So is this young Irish immigrant (Sarah Gadon) who immigrated to Canada in the 1840s guilty of a series of brutal murders, or is she an amnesiac and a victim herself? That’s the question asked bySarah Polley’s adaptation of theMargaret AtwoodnovelAlias Grace, which is based on the true story of Grace Marks (and also bears some resemblance to that ofKarla Homolkaand Lizzie Borden). As this new trailer postulates, is Grace someone who was a product of the circumstances around her, or a cold-blooded and remorseless killer who is manipulating everyone around her?
The miniseries, directed byMary Herron, looks like a deeply engaging psychological portrait and historical thriller, and also starsAnna Paquin,Kerr Logan, andZachary Levi. Check out the new trailer below:
Alias Gracedebuts on NetflixFriday, November 3rd and will also be broadcast in Canada on CBC.
Here’s the official synopsis:
The story of Alias Grace follows Grace Marks (Sarah Gadon), a poor, young Irish immigrant and domestic servant in Upper Canada who, along with stable hand James McDermott (Kerr Logan), was convicted of the brutal murders of their employer, Thomas Kinnear, and his housekeeper, Nancy Montgomery (Anna Paquin), in 1843. James was hanged while Grace was sentenced to life imprisonment. Grace became one of the most enigmatic and notorious women of 1840s Canada for her supposed role in the sensational double murder, and was eventually exonerated after 30 years in jail. Her conviction was controversial, and sparked much debate about whether Grace was actually involved in the murder, or merely an unwitting accessory. Alias Grace is written and produced by Sarah Polley (Looking for Alaska, Take this Waltz, Away from Her) and directed by Mary Harron (American Psycho, I Shot Andy Warhol). The series is a co-production with Halfire Entertainment, CBC and Netflix. The executive producers are Polley, Harron, and Noreen Halpern.
