---
name: "Andrew Davies"
canonical: "https://film.one/person/andrew-davies"
fi1m_id: "andrew-davies"
imdb_id: "nm0203577"
tmdb_id: 9156
wikidata_id: "Q504430"
roles: ["Writer"]
born: "20 September 1936"
reviewed_on_fi1m: 14
average_fi1m_score: 72
average_as: "writer"
average_over: 14
updated: "2026-10-07T17:33:37.672261+00:00"
licence: "© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL."
---

# Andrew Davies

## Identity

Andrew Davies

- **Canonical:** https://film.one/person/andrew-davies
- **Type:** Person
- **Fi1m ID:** andrew-davies
- **IMDb ID:** nm0203577
- **TMDB ID:** 9156
- **Wikidata ID:** Q504430
- **Same entity:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Davies_(writer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q504430, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0203577/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/9156

Writer. Born 20 September 1936 in Rhiwbina, Wales, UK.

## Details

- **Work:** Writer
- **Born:** 20 September 1936, Rhiwbina, Wales, UK
- **Active:** 1970–2016
- **Frequently works with:** [Colin Firth](https://film.one/person/colin-firth.md), [Diarmuid Lawrence](https://film.one/person/diarmuid-lawrence.md), [Ken Riddington](https://film.one/person/ken-riddington.md), [Matthew Macfadyen](https://film.one/person/matthew-macfadyen.md), [Paul Seed](https://film.one/person/paul-seed.md), [Anthony Page](https://film.one/person/anthony-page.md), [Douglas Hodge](https://film.one/person/douglas-hodge.md), [Eric Fellner](https://film.one/person/eric-fellner.md)
- **Average Fi1m score:** 72, as writer, over 14 titles
- **Fi1m score by decade:** 1980s 82 (1), 1990s 78 (6), 2000s 70 (5), 2010s 58 (2)
- **Fi1m against the critics:** 62 to 58 across 4 titles
- **Score spread:** 5 at 80+, 7 at 60–79, 2 under 60
- **Genres:** Drama 12, Comedy 5, Romance 3, Action 1, Adventure 1, Thriller 1
- **Screen time:** 9 hours of reviewed films
- **Box office:** $724m across 4 films with figures
- **Elsewhere:** https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Andrew_Davies_(writer), https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q504430, https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0203577/, https://www.themoviedb.org/person/9156

## Streaming the US now

- **BritBox:** [*Pride and Prejudice*](https://film.one/tv/pride-and-prejudice.md) (88), [*House of Cards*](https://film.one/tv/house-of-cards.md) (84), [*Little Dorrit*](https://film.one/tv/little-dorrit.md) (76), [*Bleak House*](https://film.one/tv/bleak-house.md) (65)
- **The Roku Channel:** [*The Way We Live Now*](https://film.one/tv/the-way-we-live-now.md) (82), [*Vanity Fair*](https://film.one/tv/vanity-fair.md) (72)
- **Hulu:** [*Bridget Jones's Diary*](https://film.one/film/bridget-joness-diary.md) (80), [*Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason*](https://film.one/film/bridget-jones-the-edge-of-reason.md) (48)
- **Apple TV:** [*Middlemarch*](https://film.one/tv/middlemarch.md) (78)
- **Peacock:** [*War and Peace*](https://film.one/tv/war-and-peace.md) (65)
- **Amazon Prime Video:** [*The Three Musketeers*](https://film.one/film/the-three-musketeers-2011.md) (50)

For United States; add `?region=XX` for another country.

## Fi1m on Andrew Davies

> Andrew Davies gives literary characters sharp dialogue and room to misunderstand one another. We rate his adaptations highly, especially when he trusts the actors and the conversation; his fondness for broad comedy needs firmer handling.

In Simon Langton’s *Pride and Prejudice* (1995), a conversation can go badly and still be worth listening to. Andrew Davies gives Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth enough time to make attraction complicated, with wit that matters beyond the business of courtship. We were touched by the romance because their interest in one another depends on what they say and hear, rather than simply how they look. Across six episodes, Davies makes that attention rewarding, though some of the supporting comedy is pushed too hard. He is at his strongest when nobody needs to be made ridiculous to keep us watching.

His original television work includes *A Very Peculiar Practice* (1986–88), but *House of Cards* (1990) brought wider attention. Adapting Michael Dobbs’s novel, Davies gives Ian Richardson’s Urquhart the language to make ambition sound respectable. The scheming is brisk and funny, and the theatricality does not cancel the threat. The trouble is how much of the wit belongs to one man: Susannah Harker’s Mattie Storin and Miles Anderson’s Roger O’Neill too often seem useful to Urquhart rather than interesting in themselves. We keep waiting for Richardson to return.

*Middlemarch* (1994) preceded the Austen breakthrough, and later adaptations include *Bleak House* (2005) and *War and Peace* (2016). Davies updates dialogue, adds scenes and makes sex, money and power explicit, giving audiences direct reasons to take an interest in the people inside substantial books. This has brought criticism that he imposes contemporary attitudes on older novels or favours sensation over fidelity. We care more about whether the characters seem to have lives beyond the scene Davies needs them for.

