Vanity Fair by
William Makepeace Thackeray’s immoral, immortal heroine Becky Sharp finds herself transplanted from London in the Napoleonic Era to New York City in the Vietnam Era in a freely adapted and updated dramatization of the novel Vanity Fair. From the grounds of a convent school in 1965 to the hot seat of a talk show in 1985, Becky’s amorous adventures are played out over two turbulent decades of American history as...
William Makepeace Thackeray’s immoral, immortal heroine Becky Sharp finds herself transplanted from London in the Napoleonic Era to New York City in the Vietnam Era in a freely adapted and updated dramatization of the novel Vanity Fair. From the grounds of a convent school in 1965 to the hot seat of a talk show in 1985, Becky’s amorous adventures are played out over two turbulent decades of American history as she parties her way through sex, drugs, Rock ‘n Roll, a husband or two, and countless lovers in her quest for wealth, power and social position (and maybe, just maybe love). Becky’s cunning and guile are contrasted by the honesty, integrity and innocence of her friend Amelia Sedley whom though born into a life of privilege, has no use for the empty values instilled in her Park Avenue upbringing. The fortunes of both women rise and fall with the hemlines as they both struggle and ultimately triumph in their own ways; and eventually our heroine, the lovely Miss Sharp takes her place among New York’s wealthy, famous and elite.
Orphaned, impoverished BECKY sees the kindly AMELIA as her way into society. On an extended visit with Amelia’s family, Becky tries to ensnare Amelia’s wealthy, “confirmed bachelor” brother JOSEPH; but her plans are thwarted by Amelia’s playboy fiancée GEORGE who doesn’t want a girl of Becky’s lowly station in the family. George’s West Point classmate WILL is secretly in love with Amelia but has no hope to marry her as he is from a working-class background and can’t compete with the debonair George who proves time and again that he doesn’t really love her. Becky is exiled to a farm in New Jersey and forced to work as a nanny, but in no time first ingratiates herself with her employer and then runs off and marries his dashing son RAWDON. Amelia’s family loses its fortune and George breaks the engagement only to turn around and marry her (at Will’s insistence) as she is carrying his child. Becky, Rawdon, Amelia and disinherited George find themselves impoverished as the boys prepare to go off to Vietnam.
Over the next five years Becky and Rawdon have a son and use their abilities to procure drugs to help them climb to the top of New York’s party scene. Meanwhile, Amelia raises her son in poverty; the specter of George (who died in Vietnam) keeping her from marrying the faithful Will. Becky’s wild ways weigh hard on Rawdon; he kills himself and her famous lover when she reveals that the son he adores is actually the offspring of George, who she seduced before he went off to war. The resulting scandal turns New York on its ear and Becky is shunned from all society. Many years later Amelia discovers Becky working as a prostitute in Atlantic City and tries to help her. A grateful Becky tells Amelia the truth about George’s lecherous ways freeing her at last to marry Will. Becky finally has a brief marriage to Joseph who dies leaving her a large fortune that allows her to take her rightful place in Vanity Fair.
Orphaned, impoverished BECKY sees the kindly AMELIA as her way into society. On an extended visit with Amelia’s family, Becky tries to ensnare Amelia’s wealthy, “confirmed bachelor” brother JOSEPH; but her plans are thwarted by Amelia’s playboy fiancée GEORGE who doesn’t want a girl of Becky’s lowly station in the family. George’s West Point classmate WILL is secretly in love with Amelia but has no hope to marry her as he is from a working-class background and can’t compete with the debonair George who proves time and again that he doesn’t really love her. Becky is exiled to a farm in New Jersey and forced to work as a nanny, but in no time first ingratiates herself with her employer and then runs off and marries his dashing son RAWDON. Amelia’s family loses its fortune and George breaks the engagement only to turn around and marry her (at Will’s insistence) as she is carrying his child. Becky, Rawdon, Amelia and disinherited George find themselves impoverished as the boys prepare to go off to Vietnam.
Over the next five years Becky and Rawdon have a son and use their abilities to procure drugs to help them climb to the top of New York’s party scene. Meanwhile, Amelia raises her son in poverty; the specter of George (who died in Vietnam) keeping her from marrying the faithful Will. Becky’s wild ways weigh hard on Rawdon; he kills himself and her famous lover when she reveals that the son he adores is actually the offspring of George, who she seduced before he went off to war. The resulting scandal turns New York on its ear and Becky is shunned from all society. Many years later Amelia discovers Becky working as a prostitute in Atlantic City and tries to help her. A grateful Becky tells Amelia the truth about George’s lecherous ways freeing her at last to marry Will. Becky finally has a brief marriage to Joseph who dies leaving her a large fortune that allows her to take her rightful place in Vanity Fair.