The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge

The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge

Year: 2015

Runtime: 30 mins

Language: English

Director: Dan Zeff

Sir Andrew Pike requests the assistance of two prominent witch-finders to investigate and try an elderly woman in the quiet village of Little Happens. The trial unfolds, raising questions about justice and the power of superstition in 17th-century England.

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Timeline & Setting – The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge (2015)

Explore the full timeline and setting of The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge (2015). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

17th century England

Set in 17th-century England, the story sits amid a climate of religious fervor and legal brutality. Public trials and torturous methods reflect the era's harsh approach to alleged witchcraft. Daily life is influenced by reputation, superstition, and the volatile power of local authorities.

Location

Little Happens, England

The events unfold in the small village of Little Happens in England. It is depicted as a close-knit community where superstition and fear govern daily life. The village becomes a stage for the witch-trial, highlighting the social dynamics and the spectacle surrounding accusations.

🏞️ Rural village 🕰️ 17th-century setting

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:49

Main Characters – The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge (2015)

Meet the key characters of The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge (2015), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Sir Andrew Pike (David Warner)

A magistrate who seizes the witchcraft case to boost the village’s profile and his own prestige. He appears confident, authoritative, and driven by a belief in his own moral certainty, even as he thrives on the spectacle and profit of the proceedings.

👨‍⚖️ Authority 🗡️ Power 🗣️ Persuasion

Elizabeth Gadge (Ruth Sheen)

A seventy-year-old woman accused of witchcraft who insists on her innocence. She uses the courtroom cruelty to reveal others’ hypocrisy and manipulates the situation to survive. By the end, she embodies both victim and dangerous force.

👵 Elderly 🪄 Witchcraft 🕯️ Resilience

Mr Warren (Reece Shearsmith)

A zealous witch-finder who leans toward harsh, punitive measures. He thrives on fear and pushes for harsher treatment and execution. His fanaticism intensifies the tension and drives the village toward brutality.

🔥 Zealotry ⚖️ Judgment

Richard Two-Shoes (Paul Kaye)

A cobbler entangled in the accusations, whose ambiguous loyalties and insinuations complicate the trial. His outward appearance and ties hint at hidden motives within the village’s power structure.

🧵 Craftsman 🐾 Suspicion

Sarah Nutter (Sinead Matthews)

Elizabeth Gadge's daughter who testifies against her mother while attempting to defend her. Her actions expose the pressure to conform to social expectations and the complexities of maternal loyalty.

👩‍👧 Family 🗣️ Testimony

Mr Clarke (Steve Pemberton)

A witch-finder who is more cautious and starts to doubt the proceedings. He ultimately releases Elizabeth, but is betrayed by Warren, and is killed when Elizabeth asserts her power.

🕊️ Caution 🧭 Dissent

Thomas Nutter (Jim Howick)

Elizabeth's son-in-law who testifies against her, illustrating how fear fractures family ties and fuels the village’s contentious environment.

👨‍👩‍👦 Family 🗣️ Testimony

George Waterhouse (Trevor Cooper)

A neighbor whose testimony adds to the climate of accusation and social pressure in the village, reinforcing the mob mentality surrounding the trial.

👥 Community 🧭 Allegiances

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:49

Major Themes – The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge (2015)

Explore the central themes of The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge (2015), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🧙 Witchcraft

The plot centers on accusations of witchcraft and the ease with which fear overrides reason. Elizabeth Gadge's alleged pact with demonic forces becomes a tool to control the village and manipulate others. The narrative shows how rumor and ritual can masquerade as justice.

⚖️ Justice and Hypocrisy

Pike and the witch-finders manipulate procedure to suit their interests, turning a trial into a spectacle that fuels profit and power. Clarke's cautious stance provides a counterpoint to zealotry, but the system's momentum drives a brutal outcome. The story reveals how authority can be corrupted by fear and crowd dynamics.

🪶 Transformation

Ending emphasizes metamorphosis, both literal and symbolic. Elizabeth's ultimate revelation and her evasion in the form of a raven underscore themes of vengeance and liberation. The tale contemplates the costs of superstition and the possibility of escape from oppressive structures.

Last Updated: October 01, 2025 at 12:49

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Narrative Summary

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Narrative Summary

The narrative pattern involves characters being psychologically and often physically trapped in a single location or a rigid social structure. The steady pacing allows dread to accumulate gradually, focusing on the breakdown of the individual under sustained pressure rather than on external action or fast-paced plot twists.

Why These Movies?

They share a specific mix of steady pacing, high psychological intensity, and a claustrophobic atmosphere. The viewing experience is defined by a pervasive sense of unease and the grim, methodical exploration of a character's suffering in a confined world.

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The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge Summary

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The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge Summary

The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge Timeline

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The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge Timeline

The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge Spoiler-Free Summary

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The Trial of Elizabeth Gadge Spoiler-Free Summary

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