The Jane Austen Collection Review

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(More customer reviews)Let's quickly ammend what the previous reviewer said! First of all, this is an excellent DVD collection of excellent quality. The pictures are all crystal clear, the sound is striking, and the acting is fantastic. BBC and Warner Brothers did a fabulous job of remastering these films from the 70's and 80's and I am thrilled I bought the whole set. You can also buy each movie separately. As for side B of certain movies, the disc specifically says right on it "blank disc." This is because on some of them, the entire movie fits on the first side, thus side B is obviously unused. If the previous reviewer actually watched the movies, they would see that nothing is missing, so let's hope they give their collection another try! I for one am so glad I finally own these older, and more definitive version of Jane Austen's amazing works. Enjoy it, as I have and will continue to do so!

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Studio: Warner Home VideoRelease Date: 01/05/2010Rating: Nr

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Wuthering Heights Review

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(More customer reviews)Director Coky Giedroyc provides the newly thrice-spliced Masterpiece Theatre with a two and a half-hour remake of Emily Bronte's Gothic classic, "Wuthering Heights (Signet Classics)" that adequately depicts the passionate love/hate relationship made famous by Catherine Earnshaw and Heathcliff for readers since 1847.
I have not had the pleasure of rereading the novel for a few years, but this adaptation seems remarkably true to the overall spirit of the story. It includes the two generations of Earnshaws and Lintons most noticeably removed from the 1939 film version starring Lawrence Olivier as Heathcliff and Merle Oberon as Catherine (Wuthering Heights 1939 Classic Black and White with Original Theatrical Trailer (Import, All-Region)). The non-linear time sequencing of the film's plot mirrors the timeline of the novel; the only real difference here is the absence of the novel's first person narrators, Mr. Lockwood (Heathcliff's tenant) and Nellie (housekeeper of both Wuthering Heights and Thrushcross Grange). Giedroyc's version employs a third person technique in both the flashback and present day storyline to retell the Earnshaw/Linton history rather than rely on the biased comments of Bronte's storytellers.
Lockwood's absence also means the sequence of events revolving around the apparition of Catherine's ghost does not move the plotline. Instead the opening scene treats us to a vengeful Heathcliff, manipulating his sickly son Linton's marriage to the second generation Catherine, daughter of Edgar and his love. In fact, the entire aspect of the supernatural is not touched upon in the film as intensely as in the novel. Heathcliff yearns for his dead companion, and participates in a ghoulish digging up of Catherine's corpse. In a fantastic feat of cinematography the audience is privy to two vantage points: Heathcliff's vision of her--young and fully fleshed as if alive--and then the gruesome reality seen from behind Heathcliff's back--Catherine's decomposing skull. This film emphasizes the real and the gritty rather than the ethereal.
Similarly, it includes some passionate and psychologically intense moments that add carnality to the overall telling of the story that fits well with and enhances the wild emotions portrayed by Bronte. Heathcliff and his Catherine consummate their love on the moors; Edgar desperately makes love to Catherine in their marriage bed and Heathcliff commands that his wife not look at him as he takes her after their impromptu elopement. Somehow these moments add drama and needed adult content and motivation to what the other adaptations skirted around. When Heathcliff realizes that his woman has slept with Edgar, his anger boils over with helpless indignation. He wants revenge and after witnessing his closeness to Catherine, the audience sees him more as a jilted second choice despite his accomplishment; the face of the gypsy orphan still stares back at him.
Not that actor Tom Hardy resembles a gypsy in any way. His incontrollable mop of dark brown hair flops annoyingly onto his face; it definitely could use a trim or a ribbon holding it away. Nevertheless, he does the character of Heathcliff and the Byronic hero justice; he most decidedly reigns supreme in the scenes in which he participates. His passion seems almost Pilate-controlled from a steel core that is both practical and functional within the constraints of his world. However, like the novel's character, he loses himself frequently with a cynic's paranoia that lashes out with the intent to destroy whatever is in its path.
Cathy, on the other hand, as portrayed by Charlotte Riley has a feral beauty that aptly suggests the novel's heroine. However, Riley's Catherine has been "de-bratted"; the novel depicts Cathy with a nasty selfish streak while this Masterpiece Presentation shows us a confused child/woman that indeed does what she chooses but then seems at odds with the results.
Isolation plays a big part in Bronte's novel. However, this film fills the screen with an assemblage of others that makes the entire presentation more real. Rather than just the dire foursome and their progeny, villagers, church-goers, barroom card players and fighting children add authenticity to the period and in comparison more starkness to the actual footage shot on the moors.
Bottom Line? The 2009 presentation of "Wuthering Heights" created for Masterpiece Theatre Classics smolders with a raw sexuality and practical strength that will probably not please most purists. Nevertheless, the film's team put together a good adaptation that brings the feel of the novel to life without imitating other film presentations of the past. Recommended.
Diana Faillace Von Behren
"reneofc"


