Secret Diaries of Miss Anne Lister

Movie / Show Details

Based on the true story of Anne Lister, a 19th-century landowner who defied social conventions through her coded diaries, this 2010 BBC film explores a woman navigating forbidden love in an era hostile to her identity. Starring Maxine Peake, the drama follows Anne’s passionate affair with Marianna Belcombe and the heartbreak that ensues when Marianna is betrothed to a wealthy suitor. As Anne pursues other relationships, the film examines whether she can find a connection that rivals her feelings for her first love, all while maintaining her independence and pride in a society that condemns her.

This is a single-disc DVD release with a runtime of 92 minutes, rated TV-14, from 2 Entertain Video. The cast includes Anna Madeley, Christine Bottomley, Gemma Jones, and Susan Lynch alongside Peake, with James Kent directing from a script by Jane English based on Anne Lister’s own diaries. Own this period drama about the first modern lesbian on physical media at a used price.