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Poster for The Ash-tree 6.4

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TV Film

The Ash-tree

Based On the book by M. R. James

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. 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.

Summary: Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 4.0

Release date:
December 23, 1975
Country:
United Kingdom
Language:
English

Book vs Film

Cover of The Ash-tree
The Book · 1904

The Ash-tree

M. R. James

Poster for The Ash-tree
The TV Film · 1975

The Ash-tree

Lawrence Gordon Clark

★ 6.4 / 10 946 votes · IMDb

Reached the screen 71 years after publication.