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Persuasion (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)Jane Austen wrote PERSUASION towards the end of her life, while in her final illness. Thus an atmosphere of bending weariness and quiet resignation pervades this tender romance, infused within provincial life in Regency England, swaying against the backdrop of the Napoleonic wars. I could not help but love this BBC film version unconditionally, so deftly are the gentle qualities of the novel brought forth.
As with her earlier novel, MANSFIELD PARK, Austen filled this story with subdued satire - intertwining a comedy of genteel manners with the unassailable decrees of the human heart. This is the story of Anne Elliot (Amanda Root): a single woman in her late 20's who, eight years previous, on the counsel of her patroness and late mother's friend, Lady Russell (Susan Fleetwood-who sadly died of cancer shortly after this film was made), had refused an offer of marriage from her true love, Captain Frederick Wentworth (Ciaran Hinds) on the grounds of his poor financial prospects.
Captain Wentworth returns to Anne's rather confined realm of society when his sister, Mrs. Croft, and her husband, an Admiral in the Navy (John Woodvine, of 1992's WUTHERING HEIGHTS) lease Anne's baronet father's estate, Kellynch Hall. Before she can join her father and elder sister Elizabeth (Phoebe Nicholls) in Bath, she must first spend a few weeks with her hypochondriac younger sister Mary, whose husband Charles' family, the Musgroves - parents Mr. and Mrs. Musgrove, and two younger sisters, Henrietta and Louisa - reside nearby. It is here that Anne becomes re-acquainted with her long-lost love, who's by now an advantageous match for any young woman, having made his prize fortune during the war. Wentworth initially fancies himself "a lost man" to the first attractive young lady who bestows upon him her "compliments to the Navy." To all appearances, Louisa Musgrove is that very lady...
Amanda Root and Ciaran Hinds, even though they lack the physical beauty distinctive in other Austen adaptations, express the gamut of suppressed emotions most flawlessly here. Ms. Root conjures all the feelings of empathy and affection with every delicate expression she makes. Mr. Hinds, whom I've seen in a number of other roles -including that of an overwrought Mr. Rochester in a 1997 adaptation of JANE EYRE - gives here what's quite likely the best performance of his career. His Wentworth's subtle yet barely suppressed anger hits Anne like a bombshell. The emotion is slow paced and very flowing - but it's nonetheless quite palpable.
The entire cast, in fact, gives every cause for high praise -- most notably Corin Redgrave (brother of Lynn and Vanessa) as Anne's vain and spendthrift father, Sir Walter Elliot, Sophie Thompson (sister of Emma Thompson) as Anne's self-centered younger sister Mary Musgrove, and Fiona Shaw (Mrs. Reed in 1996's JANE EYRE) as the indomitable Mrs. Croft - each are absolutely perfect in their respective roles.

Many a time, upon a weekend afternoon, I've placed this tape into my VCR and played it while occupied with various household chores. As ever and as always, this film offers up its many beauties, and they never fail to enchant me: the long walks through the pristine and stately New Forest - the excursions with the Navel men striding proudly along jetties of the shores at Lyme - the atmospheric turns about the drizzly sidewalks, the pump rooms, and the concert halls of Bath. Such are the scenes that eternally soothe a spirit ~

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Daniel Deronda Review

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(More customer reviews)Having a familiarity with the field of psychology, I have always found morality plays fascinating. If you delight in thought-provoking films with careful layers of morality and virtue, Daniel Deronda will be just your cup of tea. In addition to being a magnificent piece from a purely artistic perspective (the gowns, horse-drawn carriages, and exquisite English countryside will stir the hearts of even the most ardent modernist), it also offers a magnitude of ideal conversation starters.
The miniseries is based on the classic novel by George Eliot, and is essentially two plots woven into one. The first is an utterly heartless and wretched marriage for a spoiled young Gwendolyn in the form of the evil Grandcourt, a landowner whose sole pleasure lies in torment. Be it his wife or dogs, our heartless villain never takes greater pleasure than in dangling something before them and tearing it away again, only to feed it to someone else. We see a kind of barbarism in this act, be it with the family spaniel or his impoverished, abandoned mistress.
The second plot line is about the film's lead, Daniel Deronda, a presumed illigitimate boy who has been raised a country gentleman. One day while out boating he saves a Jewish singer from drowning herself, and sets out to discover his own true identity through finding her family.
The acting is very stellar. There's not a weak link in the cast, although I have to say seeing Barbara Hershey seemed a little out of place in this Victorian paradox. The film makes numerous contrasts between good and evil, selfishness and humility, lies and deception. It's actually quite an achievement, and I was pleased at the amount of restraint showed by the filmmakers. The sexual tension between man and wife will go over most younger viewer's heads. From rationalizing and defending one's wrong choices to showing the difference between attraction and subtle, strong love, Daniel Deronda is a gem not merely for its beauty but also its hideousness. Filmmakers have done a tasteful film which deals with many heavy subjects without becoming vulgar or crass. The costuming is absolutely gorgeous, and there's not a weak link in the cast, which includes screen knowns such as Barbara Hershey and Gretta Sacci, as well as the exceptionally talented Hugh Dancy, Romola Garai, Hugh Bonneville and Jodhi May. Fans of other period films will recognize actors from Pride & Prejudice, Persuasion, and Emma.
It's rare to find a wonderful Victorian bodice ripper where the bodice actually stays on.

