“A
highly watchable and successful
BBC television drama from 1977, Who Pays The Ferryman is set on the
beautiful Greek island of Crete, where
a former soldier who fought alongside
the Resistance during World War II
returns to the island to make his peace
with the past but encounters danger
and tragedy...”
AFTER SELLING HIS BOAT-BUILDING BUSINESS, Alan Haldane (Jack Hedley: The
Crimson Blade) returns to Crete to look for Melina Matakis —
the woman he fell in love with when he was fighting with the island's
Resistance during the Second World War.
Having fruitlessly tried to contact Melina after he left Crete, he had not heard
from her at all during the thirty years since their parting. He is destined
not to see Melina again but becomes involved with the attractive Annika Zeferis
(Betty Arvaniti), little realising her relationship to Melina.
Attempting to face the ghosts of the past, Alan falls foul of Melina's vindictive
and powerful mother, Katerina Matakis (the wonderful Patience Collier) who has
far-reaching influence and who reignites an old feud with a passion. Alan, however,
cannot fathom why Melina never responded to his letters when they had been so
close…
Careless of the danger he is in, he becomes closer to Annika and her niece's
family. He decides to stay on in Crete but his new-found life is to be shattered
irrevocably.
A generous gesture earns him the respect of the people and he finds friends
on the island; but there are also enemies. There is sadness awaiting Alan on
Crete, but also happiness. The stunning final episode culminates with a terrible
Greek tragedy, having repercussions that reach even the seemingly untouchable
Katerina. The title Who Pays The Ferryman is from Greek legend —
Charon, the Ferryman, takes the dead over the River Styx to Hades, but he must
be paid.
• One of the best television series of its
time, Who Pays The Ferryman is timeless, dark, dramatic and compelling.
Originally transmitted by the BBC in 1977, Who Pays The Ferryman was
a major success and watched by millions. The series was created by Michael J
Bird (The Lotus Eaters) and it established him as one of the leading
screenwriters of the time.
Who Pays The Ferryman also features: Takis Emmanuel as Matheos Noukakis;
Neil McCarthy as Babis Spiridakis; Stefan Gryff as The Major; Lambros Kotsiris
as Georgeios Kaladis; Anastasia Divoli as Maria Kaladis; Kevork Malikyan as
Doctor; Maria Sokali as Elena Vassilakis; Nikos Verlekis as Nikos Vassilakis;
and Alexis Sergis as Alexis Vassilakis.
The Theme Music is Composed by Yannis Markopoulos (the theme tune made the Top
10); Series Created By Michael J Bird; Produced and Directed by William Slater.
The long-awaited series Who Pays The Ferryman is exclusively restored
and is released by Eureka on DVD for the first time in the UK as a three-disc
set on 20 February 2012. Running Time: 393 Minutes | RRP: £40.85 | Catalogue
Number: EKA50048.
"Who Pays The Ferryman is timeless, dark, dramatic and compelling" —
Maggie Woods, MotorBar
“A
highly watchable and successful