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As directed by Brian Percival and adapted by scenarist Adrian Hodges from the bestselling period novel by Philip Pullman, the BBC production The Ruby in the Smoke recounts the 19th Century adventures of Sally Lockhart (Billie Piper), an aggressive and determined young Brit. Wielding a loaded pistol, fluency in Hindustani, and a fundamental knowledge of military maneuvers, Sally is anything but a typically submissive, Victorian Era girl. The tale finds her embarking on a quest to uncover the reasons for her father's premature death, and the reason why three seemingly harmless words from her mouth - "The Seven Blessings" - lead to the sudden demise of her father's associate. The film co-stars Robert Glenister, David Harewood and screen veteran Julie Walters as the vile Mrs. Holland. The film marks the first installment in a planned series of BBC productions based on Pullman's series of novels about Sally Lockhart.