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Daniel Deronda is a sensitive, intelligent young man, the illegitimate son of an aristocrat, haunted by the secrets that shroud his birth. Beautiful, vivacious Gwendolen Harleth is a gambler and short on cash. When they meet at the roulette table, sparks fly. But Gwendolen needs money more than passion, and the self-centered aristocrat Henleigh Grandcourt is happy to provide. As her situation becomes more and more oppressive, she turns to Daniel for help, only to discover his involvement with the young Jewish singer Mirah Lapidoth.Torn between his devotion to Gwendolen and his passion for Mirah and the plight of her people, Daniel is forced to look at his own mysterious past and find out who he really is...and who he wants to be.DVD Features:Biographies:Cast and crew, plus author George EliotPhoto gallery:Featuring pictures from behind the scenes

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Our Mutual Friend (1999) Review

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(More customer reviews)Others here have done a fine job of reviewing this excellent film, so I'll focus briefly on the DVD from BBC/Warner. The video and audio transfers of Our Mutual Friend are quite good. Although there are no subtitles, this DVD is closed-captioned. In general, this DVD is of similar quality to other BBC Dickens adaptations that have been released on DVD (e.g., Oliver Twist (1999) and David Copperfield (1999)).
One reviewer below complained that 45 minutes or more of the original film are missing from this DVD. I have no idea where he got that idea. It must be some kind of misunderstanding or perhaps a defective copy because my copy clearly has the entire film (divided into four episodes, two on each side of a two-sided disc). The all-important climax and ending scenes of this 351-minute production are all there to enjoy. Highly recommended for Dickens fans and fans of period dramas in general.

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Critically acclaimed as Dickens' crowning achievement, this sweeping tale of two turbulent love affairs plays out amidst a tangled web of wealth, corruption, passion and betrayal in 1860s London.

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The Elizabeth Gaskell Collection (Wives and Daughters / Cranford / North and South) Review

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(More customer reviews)"North & South" alone is reason enough to buy this dvd collection. This coupled with two other period drama powerhouses "Wives & Daughters" and "Cranford" makes this a collection that any period drama/classics/romance fan should be without. These dramas by author Elizabeth Gaskell represent the finest that BBC drama has to offer.
** "North & South" is the spectacular adaptation of the novel that centers on John Thornton (who represents the industrial north) and Margaret Hale (who represents the idyllic, agricultural south). Theirs is a war of words, cultures and personalities as Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby Ashe) and her family struggle to adapt to life in the dirty, noisy, mill town of Milton after a carefree, comfortable life in the southern town of Helstone. There her family meets manufacturer John Thornton (played by the unforgettable Richard Armitage) and his family and it is dislike-at-first-sight for Margaret. She finds Mr. Thornton a rough, proud and haughty man who treats his employees with disdain. Mr. Thornton, however, is instantly smitten with the outspoken and fearless Margaret. But as Margaret gradually learns to appreciate Mr. Thornton, events take place that threaten to divide them from each other forever.
** "Wives and Daughters" is the story of young Molly Gibson (Justine Waddell) and her widowed father (Bill Paterson). Molly lives a carefree life, until her father remarries and brings home his new wife, Hyacinth (Francesca Annis). She and her lovely daughter Cynthia (Keeley Hawes) bring change and sometimes chaos to the Gibson's lives and Molly finds herself in competition with Cynthia for the affections of Roger Hamley (Anthony Howell), the son of the local squire (Michael Gambon). We soon find that all is not as it seems and long-kept secrets are unearthed which threaten the love lives and reputations of both Molly and Cynthia.
** The splendid "Cranford" starring a bevy of British acting greats led by Judi Dench, Michael Gambon, Eileen Atkins, Francesca Annis and Imelda Staunton. The story centers around the locals in the sleepy town of Cranford, where everyone makes it their business to know everything about their neighbors. Their lives are turned topsy turvy when a handsome young doctor (Simon Woods) with new ideas arrives and rumors of the railroad threaten to destroy their idyllic town. This is truly an ensemble cast, as all stories intermingle and each character makes an impact of the lives of others in the town. Judi Dench and Eileen Atkins play the Jenkyns sisters; Lisa Dillon play their cousin Mary Smith; Deborah Findlay and Selena Griffiths play the Tomkinson sisters; Imelda Staunton is the quirky and nosy Miss Pole; Barbara Flynn is the elegant Mrs. Jamieson; Julia Sawalha is the quiet spinster Jessie Brown and Jim Carter is her outspoken father; Francesca Annis plays the haughty and aristocratic Lady Ludlow; Greg Wise plays her cousin Sir Charles Maulver; Phillip Glenister plays Lady Ludlow's land agent, Mr. Carter; and Alex Etel is a young man that Mr. Carter takes on.
What sets these apart from other costume dramas is the consistency of the acting, the high production values, the compelling stories, and memorable characters. I dare you not to feel John Thornton's pain as he says "Look back at me" as he watches Margaret climb up the carriage on her way back to London, or Harry Gregson's pain as he says goodbye to a beloved mentor, or the thrill as Roger Hamley sees Molly's transformation at the Cumnor's ball. These are wonderful stories that you will want to watch over and over, which make this dvd collection an absolute gem.

