“It was the best of times, it was the worst of times”. A tale known well, filmed many times over the years, but never better than this version from ITV Studios.

One of the most beloved of Dickens’ stories, finding not only countries and conditions compared, but also two individuals thrown up in stark contrast to one another: the dissolute barrister Sydney Carton and the young aristocrat Charles Darnay, both in love with Lucie Manette, daughter of a victim of the French Regime. Their lives intertwine until the violent revolution that overtook an entire nation engulfs them all as well.

CAST James Wilby as Sydney Carton, Xavier Deluc as Charles Darnay, Serena Gordon as Lucie Manette, John Mills as Jarvis Lorry, Jean-Pierre Aumont as Dr Manette, Anna Massey as Miss Pross, Gerard Klein as Monsieur Defarge, Kathie Krieel as Madame Defarge, Alfred Lynch as Jerry Cruncher, Karl Johnson as Bersad, Jean-Marc Bory as Everemonde.

“The story, the characters, the costumes and the acting are all without fault.” IMDb