About this title
Storyline
In the eighteenth century, the only way to navigate accurately at sea was to follow a coastline all the way, which would not get you from Europe to the West Indies or the Americas. Observing the sun or stars would give you the latitude, but not the longitude unless done in conjunction with a clock that would keep time accurately at sea, and no such clock existed. After one too many maritime disasters due to navigational errors, the British Parliament set up a substantial prize for a way to find the longitude at sea. This movie's main story is that of craftsman John Harrison (Sir Michael Gambon). He built a clock that would do the job, what we would now call a marine chronometer. But the Board of Longitude was biased against this approach and claiming the prize was no simple matter. Told in parallel is the twentieth century story of Rupert Gould (Jeremy Irons), for whom the restoration of Harrison's clocks to working order became first a hobby, then an obsession that threatened to wreck his life.
Country: United Kingdom
Type: scripted
Status: Ended
Language: English
Release Date: January 2, 2000
Also Known As: 経度への挑戦, A hosszúsági fokGeografiko mikos, Longitude - pituusaste, Долгота, 經座標, Γεωγραφικό μήκος, Povesti paralele, Longitude, Longitude - Der Längengrad, Longitudine, Arze e Joghrafiyayi, Στην απέραντη θάλασσα, Poledník | See more »
Plot Keywords
Company Credits
Production Co: A+E Networks, Granada Film Productions
Awards
Awards & NominationsSee full list »
Banff Rockie Award 2000
Nominee
Winner
Banff Rockie Award
Best Mini-Series
BAFTA TV Award 2001
Nominee
Winner
BAFTA TV Award
Best Actor
Nominee
Winner
BAFTA TV Award
Best Drama Serial
Nominee
BAFTA TV Award
Best Costume Design
Nominee
BAFTA TV Award
Best Editing (Fiction/Entertainment)
Nominee
BAFTA TV Award
Best Make Up & Hair Design
Nominee
Winner
BAFTA TV Award
Best Original Television Music
Nominee
Winner
BAFTA TV Award
Best Photography and Lighting (Fiction/Entertainment)
Nominee
Winner
BAFTA TV Award
Best Production Design
Nominee
BAFTA TV Award
Best Sound (Fiction/Entertainment)
Nominee
BAFTA TV Award
Best Visual Effects & Graphic Design