| Screenplay: | Glenn Chandler |
| Director: | Harry Bradbeer |
| Starring: | Martin Kemp Tracey Wilkinson Charlotte Randle Emma Ferguson |
| Theme Music Composer: | Richard Taylor |
| Country: | United Kingdom |
| Language: | English |
| Producer: | David Reynolds Alan Dossor |
| Editor: | David Aspinall |
| Cinematography: | Robin Vidgeon |
| Runtime: | 120 minutes |
| Company: | Yorkshire Television |
| Network: | ITV |
The Brides in the Bath is a 2003 television film by Yorkshire Television for ITV, based on the life and trial of British serial killer and bigamist George Joseph Smith, the "Brides in the Bath Murderer". Martin Kemp plays the role of Smith, and Richard Griffiths plays barrister Sir Edward Marshall-Hall. The film was directed by Harry Bradbeer, and written by Glenn Chandler.[1] [2]
Set to portray coastal Weymouth, filming took place in Yorkshire locations of Bridlington, Filey and Scarborough from June to mid-July, 2003.[3] Bradford City Hall in Bradford, doubled for the court room and holding cells of the Old Bailey in the City of London.[4] [5] [6]
The film focuses on the trial of George Smith and flashbacks showing how he met each of his wives. Smith is married to his wife Edith. He often goes away on the pretext of business. Whilst he is away he meets wealthy women, marries them within a few weeks, insures their lives and then drowns them in the bath. He returns with the insurance money (sometimes he brings the latest victims' possessions to Edith as gifts). He is eventually arrested and ultimately hanged for his crimes. At the trial it is revealed that his marriage to Edith is bigamous; in total he had eight wives, most of whom he left after stealing all of their possessions.[7]