Janet suzman stars as florence nightingale in the classic tv adaptation of the acclaimed stage play.the definitive 1974 tv adaptation of the critically renowned stage play florence nightingale is an inventive character study of the founder of modern nursing, featuring a highly acclaimed lead performance from janet suzman, and a supporting cast that includes robert flemyng, joss ackland, charles kay, geoffrey bayldon and nigel hawthorne.the name florence nightingale calls to mind the lady with the lamp , the saintly, dedicated spinster who devoted her life to selflessly nursing the sick. The real woman was a far more complex and fascinating character, the product of a typically rigid victorian background, yet an outstanding social reformer who challenged the statesmen of the day to fight for the causes she passionately believed in. Writer john bowen is fascinated by this contradiction of her personality. His acclaimed drama, told in flashback through the eyes of a modern day student of her legacy, explores the psychological motivations and romantic misconceptions that surround the life of miss nightingale.