*Bridget Jones’s Diary* (2001) shows the cost of pushing embarrassment too far, even in a film we recommend. Davies shares screenplay duties with Helen Fielding and Richard Curtis, and their script sometimes arranges another awkward moment where Bridget’s intelligence deserved more protection. Renée Zellweger keeps a recognisable adult in view when the physical comedy threatens to make her childish. The film earns our affection, but we wish these writers would trust her wit as readily as Davies trusts a difficult conversation in Austen. Start with *Pride and Prejudice*, and give its conversations time.

## Biography

Andrew Davies is a Welsh screenwriter and novelist. Born in Rhiwbina, Cardiff, in 1936, he read English at University College London and worked as a teacher and university lecturer before writing full time from the late 1980s.

He is best known for his television adaptations of classic novels, including *Middlemarch* (1994), *Pride and Prejudice* (1995), *Bleak House* (2005) and *War & Peace* (2016), and for his original series *A Very Peculiar Practice* (1986–1988). He also adapted Michael Dobbs’s *House of Cards* for the 1990 BBC series. Davies was awarded the BAFTA Fellowship in 2002.

*Sources: en.wikipedia.org, nytimes.com, screenonline.org.uk.*

## On Fi1m (14)

- *War and Peace* (2016), Fi1m 65, Writer, Executive Producer — [page](https://film.one/tv/war-and-peace.md)
- *The Three Musketeers* (2011), Fi1m 50, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/the-three-musketeers-2011.md)
- *Little Dorrit* (2008), Fi1m 76, Creator, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/tv/little-dorrit.md)
- *Bleak House* (2005), Fi1m 65, Writer, Creator — [page](https://film.one/tv/bleak-house.md)
- *Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason* (2004), Fi1m 48, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/bridget-jones-the-edge-of-reason.md)
- *Bridget Jones's Diary* (2001), Fi1m 80, Screenplay — [page](https://film.one/film/bridget-joness-diary.md)
- *The Way We Live Now* (2001), Fi1m 82, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/the-way-we-live-now.md)
- *A Rather English Marriage* (1998), Fi1m 75, Teleplay — [page](https://film.one/film/a-rather-english-marriage.md)
- *Vanity Fair* (1998), Fi1m 72, Writer, Creator — [page](https://film.one/tv/vanity-fair.md)
- *Circle of Friends* (1995), Fi1m 68, Writer — [page](https://film.one/film/circle-of-friends.md)
- *Pride and Prejudice* (1995), Fi1m 88, Writer, Creator — [page](https://film.one/tv/pride-and-prejudice.md)
- *Middlemarch* (1994), Fi1m 78, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/middlemarch.md)
- *House of Cards* (1990), Fi1m 84, Creator, Screenstory, Writer — [page](https://film.one/tv/house-of-cards.md)
- *A Very Peculiar Practice* (1986), Fi1m 82, Writer, Creator — [page](https://film.one/tv/a-very-peculiar-practice.md)

## Complete filmography (100)

Every credit, newest first. Titles without a page can be requested for review on the HTML page.

