The Secret World of Polly Flint (1987) (Episode 2)

Ep 2: Polly and her mother Alice move in with Polly's Aunt Em in Wellow, a village in Nottingham, but Polly soon finds Aunt Em rather rigid and formidable. Polly is however captivated by the May Pole that stands on the village green outside her window and later sees a mysterious figure stood by it one night. As the village prepares for the upcoming May Day festival she sees the figure again on a bench by a tree there, who introduces himself as Old Mazy. And Old Mazy has a peculiar tale to tell her, of the village's old history and that of a village that previously stood there - that of Grimstone, a village that one May Day 400 years ago mysteriously disappeared... Starring Kate Reynolds, Emily Richard, Susan Jameson, Don Henderson, Malcolm Storry and Dylan Champion. Episode 2 and Polly is now living with her starchy Aunt Em (Susan Jameson) as the family try to cope with her father's devastating accident. The old world history and legend that Polly finds herself drawn to is fascinating and is helped no end by a nice supporting role by Don Henderson as Old Mazy, who reveals to her a village legend that has haunted Wellow. What's more intriguing is the series' decision to have Michael Hordern narrating the tale every now and then in the episodes. I adore Hordern's voice, but I do wonder whether it might of been better if the series had been left without a narrator and highlighted Polly's seeming isolationism - a running theme in Helen Cresswell's novels - even more as the take becomes a little more eerie. A perfect highlight of this is towards the end of this episode when Polly spies a sinister figure in black with a net stalking through the forest that is mightily effective. The rest of the episodes I will upload later this afternoon. Until then, enjoy.