Wives and Daughters (Repackaged) [DVD]

Arrived on time & in excellent condition.

No spoilers in this reviewI love the 'romance' of the Regency-Victorian-Edwardian periods. I don't read books very often but enjoy watching a good drama. I enjoyed Mrs Gaskell's North and South so decided to give this one a try. Here she may follow the traditional format of the day with the characters swinging between hope and dispair, interference in their lives from others, misunderstandings and revelations, letters, visits and balls; but it is still an engrosing watch.It follows the lives of two young women who become step-sisters. In Victorian days a woman's survival depended on marrying well (and for love if she was really lucky) and being careful not to loose her 'reputation' as she strived to get her man. For her daughter to succeed in this was the aim of every Mother, who's efforts could be either a help or a hinderance. Although you are (almost) sure the heroine will go through trials and tribulations in the journey to find happiness, the final scene was an unexpected but perfect ending. The liner on the front of the dvd case sums it up in a nutshell - "What it means to be in love for the first time ... and how it feels to be alive".I also like to think into the relationships between the characters. Here we have not only extended family dynamics, but also that of the tight-knit neighbourhood. I found the impact of social class and gender inequality where they came into play very interesting to think on. E.g. when the heroine is at risk of loosing her reputation the opposite reactions of the locals whether they were men or women; and the influence of the gentry on local opinion.If you liked North and South and the Jane Austin dramatizations you should enjoy this one. Great screen writing, direction and music by the 'usual BBC greats', superb performances by a raft of the best of British actors ... and awash with lavish costumes, hair and sets. (I enjoyed spotting those that were 'recycled' from other productions.)I had no idea what the plot of this film was before I played it, but I know I will be watching it again and again as enthralled as this first time.

good

This replaced video version so am pleased to have it.

This is based on the last novel that Mrs Gaskell wrote, and unfortunately, she died before completing it. We can be sure that she did intend a happy ending, but I'm not sure she would have intended quite the ending that this adaptation shows. However, that is a very minor gripe about what is an absolutely fabulous adaptation of a very readable book. Every character was spot on and all exactly as they appear in the book (with the possible exception for me of Osborne Hamley - not good looking enough). The locations, dialogue, costumes, everything are exceptional and this is a wonderful costume drama for all ages.I just love the ironies that abound; in order to 'save' Molly from unwanted male attention, Mr Gibson re-marries and promptly finds himself and Molly embroiled in terrible scandal and secrets that can't be betrayed, inflicted on them both by his new wife's daughter.In order to achieve a serenely well-managed household, Mr Gibson re-marries and turns his house into the abode of hysterical women from which he tries desperately to stay away on all occasions.In order to get Molly away from an admirer, Mr Gibson sends her to stay with the Hamleys and she falls in love with Roger.Absolutely wonderful! And serves him entirely right, by the way. He is not a very likeable man in either the novel or the adaptation, and brings his own doom about in a way that reminds you of the small trickle that sets off the landslide.However, he is resigned to bearing the folly of his own actions and achieves a reasonable happiness by the end, so all is not lost.The 2nd Mrs Gibson is an excellent character; so flawed and yet she tries so hard to be everything she believes she is and should be.I cannot recommend this highly enough and would also encourage you to read the novel as it is very accessible and a cracking good read.

Sceneggiato BBC in quattro puntate del 1999, tratto dall’omonimo romanzo di Elisabeth Gaskell, con sceneggiatura impeccabile di Andrew Davis. In inglese con sottotitoli in inglese. Ottimo per accostarsi a un classico della letteratura ottocentesca, forse poco letto in Italia. Consigliabile.

Lo he visto enseguida..Precioso.Una joyita.

Thank you so much for getting this to me so quicklyI had seen it on Netflix and was so desperate to watch again after reading the book