- *A Suitable Boy* (2020), series, Writer, Creator
- *Sanditon* (2019), series, Creator
- *Les Misérables* (2018), series, Writer, Executive Producer
- *War and Peace* (2016), series, Writer, Executive Producer — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/tv/war-and-peace.md)
- *A Poet in New York* (2014), Writer
- *Katharine Hepburn: The Great Kate* (2014), Director, Writer
- *Quirke* (2014), series, Screenplay, Creator
- *House of Cards* (2013), series, Executive Producer
- *Mr Selfridge* (2013), series, Creator
- *The Three Musketeers* (2011), Screenplay — Fi1m 50, [page](https://film.one/film/the-three-musketeers-2011.md)
- *South Riding* (2011), series, Writer, Creator
- *Drama Trails* (2010), series, Actor
- *Sleep with Me* (2009), Screenplay
- *Affinity* (2008), Writer, Executive Producer
- *Little Dorrit* (2008), series, Screenplay, Creator — Fi1m 76, [page](https://film.one/tv/little-dorrit.md)
- *Brideshead Revisited* (2008), Screenplay
- *A Room with a View* (2008), series, Writer, Creator
- *The Other Boleyn Girl* (2008), Script Consultant
- *Sense and Sensibility* (2008), series, Writer, Creator
- *A Room with a View* (2007), Screenplay
- *Northanger Abbey* (2007), Writer
- *Fanny Hill* (2007), Screenplay
- *Fanny Hill* (2007), series, Teleplay, Writer, Creator
- *The Diary of a Nobody* (2007), Writer
- *The Line of Beauty* (2006), series, Adaptation
- *The Chatterley Affair* (2006), Writer
- *Bleak House* (2005), series, Writer, Creator — Fi1m 65, [page](https://film.one/tv/bleak-house.md)
- *Falling* (2005), Screenplay
- *Bridget Jones: The Edge of Reason* (2004), Screenplay — Fi1m 48, [page](https://film.one/film/bridget-jones-the-edge-of-reason.md)
- *He Knew He Was Right* (2004), series, Writer, Creator
- *Boudica* (2003), Writer
- *Tipping the Velvet* (2002), series, Screenplay, Creator
- *Doctor Zhivago* (2002), series, Writer, Creator
- *Daniel Deronda* (2002), series, Writer, Creator
- *Othello* (2001), Writer
- *The Way We Live Now* (2001), series, Writer — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/the-way-we-live-now.md)
- *Bridget Jones's Diary* (2001), Screenplay — Fi1m 80, [page](https://film.one/film/bridget-joness-diary.md)
- *The Tailor of Panama* (2001), Screenplay
- *Take a Girl Like You* (2000), series, as Dramaturgy · Writer, Creator
- *Wives and Daughters* (1999), series, Writer, Creator
- *B. Monkey* (1999), Novel
- *A Rather English Marriage* (1998), Teleplay — Fi1m 75, [page](https://film.one/film/a-rather-english-marriage.md)
- *Vanity Fair* (1998), series, Writer, Creator — Fi1m 72, [page](https://film.one/tv/vanity-fair.md)
- *Bill's New Frock* (1998), Writer
- *Getting Hurt* (1998), Writer
- *The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders* (1996), series, Writer, Creator
- *The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders* (1996), Writer
- *Emma* (1996), Screenplay
- *Wilderness* (1996), series, Writer
- *The Final Cut* (1995), series, Writer, Creator
- *Pride and Prejudice* (1995), series, Writer, Creator — Fi1m 88, [page](https://film.one/tv/pride-and-prejudice.md)
- *Circle of Friends* (1995), Writer — Fi1m 68, [page](https://film.one/film/circle-of-friends.md)
- *Game On* (1995), series, Writer, Creator
- *A Few Short Journeys of the Heart* (1994), Writer
- *Stages* (1994), series, Writer
- *Middlemarch* (1994), series, Writer — Fi1m 78, [page](https://film.one/tv/middlemarch.md)
- *Harnessing Peacocks* (1993), Writer
- *To Play the King* (1993), series, Writer, Author, Creator
- *Anna Lee: Headcase* (1993), Writer
- *A Very Polish Practice* (1992), Writer
- *Anglo Saxon Attitudes* (1992), series, Writer
- *The Old Devils* (1992), Writer
- *Filipina Dreamgirls* (1991), Writer
- *Billy Webb's Amazing Story* (1991), series, Characters, Creator
- *House of Cards* (1990), series, Screenstory, Writer, Creator — Fi1m 84, [page](https://film.one/tv/house-of-cards.md)
- *Alfonso Bonzo* (1990), series, Writer, Creator
- *Ball-Trap On The Cote Sauvage* (1989), Writer
- *A Private Life* (1989), Writer
- *Screen One* (1989), series, Writer
- *Lucky Sunil* (1988), Writer
- *Consuming Passions* (1988), Screenplay
- *Inappropriate Behaviour* (1987), Writer
- *A Very Peculiar Practice* (1986), series, Writer, Creator — Fi1m 82, [page](https://film.one/tv/a-very-peculiar-practice.md)
- *Time After Time* (1986), Writer
- *Pythons on the Mountain* (1985), Writer
- *Screen Two* (1985), series, Writer
- *Diana* (1984), series, Writer, Creator
- *Educating Marmalade* (1982), series, Creator
- *Dark Towers* (1981), series, Creator
- *Bavarian Night* (1981), Writer
- *To Serve Them All My Days* (1980), series, Writer, Creator
- *The Legend of King Arthur* (1979), series, Writer, Creator
- *Renoir, My Father* (1978), Writer
- *Fearless Frank* (1978), Writer
- *BBC2 Play of the Week* (1977), series, Writer
- *The Velvet Glove* (1977), series, Writer
- *The Signalman* (1976), Writer
- *A Martyr to the System* (1976), Writer
- *The Imp of the Perverse* (1975), Adaptation
- *Grace* (1975), Writer
- *Playhouse* (1974), series, Writer
- *Bedtime Stories* (1974), series, Writer
- *Sporting Scenes* (1973), series, Writer
- *Centre Play* (1973), series, Writer
- *A Ghost Story for Christmas* (1971), series, Writer
- *Play for Today* (1970), series, Writer
- *Is That Your Body, Boy* (1970), Writer
- *Omnibus* (1967), series, Actor
- *Thirty-Minute Theatre* (1965), series, Writer
- *The Wednesday Play* (1964), series, Writer

## Awards

### Other awards — 2 won

- honorary doctorate 2004: honorary doctorate (won)
- Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature 1996: Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature (won)

*From Wikidata, which records wins more completely than nominations.*

---
© Fi1m Ltd. Written by AI under a human editor; checked against sources before publication. Quote with attribution and a link to the canonical URL. Canonical: https://film.one/person/andrew-davies