The Franchise Affair - Josephine Tey - BBC Saturday Night Theatre

The Franchise Affair is a 1948 mystery novel by Josephine Tey about the investigation of a mother and daughter accused of kidnapping a local young woman. In 1990, the UK Crime Writers' Association named it one of The Top 100 Crime Novels of All Time.
Robert Blair, a local solicitor, is called on to defend two women, Marion Sharpe and her mother, who are accused of kidnapping and beating a fifteen-year-old war orphan named Betty Kane. Set in Milford, the novel opens with the Sharpes about to be interviewed by local police and Scotland Yard, represented by Inspector Alan Grant (who is the protagonist of five other Tey novels). Marion calls Blair and, although his firm does not do criminal cases, he agrees to come out to their home, "The Franchise", to look out for their interests during the questioning.
Betty's account is that during the Easter holidays, she went to stay with her aunt and uncle, the Tilsits, near Larborough. After a week, she wrote to her adoptive parents, the Wynns, to say she was enjoying herself and would spend another three weeks with the Tilsits. Then one evening, waiting for a bus, the Sharpe women approached her in their car and offered her a lift. They took her to the Franchise, demanded that she become a domestic worker, and, upon her refusal, imprisoned her in the attic. Betty alleges that they starved and beat her until she escaped.
When Blair meets Marion and Mrs. Sharpe, who are sensible and forthright, he believes them innocent, and he distrusts Betty. Yet Betty does have bruises from a beating, and she describes items and rooms inside the Franchise accurately.
Later in the week, a newspaper runs a long story from Betty's side, based on an interview with her vengeful brother, Leslie. Robert Blair now finds that the townspeople of Milford are mostly against the Sharpes. An exception is Stanley Peters, a local car mechanic and friend of Blair, who says that Betty reminds him of an ex-girlfriend who was promiscuous and deceitful.
As interest in the case builds over a few weeks, locals engage in overt hostility against the Sharpes: public snubbing, then graffiti on their walls, then smashing of the windows; the vandalism culminates when the Franchise is destroyed by arson. Stanley has become a friend and ally to the Sharpes, serving as a night guard for them, and then providing them shelter when their home is burned down.
Blair is assisted in his search for clues against Betty Kane by his cousin, Nevil Bennet, who also works at the law firm, and his friend Kevin Macdermott, a flamboyant London barrister. (Wikipedia)
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[@kellygnow1]

Thank you. Really enjoyed this.

[@jordsupp]

As a 1948 narrative, it was written well to accommodate audiences of the day. I can imagine it had readers of the novel enthralled. Thanks for uploading.

[@jamesmason8052]

Never a negative review with BBC Saturday Night Theatre 🤗

[@jacksonburnette762]

I enjoyed this drama . The characters, timinginn and action resulted in a very smooth bit of entertainment .

[@TedaR]

We asked for synopsis and when you can you certainly do give it to us. Ha-ha! 😉 Thank you for all your work!

[@VLind-uk6mb]

He gave you Wikipedia's synopsis of the book. It bears only passing resemblance to a synopsis of this play.

[@carolsommer2003]

Great story, well acted. Thank you again for this & for everything you bring us.Your work is so appreciated. Warm greetings from Switzerland.

[@hollyfleur6144]

warm greetings back to Switzerland from America. Stay safe.

[@גקליןיפה]

❤ greetings from Israel

[@chrissythornhill]

Many thanks for the synopsis. At my age I really appreciate knowing what I'm in for ! 👵🏻 ❤️

[@elainepayne7047]

Loved the film too. Thank you for this.

[@skurrygirl2223]

Thank you for all the wonderful video's you post. That must be a lot of work.

[@ChestertonRadio]

Thank you for listening. It's fun to share these shows

[@yorkshirerose6334]

I love Josephine Tey books. If you have any more that would be great. Thank you for this one.🙏

[@patriciallamas2050]

Cheers for the upload!! 🙏🏻✨🤗

[@mikewellwood1412]

Many thanks for uploading this, and for the comprehensive summary. I found the story most intriguing.

[@magicbulletdancers]

after my listen I did a perusal of the comments. I hadn't read the synopsis. I've never heard of this story/case before, and since true crime isn't a favored genre I'll just say ok ty it was sure well done. cheers ! CA

[@VLind-uk6mb]

Although loosely based on an 18th century case, this is not "true crime." It is based on a novel -- and a very good one, far better than this play would have you know.

[@Bambisgf77]

This one kept my attention start to finish! Enjoyed it very much! Loved the ending. Thanks so much for posting.

[@VLind-uk6mb]

The ending in the book is considerably more satisfactory. As are the characterisations.

