Ribbons of Light: Period drama list M

~Mansfield Park 1983~

A must-see for the serious Janeite - it's the only adaptation of Mansfield Park that doesn't deviate wildly from the book. What chiefly lets it down is the disappointing casting of Mary and Henry Crawford, together with the rather bizarre portrayal of Lady Bertram. Features a young Samantha Bond - former Bond girl and star of contemporary period dramas such as Downton Abbey. Also stars Sylvestra Le Touzel, Nicholas Farrell, Anna Massey, and Bernard Hepton. ***

Photo Gallery | Amazon | IMDb | Youtube

~Mansfield Park 1999~

Highly controversial adaptation of what is probably Austen's least-loved book (though it is also one of her best books, in my opinion). MP99 is: a film portrayal of 1990s literary criticism of Austen's work, a biopic on Jane Austen's life, and a very loose adaptation of the book. In that order. Yep. It made a lot of Janeites very angry - myself included, at first. I have, however, come to develop a certain appreciation of it. It's a terrible adaptation of the book, but a (mostly) enjoyable film. There are elements of this movie that I seriously dislike (and a couple of scenes that I skip), but the Gothic-y atmosphere of the film, and the chemistry between Henry (Alessandro Nivola) and Fanny (Frances O'Connor) won me over. What can I say? I shipped Henry and Fanny before I knew what shipping was. This film provided the inspiration for my first novel, so I will always have a soft spot for it, in spite of its major flaws. Directed by Patricia Rozema. Stars Frances O'Connor, Jonny Lee Miller, Alessandro Nivola, Embeth Davidtz, Lindsay Duncan, Harold Pinter, Hugh Bonneville, Sheila Gish, James Purefoy, Victoria Hamilton and Justine Waddell, with bonus Sophia Myles and Anna Popplewell! *** ff 12+

~Mansfield Park 2007~

Has the dubious distinction of being my least favourite Austen adaptation of all time. (There is Northanger Abbey 1986, but I haven't seen all of it, so it really count.) Mansfield Park 2007 is - well - a mediocre mess of a movie. I normally like Billie Piper, and I have a serious girl-crush on Hayley Atwell, but their presence was not enough to redeem MP07 for me. Also stars Blake Ritson, Michelle Ryan, Douglas Hodge, James D'Arcy, and Joseph Beattie. ** 12+

~Marie Antoinette (2006)~

. . .Where to start. Good, not great. Claustrophobic quantities of Rococo prettiness. (I'm a Baroque girl, okay? Rococo is. . . overkill. Too much of it makes me gag.) Pervaded by an underlying sense of sadness and emptiness, which contrasts with the never-ending parade of decadent parties, costumes, food, shoes, more food, more parties, palaces. . . oh, and pop music. Stunning cinematography, featuring dream-like scenes of ladies in beautiful dresses wafting around Versailles. Directed by Sofia Coppola. Stars Kirsten Dunst, Jason Schwartzman, Rose Byrne, Judy Davis, and Rip Torn. *** ff 12+
Photo Gallery | Charity's Place | Trailer | Amazon | IMDb | Youtube

~Miss Austen Regrets (2008)~

Biographical miniseries covering the last few years of Jane Austen's life; and part of the windfall of Austenesque films and series released between 2007-2008.

Whilst I enjoyed Miss Austen Regrets, in the end I have to agree with Charity - I was disappointed with the way Jane (played by Olivia Williams) was depicted, and confess that I prefer Anne Hathaway's portrayal in Becoming Jane, flawed though that film may be. It's a shame, because I'm usually a big fan of Olivia Williams - she's so classy and beautiful.

Nonetheless, this is recommended viewing for any Janeite, casual or obsessive. Whereas Becoming Jane was colourful and impressionistic, Miss Austen Regrets is understated and (comparatively) factually accurate. Also, I LOVED the conclusion of Fanny Knight's story. A widower with six children, indeed!

Miss Austen Regrets has an impressive cast, featuring some rising stars (Hiddles!!!) as well as experienced players. Stars Olivia Williams, Greta Scacchi, Imogen Poots, Tom Hiddleston, Hugh Bonneville, Phyllida Law, and Jack Huston. *** 12+

~Much Ado About Nothing 1993~

Recommended - with the exception of a couple of scenes. Directed by Kenneth Branagh. Stars Kenneth Branagh, Emma Thompson, Kate Beckinsale, Denzel Washington, Robert Sean Leonard, Michael Keaton, Keanu Reeves, and Imelda Staunton. *** ff 12+

~My Fair Lady~

Classic musical which I am sure most of you will already be familiar with. Ravishing Edwardian costumes, wonderful songs, and of course, beautiful Audrey. I dislike the play (George Bernard Shaw's Pygmalion) upon which it is based, but I love the musical itself, and am intrigued to see what the new adaptation will be like - if it ever gets made. . . (Keira as Eliza and Hugh Laurie as Higgins? Pretty, pretty please!!) Directed by George Cukor. Stars Audrey Hepburn, Rex Harrison, Stanley Holloway, and Wilfrid Hyde-White. ****

Photo Gallery | Trailer | Amazon | IMDb | RT

~North and South 2004~

One of the best ever. My favourite BBC miniseries, and one of the most universally acclaimed costume dramas ever made. (Seriously, even if you're a costume drama philistine, you've gotta see this one once, if it's the only period drama you ever watch.) North and South also has the honour of being the vehicle that introduced Richard Armitage to a grateful world. This miniseries is an adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's excellent novel, which I also highly recommend.

