When Olivia Colman and Vanessa Redgrave star opposite each other, you know you’re in for a treat and The Thirteenth Tale is exactly that. The heartbreaking drama features an outstanding performance from Olivia as bereaved biographer Margaret who interviews dying author Vida Winter (played by Vanessa) - and it’s easily one of the best things we’ve seen all year.
The film, which originally aired on the BBC in 2013, takes Diane Setterfield’s bestselling novel and turns it into a drama that’s as moving as it is disturbing. As Margaret delves into Vida’s troubling childhood of neglect, incest and violence, she’s forced to confront a closely guarded secret from her own past, one that has defined the entire course of her life.
With the drama now available to stream, here’s everything you need to know about The Thirteenth Tale, including the full plot, cast and where to watch it.
What is The Thirteenth Tale about?
The 90-minute drama is adapted from Diane Setterfield’s bestselling novel and is a haunting psychological mystery set in the modern day, with flashbacks starting in 1940. The story begins when a young female biographer, Margaret (Olivia Colman), sets out to interview a legendary writer whose health is fading and who has, until now, refused to divulge the secrets of her life and past.
The writer is Vida Winter (Vanessa Redgrave) and, as she shares her story with Margaret, an unlikely shared empathy is cultivated between the two women, with Vida’s story forcing Margaret to finally confront her own ghosts. Vida’s story largely revolves around her childhood at Angelfield estate, which is dark and disturbing, to say the least.
Olivia told the BBC that it’s a ghost story of sorts, explaining: “It’s quite difficult to describe, there’s lots of pieces to it, flashbacks and modern day - a thriller and ghost story. It’s very exciting, it looks into this fascinating woman’s life and you see everything that’s happened, but it’s not necessary clear and you have to piece it together as you go along.
The appeal of it, she shared, is in the life history it explores. “I think that it’s got very broad appeal because it’s not heart attack material; it’s a gripping story, and the past of someone who’s led an exciting life and a long life is fascinating. I’ve always enjoyed hearing people’s stories from older generations and what it was like then and this shows you all of that.
“Also, it’s an extraordinary tale of children who are unloved and left but have each other... there is love there. It’s interesting and will appeal to any age group.”
Who’s in the cast of The Thirteenth Tale?
The cast of The Thirteenth Tale includes:
- Olivia Colman (The Night Agent) as Margaret Lea
- Vanessa Redgrave (Call the Midwife)as Vida Winter
- Robert Pugh (The Tuckers) as ‘John the Dig’
- Tom Goodman-Hill (The Secret Agent) as Doctor Mawsley
- Sophie Turner (Steal) as Adeline/Young Vida
- Antonia Clarke (Lightfields) as Emmeline
- Alexandra Roach (Lazarus) as Hester Barrow
- Janet Amsden (State of the Union)as Mrs Dunne
- Emily Beecham (King & Conqueror)as Isabelle Angelfield
- Michael Jibson (No Return) as Charlie Angelfield
- Lizzie Hopley (Fackham Hall) as Theodora Mawsley
Is The Thirteenth Tale any good?
Yes – both Olivia Colman and Vanessa Redgrave are as brilliant as you’d expect, while the story itself is both haunting, emotional and deeply thought-provoking. It also features major twist that you genuinely won’t see coming, which makes it all the more watchable. All in all, it scores a solid 10/10 with us.
How can I watch The Thirteenth Tale?
The Thirteenth Tale is available to watch now on Prime Video.
What other Olivia Colman dramas can I watch now?
One of Olivia’s best hidden gems is Empire of the Light. Olivia plays a cinema manager in 1980s Margate who finds an unlikely connection with her younger colleague Stephen (Michael Ward). It’s poignant, relatable and the chemistry is really something special to watch. You can stream Empire of the Light on Disney+. Olivia is equally compelling in The Lost Daughter, in which she stars as Led, a mother whose holiday takes a strange turn when she becomes infatuated with a mother and daughter on the beach. The Lost Daughter is available to watch now on Netflix.