[@TedaR]

Always enjoy Tey.

[@Lakeslover1]

Enjoyed it very much.📻😀

[@mrsmiggins6435]

Great story. Didn't see that coming. Thank you

[@iangaredunord6199]

Adapted By:John Hyatt Novel By: Josephine Tey Produced By: Betty Davies Roger Kane: Nicholas Edmett Mrs Kane: Margot Boyd Betty Kane: Jo Manning Wilson Robert Blair: John Justin Marion Sharpe: Madi Hedd Insp Hallam: Malcolm Hayes Mrs Sharpe: Grizelda Hervey Nevil Blair: Frank Duncan Mrs Blair: Dorothy Lane Kevin McDermott: Denys Hawthorne Shirley Glynn: Patricia Gallimore The Judge: James Thomason Miles Allison, QC: Godfrey Kenton Richard Chadwick: Kerry Vrancis First broadcast: Sat 2nd May 1970, 20:30 on BBC Radio 4

[@donwardell4605]

I REMEMBER HEARING THIS WITH MY PARENTS IN ENGLAND. WHAT I APPRECIATED, NOT EVEN KNOWING WHAT IT WAS,WAS THE PLOT CONSTRUCTION. AGATHA HAD HER BUMBLING OLD COLONELS AND OLD MAIDS = THIS WAS SO REALISTIC.

[@ria1636]

Agatha Christie had Hercule Poirot and Jane Marple was far more than an old maid!

[@honeyfungus4774]

Not a patch on the book, but still worth listening to.

[@flapjackfae]

I really wanted a scene between Betty and her mother after the trial. They probably couldn't sentence her to anything worse than what Mum would give her.

[@grotekleum]

A good play, though for 'adapted by' read 'mangled by'; too many liberties taken with the plot, best to read the book.

[@richardw3470]

Village gossip. Calls to mind the "walking newspaper" our street had when I was a kid.

[@margaretisabellezerner4556]

I tried hard but it really bares no resemblance to the actual story. What a shocker. JT is my favourite author and hard to come by audio files of her work.. It's such a shame these excellent resources were wasted on making such a piece of crap. Listen to the real thing on Audible narrated by Carole Boyd. I'm enjoying Carole now. What a relief.

[@tango6nf477]

You cant confuse a book with a radio play, or indeed a movie. Its impossible to keep rigidly faithful to the book in either they are completely different mediums with different needs and priorities. I agree that in some cases the story is so altered as to bear little or no similarity to the book and that can be annoying.

[@margaretisabellezerner4556]

A little simplistic@@tango6nf477 I realise what you are saying and it would seem that you think I am a school child who is too stupid to understand that before I made my comment. There is really no need to change the details I was referring to other then for perceived public appeal. Miss Tey probably didn't think much of it either. Go back to your school room please Teacher.

[@VLind-uk6mb]

@@tango6nf477Such as here. Why have Robert and Marion together at the start when they don't know each other? Why make Neville his brother instead of his cousin, and Aunt Lyn his mother? Why call Betty Kane's brother Roger? Why have Rose Glynn married, and acquainted with Betty from some club? All the elements of the novel are so much better and make more realistic sense of the story. I have not even heard the end of the play yet, so am curious as to what else they will twist. But the way the boyfriend was discovered was far more appealing than this guy just turning up.

[@2msvalkyrie529]

No ! We are NOT confusing a book with a radio play . This was not an " adaptation " ! This was a complete evisceration.! And the vast majority of the changes made for NO reason whatsoever...Why on earth the trustees of Josephine Tey permitted this abomination I cannot imagine !!?

[@sarepica]

Really? I think she’s an awful writer and an embarrassing snob. This radio representation is an excellent example of making a silk purse out of a sow’s ear.

[@jeanettesdaughter]

Strange goings on.

[@benedict7335]

Disappointing re-working of the Canning Affair.

[@willowwobble]

Excellent Lockdown escapism!

[@juniperchase222]

Here in 2023❤

[@jacquiadams863]

Very good but I loathe the class snobbery.

[@rosemaryryan3295]

A

[@dirkbogarde44]

The evil working class punished again.

[@stevehammett2008]

I did not like the mother and daughter in this story. If I had written it, they would have been the guilty ones.

[@dodojack1045]

Unrealistic drivel. Taking the listeners for complete idiots. Police could have solved the story within five minutes & spared us from the author's self indulgence.

[@johnhannay16]

First rate adaptation.

[@VLind-uk6mb]

No, it isn't. It changes all sorts of things for no good reason.

[@GradKat]

Such dated stuff.