Should I say word or two about the plot? Okay, I will. North and South is set in the midst of the Industrial Revolution in 1850s England. Sheltered girl from the South meets mill owner from the North, with EPIC results. Think of it is a darker, beautiful, heart-rending version of Pride and Prejudice, with loads of social commentary to boot.

If you haven't seen it, just go and WATCH it already!

Stars Richard Armitage, Daniela Denby-Ashe, Tim Piggott-Smith, Brendan Coyle, Lesley Manville, Anna Maxwell Martin, Pauline Quirke, Jo Joyner, and Rupert Evans. ***** 12+

Photo Gallery | Charity's Place | Amazon | IMDb | Youtube

~Northanger Abbey 2007~

No, of course it isn't anywhere near as good as the book. (But then, "it" never is - especially when it comes to Jane Austen. We Janeites are notoriously difficult to please!) However, it is still entertaining and rather adorable. I was very disappointed with the inclusion of a few fabricated scenes, which are problematic as far as family viewing is concerned - but other than that, Northanger Abbey is a lot of fun. JJ Field is good, if not perfect, as Henry Tilney. *Miniature fangirl spasm.* Ahem. Henry. My favourite literary hero. Ever. HENRY!!!!!! Yep. Better wrap up the review now. Stars Felicity Jones, JJ Field, Sylvestra Le Touzel, Carey Mulligan, and Liam Cunningham. **** YT 12+

*Note - I understand some of the objectionable scenes in this movie were cut for the U.S. edition of the DVD. So if you're in America, you might have less to worry about in terms of - er - objectionable scenes.

~Oliver Twist 1999~

In my opinion, there has been no one truly definitive screen version of Oliver Twist, though there are several pretty good ones. The 1999 adaptation, a four-episode, six-hour miniseries, is the longest, most complete adaptation. It expands on the backstory of the novel in a major way. If you've ever been confused by any plot points of the story, this series should clear a lot of things up for you! The first episode - or two, I can't quite remember - deal solely with Oliver's origins, and where and how Monks comes into the picture.

It is a very adventurous adaptation, but in some aspects I felt it missed the mark. The portrayal of the Artful Dodger/Jack Dawkins was off. The backstory part of the series dragged on for too long - 30 minutes or so would have sufficed. And I had mixed feelings about how the characters of Monks and his mother were written. Here, Monks himself is a victim, while his mother is the true villain. It's an interesting interpretation, but I prefer my Monks to be more threatening and ambiguous - that is, after all, the point of his character.

On the other hand, this adaptation has the best, the scariest Bill Sikes ever (played by Andy Serkis, who definitely has a gift for playing creepy Dickensian - oh, and Tolkienesque - villains); and probably the most moving and disturbing murder scene of any Oliver Twist adaptation.

One other point of interest is the proliferation of talented actresses who starred in this series at an early stage in their careers: Isla Fisher as Nancy's friend Bet, 19-year-old Sophia Miles as Oliver's mother, and a 14-year-old Keira Knightley as Rose.

This Oliver Twist is definitely not for little ones, but for older fans of the book, or anyone looking for a good Victorian-era period drama, it is definitely worth a look. Stars Sam Smith, Michael Kitchen, Robert Lindsay, David Ross, Julie Walters, Marc Warren, Lindsay Duncan, Emiliy Woolf, Andy Serkis, Keira Knightley, and Alun Armstrong. *** YT 12+
Photo Gallery | Charity's Place | Amazon | IMDb | Youtube

~Oliver Twist 2005~

It's been a fair while since I watched this, but from what I can remember, my overall impression was that it didn't leave much of an impression on me! It was more faithful to the novel than any of the other recent adaptations, but it wasn't as colourful or as memorable as the 1999 or 2007 versions. The characters weren't larger-than-life, in-your-face, as they should be. It was still very good, though. I really should give it a second viewing sometime. Directed by Roman Polanski. Stars Barney Clark, Harry Eden, Ben Kingsley, Alun Armstrong, Jeremy Swift, Edward Hardwicke, Leanne Rowe, Jamie Foreman, and Mark Strong. *** 12+

~Oliver Twist 2007~

In which Monks is. . . attractive. And in love with Rose Maylie. Yes, it's that awkward moment when you happen to have a crush on the actor who's playing the Despicable Villain. It always makes me feel so conflicted when that happens.