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Three BBC miniseries adapted from Mary Gaskells classic novels. Cranford, a market town in the North West of England, is a place governed by etiquette, custom and above all, an intricate network of ladies. It seems that life has always been conducted according to their social rules, but Cranford is on the cusp of change… North & South follows Margaret Hale, the daughter of a middle-class parson who uproots the family from rural southern England to start a new life in Milton - a northern mill town in the throes of the industrial revolution. Wives and Daughters is set in a richly portrayed society well-stocked with eccentric nobles and gossipy villagers. The well-ordered world of 17-year-old Molly Gibson becomes complicated when her father, a respected country doctor, remarries after many years of widowhood.DVD Features:Audio CommentaryBiographiesDeleted ScenesDocumentaryInterviewsProduction Notes

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Under the Greenwood Tree (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)I stumbled across this delightful gem of a film recently: as everything I've ever read & seen of Hardy is quite tragic, I was expecting quite the same from this...boy, was I in for a surprise! This light-hearted romance comes from the usually gloom & doom Thomas Hardy pen: well-acted & filmed, this movie is a nice treat...
When Fancy Day returns to Mellstock to care for her father & teach the local schoolchildren, she creates quite a stir: the townspeople don't quite know what to make of this educated girl & the parson's plans to replace their beloved choir with her playing of the "harmonia" (organ). Pretty soon the sweet & beautiful Fancy has attracted the eye of three men: a poor but handsome carrier, a rich but crass farmer and a gentlemanly but superior parson. Her father urges her to marry well, but Fancy wants to follow her heart: will true love win out in the end?!
For those of you worried about content, it is kept to a few stolen kisses between an unmarried couple; there is also some time when a young man is in the river with his shirt off & he & a young lady steal a kiss. There is some mild carousing, as a few of the townsfolk show up to the church a bit tipsy on cider.
I was quite impressed by this film: I kept waiting for the dark, depressing side of Hardy to come out & almost couldn't believe that the tone of the film seemed to be upbeat most of the time. Surprisingly, the film stayed on the happier side & ended quite nicely: I love Hardy's other stories, but it is quite refreshing to see that he was not always doom & gloom, and could pen such a sweet & spirited tale as this!! Highly recommended!

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In a small village in the south of England, Dick Dewy, a handsome working man, falls in love with Fancy Day, a newly arrived schoolteacher from a wealthy family who happens to be the village beauty. But other, richer men also want to win the hand of Fancy. There's Farmer Shiner, a wealthy landowner, and Reverend Maybold, the decent young vicar. Who will win Fancy's hand? And even if she agrees to marry Dick, will her father consent to the marriage? This charming, timeless story of rural life gave Thomas Hardy his first real taste of success, and with its rustic setting and moving tale of young love, it weaves a spell that still entrances today.

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He Knew He Was Right Review

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(More customer reviews)For an author as majestic and as prolific as Trollope, locating his "best" book is a challenge. But He Knew He Was Right would certainly be at the top of my list. The novel has several of his most lovingly drawn main characters, two beautifully intersecting plot lines, numerous minor characters that refuse to remain minor, and a story that makes the reader scream "No, no! Don't do it!"
It is also a typically mammoth book, where conversations go on for pages, descriptions are elaborate and detailed, and numerous authorial asides punctuate gloriously. So, how to compress this sprawling monstrosity into three hours? Well, I wouldn't have thought it possible, but Andrew Davies pulls it off. As exquisite as the novel? Not possible! No snack, no matter how tasty, can replace a multi-course meal elegantly served. But it ain't bad, ain't bad at all....
The cast is almost flawless. Laura Fraser, nearly perfect in the unseen Whatever Happened to Harold Smith? shines again as Emily, a headstrong girl whose inner conflict between submissive love and stubborn pride is beautifully rendered. Though the title is He, the story is about She, and we never lose sight of how much she suffers. Her family is wonderfully done, other than her sister Nora, who is hard to see as a worthy catch in any way. But the smaller characters, all deftly drawn by Trollope, shine wonderfully here. Colonel Osborne, the slightly creepy but pompously self-justifying blowhard, slinks across every scene he's in. Mr. Outhouse, seen for a few minutes only, inhabits his poor, honest and overwhelmed clergyman perfectly. The French sisters, and Mr. Gibson, three of the most odious scraps of humanity ever created by Trollope, are delectably portrayed. But no one drags this down.
The photography is excellent, the huge cast of characters is handled admirably, the sets and clothes all reek of authenticity. A very good condensation of a great novel, this provides many pleasures to the fan of Trollope and a worthy introduction to the novice.

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Persuasion (BBC, 1971) (1971) Review

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(More customer reviews)I saw the review above and thought that I should offer another opinion to anyone thinking of buying this video. I felt that the 1995 version was extremely shallow and the characters not faithfully suited to Austen's intended personalities at all. This version's Anne shows extremely well the reactions and feelings of a mature woman who is remembering a distant past. She remembers more and more as the story continues just how afflicted she has been and how lowly she has felt over the previous years. She tries to keep her feelings in check but they slowly overwhelm her. I found this version very touching despite the 1971 production. The Anne of the 1995 version seems to be always pouting. Her unmarried sister is shown more as being rude and apt to throwing tantrums even though Austen protrayed her as indifferent, selfish and conceited. That is just the beginning of the incorrect portrayals of Austen's characters in the 1995 version. If you loved the novel, see this movie.

