If you have an Olivia Colman-shaped void in your life since finishing Broadchurch, and have already rewatched The Crown more times than you can count – we have unearthed her lesser-known period drama called Mothering Sunday. As ever, she delivers a superb performance as she plays a grief-stricken mother in a heartbreaking drama about post-war grief and forbidden love – and it’s so moving, it’ll leave you in awe.
The film, which arrived in cinemas in 2021, features a star-studded cast (including Colin Firth and Josh O’Connor) and follows orphaned maid Jane (Odessa Young) who works for the aristocratic Niven family in their grand Home County manor. The drama begins as she’s given a rare day off and secretly meets her long-term secret lover and neighbour, Paul Sheringham (Josh O’Connor). But what follows on that sun-drenched spring day change the course of Jane’s life forever.
Here’s everything you need to know about Mothering Sunday, including the plot, cast and all the inside details about this series.
What is Mothering Sunday about?
Based on Graham Swift’s 2016 novel of the same name, Mothering Sunday takes us to a country manor in Beechwood, England, on Mother’s Day, 1924, when maid Jane Fairchild (Odessa Young) has a rare day off work. While the rich couple she works for, Mr and Mrs Niven (Colin Firth and Olivia Colman) attend a lunch with their neighbours, the Sheringhams, for their last remaining son Paul’s (Josh O’Connor) engagement.
While her employers are away, she revels in the freedom to do as she pleases on the unseasonably hot spring day. Orphaned at birth, she doesn’t have a mother to visit, but she does have a long-term forbidden lover to see – Paul, who’s a trainee lawyer and belongs to aristocracy. With the house empty, they can meet in Paul’s bedroom for the first time – before he must join his family for the lunch to honour his engagement to Emma Hobday (Emma D’Arcy).
His fiancée was supposed to marry a Niven son, but he was killed during the war. Meanwhile, Mrs. Niven is grieving the death of her two sons who never returned from World War I – the friends’ hopes are pinned on the only surviving male. But, after Jane and Paul’s tryst, another tragedy rocks the family – and Jane’s life changes forever.
What to read next
Is there a trailer for Mothering Sunday?
Yes, you can watch the trailer for Mothering Sunday below.
Who’s in the cast of Mothering Sunday?
The cast of Mothering Sunday includes:
- Odessa Young (The Narrow Road To The Deep North) as Jane Fairchild
- Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, Pride And Prejudice) as Mr. Godfrey Niven
- Olivia Colman (Rev, Wicked Little Letters) as Mrs. Clarrie Niven
- Josh O’Connor (The Challengers, The History Of Sound) as Paul Sheringham
- Sope Dirisu (Gangs Of London, Mr. Malcom’s List) as Donald
- Patsy Ferran (Miss Austen) as Milly
- Emma D’Arcy (House Of The Dragon) as Emma Hobday
- Simon Shepherd (Bait) as Mr Giles Hobday
Is Mothering Sunday any good?
Yes, the period drama is a moving and beautiful depiction of post-war grief and forbidden love. So much of Mothering Sunday is what the characters don't say out loud, since they are unable to express their true emotions and are trapped by the English class system. Paul (Josh O'Connor) is in love with Jane (Odessa Young, who's pictured above), and riddled with survivor’s guilt as the only one of the sons to return from the frontline. Meanwhile the parents don’t mention their late children, until one memorable scene where Clarrie Niven (Olivia Colman) has an emotional outburst whilst they're at dinner and later she shouts at Jane, saying she’s lucky that she came into the world an orphan – since she had nothing to lose.
How can I watch Mothering Sunday?
You can watch Mothering Sunday now on Channel 4.
What other period dramas can I watch now?
For another fascinating glimpse into a different British era, Mr Selfridge takes us back to the early 20th century where we follow one of history’s most flamboyant businessmen, Harry Gordon Selfridge, as he tries to build the world’s most impressive department store. Mr Selfridge is available to watch now on ITVX. For a royal period drama, we’d suggest The Queen, which stars Helen Mirren as the late Queen Elizabeth II in the wake of Princess Diana’s death, as she faces mounting pressure from the former Prime Minister Tony Blair (Michael Sheen) to publicly react to the nation’s mourning. The Queen is available to watch now on ITVX.
