The Brides in the Bath

The Brides in the Bath
Screenplay by	Glenn Chandler
Directed by	Harry Bradbeer
Starring	Martin Kemp Tracey Wilkinson Charlotte Randle Emma Ferguson
Theme music composer	Richard Taylor
Country of origin	United Kingdom
Original language	English
Production
Producers	David Reynolds Alan Dossor
Cinematography	Robin Vidgeon
Editor	David Aspinall
Running time	120 minutes
Production company	Yorkshire Television
Original release
Network	ITV
Release	31 December 2003

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.

Production

Set to portray coastal Weymouth, filming took place in Yorkshire locations of Bridlington, Filey and Scarborough from June to mid-July, 2003. Bradford City Hall in Bradford, doubled for the court room and holding cells of the Old Bailey in the City of London.

Plot

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 which he left after stealing all of their possessions.

Cast