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North & South (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)"North & South" was released in the UK in November 2004 and in the US in July 2005. Since its first broadcast, viewers across the globe have hailed it as one of the best - if not the best - British period miniseries ever produced. It was voted BBC's "Best of 2004" in drama, actor and actress categories, among others.
Many in the US will probably confuse Elizabeth Gaskell's "North & South" to John Jake's civil war drama of the same name. While Jake's tells the story of America's north and south, Gaskell's story is rooted in Victorian England. John Thornton, a handsome, stern, passionate manufacturer from Milton represents the north. Margaret Hale, an outspoken, beautiful and spirited young woman from Helstone represents the south. When the Hales move from the idyllic village of Helstone to the bustling, industrial city of Milton, Margaret and Thornton's lives collide.
John Thornton is instantly attracted to Margaret while she is repulsed by his haughty demeanor and the way he treats his employees. She develops a disdain for the wealthy 'masters' (manufacturers) and strikes a friendship with the daughter of the local union leader, much to Thornton's dismay. As Margaret becomes better acquainted with Mr. Thornton, she gradually comes to admire him. She discovers that he is hardworking, a devoted brother and son, generous and kind to Margaret's parents, and is loyal and honorable. However, when the workers in Milton strike, the turn of events that follow drive a wedge between Margaret and Thornton and eventually threaten to pull them apart.
"North & South" is produced by the excellent BBC and the screenplay was written by Sandy Welch, who also penned the outstanding "Our Mutual Friend." Everything you would expect from a topnotch BBC production is here - locations, sets, costumes, casting, direction, cinematography. The story is an adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's little known but well loved 19th century novel. Mrs. Gaskell also wrote "Wives & Daughters" which was turned to another superb miniseries starring Justine Waddell, Keeley Hawes and Francesca Annis in 1999.
I would be very remiss in writing a review for this miniseries without applauding the exemplary cast. The little known Richard Armitage has earned a throng of fans overnight because of his unforgettable portrayal of John Thornton. He has since replaced Pride & Prejudice's Colin Firth as my favorite brooding hero and infuses so much passion and charisma into his role. Daniela Denby-Ashe is wonderful and charming as Margaret Hale. Also excellent are Brendan Coyle as the gruff but good-hearted Nicholas Higgins, Sinead Cusack as John Thornton's haughty but devoted mother, Joy Joyner as the funny and superficial Fanny Thornton, Lesley Manville as Mrs. Hale and Tim Piggot-Smith as Mr. Hale.
"North & South" has since replaced 1995's "Pride & Prejudice" as my favorite miniseries. It tugs at the heart and sweeps the viewer off their feet. The relationships that develop between its main characters (notably, Thornton and Margaret; Thornton and Higgins; Margaret and Bessy Higgins) and the journey that Margaret and Thornton go through are truly unforgettable. In fact, you will wish that the ending didn't come so soon!
"North and South" went through a sad process of editing when BBC America aired it in July 2005. A full hour was cut from the miniseries to make room for commercials. Finally, with this dvd release US viewers now have a chance to see this instant classic as it was meant to be seen - with a 233 minute running time and with all the scenes intact. The dvd also includes a delightful interview with Richard Armitage, a handful of deleted scenes (including an extended 'proposal' scene), commentaries and cast biographies.
If you are an anglophile or a fan of high-quality period drama, you owe it to yourself to see "North & South." Fans of "Pride & Prejudice," "Wives & Daughters," "Middlemarch," Dickens / Austen adaptations and the like should not miss this. I have no doubt that most of you will fall in love with this miniseries as many of us have. Everyone whom I have recommended this miniseries to have at least liked it (and at most, are completely obsessed with it). This dvd is a keeper and deserves a place in any period drama fan's dvd collection.


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The Glittering Prizes Review