This is a miniseries worth checking out! I was initially hesitant at purchasing it since I hadn't heard much about it. I'm so glad I did! There are a whole host of great actors in this- particularly Michael Gambon, who plays such an emotionally heart-wrenching widow and father to two grown boys, his eldest of whom, Osborne, consistently disappoints Gambon and his wife, arguably leading to her illness and death.Justine Waddell plays the lead female role of Molly, the neighbor to Gambon and his family, and she does so handidly. She plays Molly so intelligently and with poise, but also sticks up for what she believes in. Molly and her doctor father make a family of two for several years until she reaches the age of 17 and he decides to remarry the governess, Hyacinth, of a very wealthy lady. Hyacinth has a grown daughter of her own, Cynthia, who is about the same age as Molly. Eventually both Hyacinth and Cynthia come to live with Molly and her father. Initially, I found myself liking the governess/step-mother and found Molly's difficulties with her to be over-stated, but as time wore on (the production is 300 minutes long) I too became annoyed with the step-mother. She is, as many step-mothers go, pretty insufferable. She's spoiled, selfish, pretentious, and obsessed with her daughter marrying well. The step-sister, Cynthia, isn't so bad. I was expecting her character to be pitted against Molly's in a very Cinderella-esque plot line, but they actually become close friends. Perhaps too close as Molly quickly finds herself embroiled in a controversy with Cynthia and her many attachments with men. Her reputation is put at stake as the busy bodies in the town think Molly is having trysts with a much older man, a scoundrel of a gentleman who is actually interested in Cynthia, and has been for many years, to the point of being dangerously, scarily obsessed. All of this is going on simultaneous to Cynthia having accepted an engagement to Gambon's second son, Roger, a scientist who proposed to her before heading off to Africa on an expedition. Molly doesn't realize it fully before Roger proposes to Cynthia, but once he does Molly realizes how much in love with him she is. She has known him all her life but Roger hasn't taken much notice of her, except to acknowledge Molly as the sister he never had.I thought I would find the scenes of Roger on expedition tiresome and something the viewer merely had to get through for the plot to progress in order for him to come back and realize that he actually loved Molly not Cynthia. In actuality, the scenes of him in Africa were actually pretty interesting and poetic as we listen to his letters to Cynthia and the discoveries he's made.Perhaps the saddest part of the plot is the story surrounding Osborn, first born son of Gambon;s character and his wife. There were high expectations set for Osborne, which of course, he fails to meet. He fails out of school and doesn't seem to find something to succeed at, aside from spending his father's money. He secretly falls in love with a french servant and once their affair is discovered she loses her job and must return home to France. Osborne couldn't live without her and pursued her to France, marries her and gets her pregnant. Perhaps I'm a little jaded, but I really thought a wealthy man such as Osborne would have left her because his father really disapproves of anything or anyone French. Nevertheless, he sticks by her, sending her money and visiting her whenever he can. Sadly, their happiness was not meant to last as a tragedy occurs and Gambon must come to grips with the news that his oldest son was so afraid of him he was never able to tell him the truth about his life. I was immensely, ridiculously pleased and happy however, when Gambon accepts the woman and Osborne's son into his household and dotes on the toddler like a good grandfather ought to. That was perhaps the best part, and I think Gambon was my favorite character followed very closely by Molly.I love that one could probably make a case that Molly Gibson is a feminist in a story originally written in 1865. She's so amazingly forthright and stands up for what she believes in. I love that her father raised her to be an educated young woman. Of course, he doesn't necessarily like it when she helps Cynthia out of her romantic fixes, but he does allow her a pretty decent amount of freedom for a single girl who technically ought to be married already.I love when there's a character you can root for, one you feel passionately for, and you can feel that for Molly. This is a DVD adaptation that is worth every penny! I heartily encourage anyone who's on the hunt for their next BBC miniseries, like I was when I purchased it, that you should definitely pursue this one!

This surely is one of the most perfect film adaptations - and, indeed, one of the most perfect films - ever made.It is literally flawless in its casting, acting, photography, costumes, and clever directorial touches.Elizabeth Gaskell's novel has been described as an under-appreciated masterpiece, and I think that assessment accurate. The most remarkable aspect of her characters is that in all of them we see at least two aspects, both how they might be seen as correct or elevated or admirable in their actions or as foolish or malicious or criminal, depending upon the viewer.It is this quality which takes the story far beyond what we might expect from a romantic book of the time. There is humor and subtlety as in Jane Austen's best earlier work, but there is also genuine insight into the human condition.And the producers of this adaptation have captured the quality to perfection, taking the film far beyond mere costume drama. There is always depth and subtlety at work here even though the story is largely light and romantic. There are few Hollywood films which could stand being compared.There isn't an actor cast here I would change, and that is not something you can often say about films.The locations and sets are breathtaking.Watching the parade of gorgeous women's costumes alone is like walking through the halls of some fabulous museum.And the director has handled this wealth of material with the most exquisite judgment.Humor abounds.Highly recommended, even if you are a person who normally does not like romantic drama.