van Der Rheede, holding Onedin responsible for his brother's death, is determined to break him and plants a stolen necklace, acquired from Betsy, a fence, on James Onedin's ship. He arranges for Betsy to be sent away and James is arrested and sent for trial. The family suspect Van Der Rheede and Elizabeth accuses him to his face but they can do nothing.

EP8 Guilty - In All Innocence Oct 19, 1980

Charlotte is reunited with her father after visiting him in jail. Margarita and Samuel pursue the man suspected of planting the necklace on James' ship, only to find he is dead. However a letter arrives from Betsy, addressed to Letty, who was good to her, outlining how Van Der Rheede used her to get the necklace. Furthermore Captain Baines, now anxious to help Onedin, establishes that Van Der Rheede planted it in a chart he knew that the captain was returning to James' ship. The family confronts the Dutchman and force him to confess, whilst Elizabeth hears that Daniel is returning home to be reconciled with her.

EP9 A Long Way Home Oct 26, 1980

Max Van Der Rheede is imprisoned and James is free. He beats Samuel to the contract of transporting nitrate and sets sail with his first cargo. Against his orders Margarita accompanies him. She is pregnant and eventually gives birth to a son. James is overjoyed. Elizabeth, on the other hand, receives distressing news. Daniel's ship has sunk returning to England and he has drowned, making her a widow for a second time.
7.6| 0h30m| en
Synopsis

The Onedin Line is a BBC television drama series which ran from 1971 to 1980. The series was created by Cyril Abraham. The series is set in Liverpool from 1860 to 1886 and deals with the rise of a shipping line, the Onedin Line, named after its owner James Onedin. Around this central theme are the lives of his family, most notably his brother and partner, shop owner Robert, and his sister Elizabeth, giving insight into the lifestyle and customs at the time, not only at sea, but also ashore. The series also illustrates some of the changes in business and shipping, such as from wooden to steel ships and from sailing ships to steam ships. It shows the role that ships played in affairs like international politics, uprisings and the slave trade.

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Trailers & Clips

Also starring Jessica Benton

The Onedin Line
The Onedin Line

Reviews

Platicsco Good story, Not enough for a whole film
PiraBit if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.
Donald Seymour This is one of the best movies I’ve seen in a very long time. You have to go and see this on the big screen.
Ella-May O'Brien Each character in this movie — down to the smallest one — is an individual rather than a type, prone to spontaneous changes of mood and sometimes amusing outbursts of pettiness or ill humor.
yonanimal One of my all time favorites. This and Tenko are must see T.V. And should be watched in a great big gulp. Entire cast of both shows are brilliant as is writing.
HillstreetBunz I watched the series in the 70s,...Sunday evenings around the TV with my Mum an Dad and my sister. I enjoyed it then. Now I am watching the whole thing all over again in the afternoons. Its not just a bit of nostalgia, its absolutely marvellous. Production values may seem low at first compared to today's blockbuster serials, but the sharply drawn characters are brought to riveting life by a first class cast (special mentions to Peter Gilmore, Jessica Benton and Anne Stallybrass as James, Elizabeth and Anne Onedin respectively). Proof (as if it were needed) that script and cast can overcome any weaknesses or paucity of cash elsewhere in a production. One noticeable aspect is how fully rounded the women characters are, how equal in every way to the male characters. That this is immediately apparent is a sad reflection on the way women's roles have retreated in the last decade or so. Maybe 70s feminism had something to do with it. But these women are not all about shoe shopping and chocolate! As an adult I really see the nuances of the story telling, and the richness of characterisation, historical context etc, Fantastic.
tulip33 I just discovered The Onedin Line,I ordered both DVD sets.I was totally hooked through each episode.The casting was perfect,and the acting was great.When I got to last episode I wanted to see more.I was delighted to see it ran for eight season.I was then very let down to find out the rest of the show is not available in the United States.I can only hope the rest of the series will be available in the future.I would definitely purchase the complete series if it were released.I would have rated this series a 10 if the picture quality was improved.The picture quality isn't too bad considering it was made in the early 70's.Anyone who loves British TV,history,and sea/ship dramas will not want to miss this.
Dawnfrancis This series was immensely popular in Britain during the 1970's. Its combination of boardroom antics and exciting seafaring action had Sunday evening audiences hooked. Containing some excellent location work and a memorable musical score, this was costume drama at its best.

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