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(More customer reviews)The Glittering Prizes comes from a golden age of television, when the BBC made British dramas for a British audience rather than overblown costume nonsense for international consumption. This six part serial is television for grownups with realistic characters speaking witty and intelligent dialogue in recognisable situations. The story, or rather stories follow a group of bright young things from their days at Cambridge in the early 1950's to success, failure, or merely resignation in the mid 1970's. Along the way, we get to know them all and perhaps even learn a thing or two about ourselves.
The production is first-rate and the acting is uniformly excellent, but the heart and soul of The Glittering Prizes are its scripts, the product of novelist and screenwriter Frederic Raphael. Anyone who has ever seen the films Darling or Two For The Road will immediately recognise his style. Always articulate and revealing, sometimes cynical, occasionally hopeful, quite often so truthful that it hurts - the sort of drama that you find yourself thinking about for days or weeks afterwards. I first saw the Glittering Prizes on PBS in the late 1970's and have been waiting ever since to see it again. I'm amazed how some scenes and even bits of dialogue have stayed so fresh in my memory, while other parts I had completely forgotten. It's great to see it all again.
Raphael has always said that the main character of Adam Morris, brilliantly played by Tom Conti, is not autobiographical, but the facts and similarities suggest otherwise. At first, we expect this entire series to be his story, but soon a fascinating array of other characters slink their way onto center stage. In fact, Conti's character only appears at the very end of Part Two and is not in Parts Four and Five at all. This is very much an ensemble piece with each episode a kind of self-contained play, but one that is enriched by what we learn from the others. Some characters are clearly meant to be admired while other are just as obviously intended to be despised. But most are neither one nor the other, but a mix of both, just like real people. And each viewer will respond to them in their own way. As I said, all the acting is superb and it is interesting to see some now well-known performers in early roles. Everyone will have their own favourites - one of mine is Angela Down as Joyce, if only for her delicious voice.
With so many highs, it is perhaps to be expected that the series hits an occasional weak point. The most obvious of these is in Part Three when Adam (on behalf of the BBC) goes to interview a notorious British supporter of fascism. While providing the opportunity for a powerhouse performance by Eric Porter, the sequence sits uneasily with the tone of the rest of the series and goes on for far too long. It is uncomfortable to watch (and was probably intended to be) but adds little to the whole. Raphael dealt with many other issues - race, homosexuality, relationships, the media, his own Jewishness - much more effectively and succinctly than this episode. It's a relief (and a delight) for Adam to get back to London and to get involved with the film industry, for whom Raphael's wit is extra sharp. In one of Truffaut's Antoine Doinel films, Antoine's wife tells him that he cannot get revenge on people from his past by making them characters in his books. Raphael seems to have disproved that theory.
I said at the beginning that the BBC had changed since The Glittering Prizes was made. So has Britain. I almost wish that the show had been made years later so that we could follow the characters even further. Raphael did write a sequel - Fame And Fortune - but it only went up to 1979, the dawn of the Thatcher era. Britain has changed so much since then that The Glittering Prizes looks almost like a period piece. Not that its style or relevance or truthfulness has dated, merely its setting. There is an extra on the DVD, filmed in 1980, in which Raphael reflects on his time at Cambridge. He ends with the hope that the educational system he knew would not change into exactly what it has since become. Adam Morris, in the episode set in the mid-1960's, says that he doesn't much like England. What would he think of it now?
It's wonderful to finally have The Glittering Prizes on DVD (and a scandal that it was never released on video). It looks only slightly worse for wear (there is an onscreen apology for a particularly bad blip in Part One, fortunately not during a crcial scene). The running time of 80 minutes per episode still seems a bit strange. And the old BBC habit of using film for exterior shots and video for interior is much more noticeable than it used to be. But at least the series in preserved and available for repeated viewings. It is very British - anyone not familiar with The Goon Show will be confused by all the Bluebottle impressions in Part One, among other bits of slang and cultural references. The Glittering Prizes is the sort of thing that the BBC used to do so well but now, in the age of cable competition and political correctness, seems to have lost the knack for. I can recommend The Glittering Prizes to anyone who enjoys well-written, beautifully acted, subtly staged drama that never once insults or underestimates the intelligence of its audience. Now, Auntie Beeb, what other gems are you still hiding in your vaults?

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The Glittering Prizes was a critical sensation when it premiered on PBS in the late 1970s. Frederic Raphael’s tale portrays the hopes and frustrations of an entire generation through the story of a group of friends who meet the prestigious Cambridge University in the 1950s. Tom Conti and Barbara Kellerman lead an outstanding ensemble cast in a series of six 80-minute episodes that follow the evolution of these privileged, idealistic college students through the turbulent 1960s and into the 1970s where their lives diverge and they struggle with emotional disillusionment and varying levels of worldly success.

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Sense and Sensibility (BBC, 1981) (1985) Review

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(More customer reviews)Having seen the praised American version of this novel I was delighted (especially by Emma Thompson ). Sometimes I had a feeling of too much drama in that film. But I had not read this novel for some years, so I did not know why.
I read the novel again and realized that film was the American way of showing Jane Austen and her time: the men always riding (like cowboys), an education full of freedom even for girls ( Margret and her hut in the tree ...), rain in every turning point or dramatic situation ....
The BBC adaption of this novel tells the story in a more careful, smooth way, true to the novel, few thrilling scenes, but more charming ones. There is time to look at the characters, to feel with them, to see Jane Austen's English humour in some scenes and her feeling for romance. Sometimes I think there are real people on the screen, not heroes. That is one more reason for liking this film as much as the big American movie, or even better. If you want to see Jane Austen brought to life for young people today who need exaggerated feelings to be able to feel and action to find a film worth watching, then switch on the Emma-Thompson-version. If you want to travel back in time and do not want to be rushed into new situations, then watch the BBC production. It is entertaining, touching and teaching in a smooth way. It is holiday for your brain and nerves.

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Wives and Daughters (2002) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a superlative period piece and a brilliant adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's 1865 novel of the same name. This BBC mini-series is a superb costume drama with stellar performances by the entire cast. Set in rural England, the film centers around Molly Gibson, the seventeen year old daughter of a country doctor. Richly drawn portraits of Molly's neighbors and friends quickly emerge and weave an absorbing tapestry of nineteenth century life.
Molly and her father, a widower for most of Molly's life, have an exceptionally close and loving relationship. Their relationship is put to the test when he decides to marry a widow and former governess, Hyacinth, who is a pretentious, self absorbed, ridiculous woman. She has a grown daughter named Cynthia, a beautiful young woman, close to Molly in age, but as different from Molly as night and day. Cynthia is best described as a Marilyn Monroe of the Victorian age. Cynthia and Molly become fast friends, while Molly barely tolerates her nigh intolerable step-mother.
The series really revolves around Molly's relationships with all the characters in the production and her handling of the various everyday situations in which she finds herself. Richly drawn, memorable characters, as well as intrigues, secrets, and romance, make this a highly absorbing drama and one that those who love period pieces and lush, well acted costume dramas will enjoy. It is simply a masterpiece.
With stunningly crisp visuals and beautiful clarity of sound, the production value of this three disc, five hour DVD is simply first rate. It is also value laden with some very interesting features. There is an engaging fifty five minute portrait of Elizabeth Gaskell, the author of the novel upon which this mini-series is based. There is a also a twenty minute documentary on the making of the film which is entertaining, as it gives a bird's eye view of the thought that went into the making of the film and the development of the characters. There is also a who's who guide to the performers. This DVD is well worth having in one's collection.

