She's Been Away_
"But her return set them both free"
A woman who has been institutionalized for 60 years for the "crime" of not conforming to the 1920s image of what a proper young woman should be (in other words, she did what she wanted and didn't care what anyone else thought about it) is finally released to the custody of her family, consisting of her grand-nephew and his family. At first she keeps a self-imposed distance from the relatives, but she soon finds herself coming around to her nephew's wife, a free spirit who is under the thumb of her cold and controlling husband.
Starring
Peggy Ashcroft, Geraldine James, James Fox
Updated Feb 16, 2026
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Year context
She's Been Away was released 37 years ago in 1989.
Overview
A woman who has been institutionalized for 60 years for the "crime" of not conforming to the 1920s image of what a proper young woman should be (in other wor...
She's Been Away is a Drama, TV Movie film with a runtime of 1h 43m.
CAST (20)
Peggy Ashcroft
Lillian Huckle
Geraldine James
Harriet Ambrose
James Fox
Hugh Ambrose
Rachel Kempson
Matilda
Rebecca Pidgeon
Young Lillian
Hugh Lloyd
George
JK
Jackson Kyle
Dominic Ambrose
Rosalie Crutchley
Gladys
CJ
Cryss Jean Healey
Young Margaret
LG
Leslie Goodall
Old Edward
EG
Edgar Goodall
Old Thomas
René Zagger
Young Thomas
BH
Barnaby Holm
Young Edward
Donald Douglas
Lillian's Father
Brid Brennan
Lillian's Nurse
David Hargreaves
Lillian's Doctor
Hugh Ross
1920's Doctor
CT
Carrie Thomas
1920's Nurse
SA
Sally Ann Goodworth
Hotel Pianist
JS
Jon Strickland
Reception
DETAILS
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
What is She's Been Away about?
A woman who has been institutionalized for 60 years for the "crime" of not conforming to the 1920s image of what a proper young woman should be (in other words, she did what she wanted and didn't care what anyone else thought about it) is finally released to the custody of her family, consisting of her grand-nephew and his family. At first she keeps a self-imposed distance from the relatives, but she soon finds herself coming around to her nephew's wife, a free spirit who is under the thumb of her cold and controlling husband.
How long is She's Been Away?
She's Been Away has a runtime of 103 minutes (1h 43m).
Who stars in She's Been Away?
The cast of She's Been Away includes Peggy Ashcroft, Geraldine James, James Fox, Rachel Kempson, Rebecca Pidgeon.
What is the rating of She's Been Away?
She's Been Away has a rating of 5.5 out of 10 based on 8 votes on TMDB.
GENRES (2)
Drama
TV Movie