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Gustave Flaubert's "romantic-realist" 19th century novel Madame Bovary had been adapted for films and television on several occasions before this British miniseries version debuted over the BBC in 1975. Francesca Annis starred as Emma Bovary, the bored and disgruntled wife of provincial doctor Charles Bovary (Tom Conti). Seeking to enliven her dull existence, Emma ended up putting her reputation and her husband's career on the line with a careless romantic tryst. Originally telecast in eight 50-minute episodes, Madame Bovary was pared down to four episodes when it was shown in America as part of the PBS anthology Masterpiece Theatre beginning October 10, 1976.