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From the team that brought you "Pride and Prejudice." Set in a richly portrayed society well-stocked with eccentric nobles and gossipy villagers, the story centers around 17-year-old Molly Gibson, the only daughter of a respected country Doctor.

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Emma (A&E, 1997) (1997) Review

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(More customer reviews)This version is true to the book and the acting is superb. The novel's complexities are brought out by the actors in subtle ways. Kate Beckinsale was the perfect choice for Emma because she played her duel layers so wonderfully. Beckinsale played Emma's intelligence against her lack of knowledge of the world, without being dumb. She showed that Emma thought she was superior and had to learn that someone's rank in society does not make them a better person. Mark Strong is great as Mr. Knightley. He plays it serious and heartfelt. Strong brought out Knightley's strong beliefs and feelings with grace. Everyone else was also cast perfectly. The story was very loyal to the novel. Emma is funny, but really a serious novel about women's place in society. This version showed all these conplexities with ease and grace. It was beautifully shot and directed. This is truly an adaptation to be proud of and lots of fun to watch over and over. Emma is my second favorite Austen novel on behind Persuasion. I am glad Austen's less popular works had such great adaptations. Emma got the right treatment here concidering it was Austen's longest novel... I am happy to say that enough people liked it to make this great adaptation of her work.

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Jane Eyre (1983) Review

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(More customer reviews)A few months ago I watched both this 4-hour BBC production and the more recent A&E version starring Ciaran Hinds and Samantha Morton in one sitting ... an Eyre-athon! And in my opinion, this version EASILY won hands-down as the best (I've already seen just about every other filmed version). I've since watched it many times and never tire of it. If you love the novel, what a glorious, breathtaking treat this is!!
Yes, this production is long (good news for Bronte fans!) and it has a somewhat dated feel, but both the casting and acting are so brilliant that you won't want to watch any other version!
Timothy Dalton IS Edward Rochester... it's that simple. I don't care that other reviewers claim he's too handsome. Dalton is attractive, certainly, but no pretty-boy. In fact he possesses a craggy, angular dark charm that, to my mind, is quite in keeping with the mysterious, very masculine Mr R. And he takes on Rochester's sad, tortured persona so poignantly. He portrays ferocity when the scene calls for it, but also displays Rochester's tender, passionate, emotional side as well. (IMO the A&E production suffers in that Ciaran Hinds - whom I normally adore - seems to bluster and bully his way throughout. I've read the book many times and I never felt that Rochester was meant to be perceived as a nonstop snarling beast!)
Whenever I reread the novel, I always see Zelah Clarke as Jane. Ms. Clarke, to me, resembles Jane as she describes herself (and is described by others). Small, childlike, fairy... though it's true the actress doesn't look 18, she portrays Jane's attributes so well. While other reviews have claimed that her acting is wooden or unemotional, one must remember that the character spent 8 years at Lowood being trained to hold her emotions and "passionate nature" in check. Her main inspiration was her childhood friend Helen, who was the picture of demure submission. Although her true nature was dissimilar, Jane learned to master her temper and appear docile, in keeping with the school's aims for its charity students who would go into 'service'. Jane became a governess in the household of the rich Mr. Rochester. She would certainly *not* speak to him as an equal (as Samantha Morton does in the A&E version). Even later on when she gave as well as she got, she would always be sure to remember that her station was well below that of her employer. Nevertheless, if you read the book - to which this production stays amazingly close - you can clearly see the small struggles Zelah-as-Jane endures as she subdues her emotions in order to remain mild and even-tempered.
The chemistry between Dalton and Clarke is just right, I think. No, it does not in the least resemble Hollywood (thank God! It's not a Hollywood sort of book) but theirs is a romance which is true, devoted and loyal. And for a woman like Jane, who never presumed to have *any* love come her way, it is a minor miracle.
The rest of the casting is terrific, and I love the fact that nearly every character from the book is present here. So, too, is much of the rich, evocative dialogue. This version is the only one that I know of to include the lovely, infamous 'gypsy scene' and in general, features more humor than other versions I've seen. In particular, the mutual teasing between the lead characters comes straight from the book and is so delightful!
Jane Eyre was, in many ways, one of the first novelized feminists. She finally accepted love on her own terms and independently, and, at last, as Rochester's true equal. Just beautiful!
Now, WHEN WILL THIS BE RELEASED ON DVD?
EDIT: This has just been mastered and released on DVD in its original unedited format, which means a whole extra hour of footage... it's now 5 hours instead of 4, woot woot! You KNOW I'm happy! Buy it NOW!!

