The Phoenix and the Carpet

Synopsis

Four Edwardian children find a strange egg in their newly-arrived Persian carpet. It hatches into a Phoenix bird that grants wishes and also transforms the rug into a magic carpet, which takes them on a series of adventures all over the world and at home. A truncated edit of the three-hour miniseries for the home video market.

Ratings

Key crew

• Michael KerriganDirector
• Edith NesbitWriter
• Helen CresswellScreenplay

Cast

• Miriam MargolyesCook
• Lesley DunlopEliza
• Ivan BerryRobert
• Christopher BigginsMr. Tonks
• Ben SimpsonCyril
• Charlotte ChinnJane
• Jessica FoxAnthea
• Jean AlexanderLily
• David SuchetThe Phoenix (voice)
• Francis WrightThe Psammead (voice)
• Mary WaterhouseMother
• Nicola RedmondAmelia

Themes