But that's not the only reason why this is an - er - interesting adaptation of Oliver Twist. I'm glad that I watched it before I read the book, because I was able to simply enjoy it for what it is, rather than spluttering over the liberties they took with the text. Focussing on the positives: it's an energetic, fast-paced production, not your typical, sedate costume drama at all. It has a decent Oliver. Tom Hardy was very good as Bill Sikes. And I actually liked the Mrs. Mann and Mr. Bumble of this adaptation, different though they are from their characters in the book. Well, not liked liked, since they are very unpleasant characters. You know what I mean - I didn't mind the different interpretation of their characters.

Not appropriate for younger viewers. This was actually rated M15+ here in Australia (which is similar to America's PG13, I think). Stars William Miller, Timothy Spall, Julian Rhind-Tutt, Sophie Okonedo, Tom Hardy, Morven Christie, Edward Fox, Anna Massey, Sarah Lancashire, Gregor Fisher, and Adam Arnold. *** 12+

~Onegin 1999~

Superb. I loved this film. It didn't get a great critical reception, and didn't do well at the box office either, but it truly is a hidden gem. Eugene Onegin is one of the very few Byronic heroes whom I actually like, and Ralph Fiennes was superb in the role; whilst Liv Tyler was also very good as the heroine. Definitely worth watching if you enjoy adaptations of Tolstoy, Thomas Hardy, or the Bronte sisters. Avoid if you prefer films from the lighter, happier end of the period drama spectrum. Don't let the American R-rating scare you off - were it not for one scene of some violence, it could almost be a PG film. Directed by Martha Fiennes. Stars Ralph Fiennes, Liv Tyler, Toby Stephens, Lena Headley, Alun Armstrong, and Harriet Walter. **** 12+ ff

~Our Mutual Friend 1976~

As brilliant as the 1998 adaptation is, this earlier BBC production provides an excellent alternative on-screen envisioning of the book, and is a must-see for anyone who loves the novel. The production values are good for a BBC period drama of the era (1970s-80s). Many of sets are eerie and imaginative, while the on-location scenes are atmospheric and evocative.

The cast are mostly very good, with the one exception, I felt, of John McEnery as John Rokesmith, who was too old for the part and spoke in a nervous, high-pitched voice that grated on me after a short while. On the other hand, the chemistry between Lizzie and Eugene was electric - the post-reunion, pre-bashing scene was AMAZING, and retained much more of the original dialogue than the '98 version. Also, Jane Seymour was lovely as Bella Wilfer.

For the average viewer, this series may or not be worth the watch, but for serious Dickens nerds - especially Lizzie/Eugene fans - it is unmissable, and we are very fortunate to now have it available on DVD! (Whoops - I have just discovered that it is sadly not available for Region 1, only R2 and R4. *Sad emoticon*. Hopefully it will be released in America soon.) Stars Jane Seymour, Lesley Dunlop, Leo McKern, Nicholas Jones, John McEnery, and Jack Wild. **** 12+
Photo Gallery | Amazon | IMDb

~Our Mutual Friend 1998~

My favourite Dickens adaptation of all time! Deliciously dark and romantic, with a vast, typically Dickensian cast of colourful supporting characters. One of the very best BBC miniseries from the last couple of decades. It improves on repeated viewings, and complements the book very well. Highly recommended. Stars Keeley Hawes, Paul McGann, David Morrissey, Anna Friel, Stephen MacKintosh, David Bradley, Pam Ferris, Peter Vaughan, Timothy Spall, Kenneth Cranham. . . ***** 12+

~The Painted Veil~
A good film, with a refreshingly pro-marriage message. Beautiful and confronting by turns. Recommended for older teens and up, though there are several scenes that I skip. Directed by

*** YT ff 12+
IMDb

~Persuasion 1995~

**** YT

IMDb

~Persuasion 2007~

**** YT
IMDb

~Peter Pan 2003~
****

IMDb

~The Phantom of the Opera 1990~
*** YT 12+

~The Phantom of the Opera 2004~

***** YT 12+

~Pollyanna 2002~

*** YT

~Pride and Prejudice 1980~

*** YT

~Pride and Prejudice 1995~

**** YT

~Pride and Prejudice 2005~

***** YT

~Princess Caraboo (1994)~

A sweet, somewhat overlooked film; loosely based on a true story. In Regency England, a small vagrant is found in a country field. She speaks no English and is dressed in strange, Oriental clothes. The girl calls herself "Caraboo", and claims to be the daughter of a king. For Princess Caraboo (Phoebe Cates), it is the beginning of an incredible adventure, in which she charms a journalist, a professor, the aristocracy, and even the Prince Regent himself. Phoebe Cates is wonderful as the plucky, almost Heyer-esque heroine, while Jim Broadbent and (Cates' real life husband) Kevin Kline are hilarious. Also keep an eye out for cameos from Stephen Mackintosh and Anna Chancellor. The stereotyped, bigoted depiction of the English aristocracy marred the film slightly for me. Princess Caraboo is marketed as a family film, but it does contain a couple of slightly "icky" moments, so be warned. Directed by Michael Austin. Stars Phoebe Cates, Wendy Hughes, Stephen Rea, John Lithgow, Jim Broadbent, and Kevin Kline. *** 12+

Ribbons of Light

Pages

Period drama list M - P