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The Buccaneers (1995) Review

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(More customer reviews)My sister and I adore this mini-series which was shown in Masterpiece Theater many years ago. Anyone who enjoys turn-of-the-century films such as The Age of Innocence, House of Mirth, The Golden Bowl, A Room With A View and Howard's End or stories of the Astors and Vanderbilts will find themselves enraptured with this tale of 4 beautiful American women who find themselves being courted by sons of the British nobility.
In the center of the story are Nan (Carla Gugino) and Virginia St. George (Alison Eliott), and their friends Conchita Closson (Mira Sorvino) and Lizzy Elmsworth (Rya Kihlstedt) - four young women living in turn-of-the-century America, when social status and wealth were the most important considerations in a woman's life (these were the days of the Astors and Vanderbilts, after all). Early in the story we find Conchita married to Lord Marable and begins her new life with the English nobility. Spurned in Newport and New York social circles because they are considered "new money," Nan, Virginia and Lizzy travel to England to visit Conchita and hopefully try their luck there. With the help of 2 enterprising older women, they soon become the toast of the town and are courted by many handsome, wealthy young men. Virginia and Lizzy vie for the attentions of Lord Seadown (Mark Tandy) who is not quite what he seems. Nan is pursued by the humble but ambitious Guy Thwaite (Greg Wise from "Sense and Sensibility") and the wealthy and reserved Julius, the Duke of Trevenick (James Frain).
The mini-series offers beautiful scenery and costumes, great acting from members of the cast (including veterans Cherie Lunghi, Jenny Agutter, Michael Kitchen and Rosemary Leach) and a thoroughly engaging story. I loved the fantastic mansions, palaces and castles in Newport and England alike and the wonderful intertwining of the American and British sensibilities in the plot. It has "one foot in America and another foot in England," as Masterpiece Theater narrator Russell Baker aptly explains. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys top-notch romance/drama!

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Deemed nouveau riche and shunned by elitist New York society, sisters Nan and Virginia St. George, along with their friends Lizzy Elmsworth and Conchita Closson (Academy Award winner Mira Sorvino), try their luck in London. The girls' New World spontaneity and impertinence constitute nothing less than a social invasion of Old World society and they soon find themselves courted by a coterie of fascinated admirers. But as the old and new worlds come to clash, something has to give.

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North and South: The Complete Collection (Books One, Two & Three) (1986) Review

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(More customer reviews)North and South is truly one of the great miniseries, and in fact in my opinion surpasses other great Civil War films such as "Gone With the Wind." Based on the John Jakes trilogy of novels, this miniseries spans the period from the 1840s and the Mexican War, through the aftermath of the American Civil War. It tells the story of two families, the Hazards of Pennsylvania, and the Mains of South Carolina. The Hazards are the owners of a great steel manufactory. The Mains are the powerful owners of a sprawling Southern rice plantation. George Hazard and Orry Main, the scions of their respective families, form a friendship while attending West Point that sees them through the Mexican War and which is tested as each takes his region's side in the Civil War.
The miniseries is reasonably faithful to the novels, and where it departs, the changes are generally benign. The story is also quite faithful to history, and both North and South are portrayed with respect, although the story harshly indicts the institution of slavery, and reminds Americans of the incredible fact that this evil was a basic fact of our country for a very long time.
Book one of North and South is superb. It spans the period from about 1840 through the outbreak of the Civil War. The portrayal of the Mexican War is quite good, and the story of George and Orry graduating West Point and fighting together in the Mexican War makes for a fine story. The film does very well at recreating the attitudes of Northerners and Southerners during this period--conflicting attitudes which ultimately could not be reconciled by the normal political institutions of the American republic and which instead culminated in the Civil War. The battle scenes are very good and surpass what we normally expect of a miniseries.
Book Two takes place immediately following the firing upon Ft. Sumpter. It is again very well done. This is one of the very best straight Civil War films. It is not without flaws. Just as in the novel, the Elkanah Bent sub-plot adds very little to this story. This is true despite the fact that the Bent sub-plot in the Book Two film bears essentially no resembence to the novel. But overall, this is a fine story. Lloyd Bridges in particular does a fine job in his portrayal of Jefferson Davis. Hal Holbrook is a wonderful Abraham Lincoln. Here again the battle scenes are very good. My only quibble is that the soldiers' uniforms are too natty and pristine. Real Civil War soldiers were never very well turned out. The combat and conditions were too tough for that, and the supply trains too inefficient.
Book Three takes place after the end of the Civil War, and is so bad as to be unwatchable. I'm not fooling. The way I look at Book Three is that the DVD makes a fine beer coaster while watching the excellent Books One and Two. Not only is Book Three unwatchable, but it totally departs from the story as set forth in the novel. (as far as I could tell-I mean it when I say that Three is unwatchable). Book Three of Jakes' novels was far and away the weakest of the three, but it was somewhat readable. Not in the miniseries, however.
North and South is imperfect, but it is still so good as to rate five stars. It really is a great story of the Civil War era. James Read and Patrick Swayze turn in great performances as George and Orry. Read was sufficiently good in this part that I am surprised that this role did not lead to greater things for him.
The flaws. First of all, as in all John Jakes stories, the characters, particularly the villains, are one-dimensional at best. Virgilia Hazard, Elkanah Bent, Ashton Main--these characters are complete villains and in real life no one in their right mind would want to live on the same continent with such scoundrels. I have always thought that this caricature-like characterization is the weakest aspect of John Jakes' writing, and these flaws, unfortunately, are faithfully recreated in this miniseries.
The good news is that as far as I can tell, this DVD collection is uncut or close to it. I've read the novels, seen the miniseries, and owned the VHS version of the miniseries, and these DVDs seem to be complete. Further, the color and sound on the DVDs is very good. Overall this is a tremenous value that many fans of North and South have waited for for a long time.

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