The Ruby Ring
The Ruby Ring (1997), a made for TV movie, directed by Harley Cokeliss, written by Yvonne MacGrory, Alan Moskowitz, Lin Oliver, is a modern day, time traveling fairy tale. Lucy McLaughlin's (Emily Hamilton) father (Todd Boyce) has lost his job. The family is forced to move in with Lucy's grandmother, Gran (Jan Moffatt).
Lucy is not taking it all very well, because she has had to give up her riding and equestrian training. Plus, she feels her friend, Noreen (Emma Cunniffe), will not stay in touch with her. But Lucy's sister, Victoria (Sophia Money-Coutts) seems to be taking it all in stride and is happy when Gran takes them into their newly decorated attic bedroom.
Gran realizes how upsetting this all is for Lucy. She also remembers that today is Lucy's birthday. She gives her a beautiful gift box. Lucy opens it to reveal a beautiful, large stoned, ruby ring, which cheers Lucy up. Gran tells Lucy it is a magical ring that her great Aunt Edith (Bridget Biagi) bought in India. Her grandmother gave it to her on her 16th birthday, just as she was giving it ti Lucy on her 16th birthday.
Gran explains that if Lucy turns the ring twice on her finger, she can make a wish for anything she wants and it will come true. Lucy, of course, wishes to live in a big, beautiful house and have a stable full of horses. Just as she does, the ring begins to glow red. Her great Aunt Edith appears to her in the ring and tells her to remember she only has 24 hours to change her mind about the wish. If she fails to turn the ring twice and wish to come home, she will stay where she is forever.
All at once, Lucy is no longer in her Grans attic. She is now in a big, beautiful castle, with a large library.. She is dressed in a long maid's dress and also seems to be in the far past. While trying to gather herself and figure out where she is, she is met by the head mistress, Mrs. Puxley (Judy Parfitt). She has been looking for the new maid, which is Lucy. Mrs. Puxley introduces her to another maid, Nellie (Emma Cunniffe), who she mistakes for her good friend Noreen, because she looks just like her. During these meetings, Lucy is told she is in the 1600's.
Lucy then realizes she has lost the ruby ring in the sitting room and needs to go back and look for it. But Mrs. Puxley tells her servants are not allowed in the owners quarters unless asked to be there. She will have to go look later after her work is finished. For the rest of the movie, Lucy is trying to track down the ring, so she can wish to go home.
We meet the son of the master, Robert Langley (Christien Anholt), who tries to help her find the ring. Elizabeth Langley (Gillian Kearney), Robert's sister, Lady Langley (Joanna Tope) and Lord Langley (Michael Derrington) can't believe that a maid would own something so expensive, so they set about to find one of their wealthy friends who might have lost the ring on a visit to the castle.
Lucy's punishment is to clean the horse stables. As she is cleaning, the stable man, Patrick Collins (Rutger Hauer) and the ladies maid, Mary Spencer (Samantha Bond) walk in and start kissing. This is when we learn Patrick is using Mary to steal things from the house that they can sell and finally escape their lives of servitude. Later, they will also be someone Lucy will have to fight to get the ruby ring back from.
Her search for the ring leads Lucy through an awakening. She learns how selfish, immature and self -centered she has been. She realizes how much she misses her family. Lucy grows up and sees that possessions and status are not the most important things in the world. Time spent with the people we love is the best gift of all. A lesson we all should learn as well.
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