I am a self-confessed anglophile and having done my Masters in English Literature, I try and see as many adaptations of British novels as possible. For me it's like re-living my college and university days when we used to eat, breathe, sleep and dream about the authors, poets and playwrights we were studying! And though we studied about Elizabeth Gaskell, her works sadly didn't make the cut as far as our syllabus was concerned. So to sort of remedy that egregious mistake, I have been lapping up all the adaptations of her work and will soon read all the books as well! I know I should have gone the other way around and read the books first... but well... the temptations of watching BBC adaptations were too much to resist! So I started with 'Cranford' and then 'Wives and Daughters' and I just finished watching 'North and South'. And all three are absolutely brilliant! 'Cranford' is an embarrassment of riches! With its stellar British cast, it is a treat to watch and is altogether funny, witty and disarmingly heartwarming. 'Wives and Daughters' has a very identifiable story and is brilliant in its attempt at exploring how women think and do the things they do. Michael Gambon, Francesca Annis and Justine Waddell make watching W&S a memorable experience.
'North and South' is unlike either of the previous works mentioned. It is much more profound I thought – going by the BBC adaptation at least – in its exploration of the human condition. It has shades of the works of George Eliot in its richness of characterization; of Dickens in its social realism and of Jane Austen in its unraveling of dormant passions. To be honest, I didn't think 'North & South was not without its faults. I get that Margaret Hale was the central character but at times I felt that the story was too one-sided. Everyone who ever spoke to John Thornton invariably ended up talking about Margaret which I thought was a bit unreal. And then there were the stock elements – now so overused – to make the hero seethe in jealousy: the mention of another eligible bachelor (Henry Lennox) in Margaret's life; the sight of her embracing another man! Gasp! The train station scene was the most predictable I felt. When the scene started with Margaret and Frederick bidding their goodbyes, I just thought to myself, "And who should witness this lovey-dovey farewell but Thornton!" and then the next instant he was there indeed glowering at them in righteous jealousy! And yes, Thornton's proposal and Margaret's prompt rejection of it has 'Pride and Prejudice' written all over it but literature is rife with heroines turning down marriage proposals because of their prejudices and/or natures – Alcott's Jo March and L M. Montgomery's Anne Shirley being two more similar famous heartbreakers!
But I digress Because in spite of everything, this BBC adaptation with Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe is simply put – heart-achingly beautiful! The acting, the cinematography, the writing were all top notch. In some shots Daniela Denby-Ashe was so beautifully lit, it was as if the camera was kissing her. Her character Margaret Hale is an incurable do-gooder, sometimes to the extent of being annoying but Daniela brings grace and class to it. But I have to admit that I think Richard Armitage shoulders this adaptation almost single-handedly from the beginning to the end and I cannot imagine anyone else playing the role. I even wonder if this adaptation would have succeeded had some other actor played Richard's character. As the intelligent brooding and conflicted mill-owner John Thornton, Richard Armitage's performance is nothing short of hypnotic. You root for him throughout and in the end, when Margaret professes her love for him by kissing his hand, you can't help but get misty-eyed! This is the first performance of Richard's that I watched and given his devilishly handsome good looks, brooding persona and incredible acting chops, the fact that he isn't more popular and hasn't made it big in Hollywood is a surprise indeed. Sinead Cusack, Tim Piggot-Smith and Brendan Coyle are excellent in supporting roles. I'd like to make special mention of the music given by Martin Phipps. The violin tune composed by him at the start of each part and surfacing in between is absolutely beautiful and complements the story perfectly.
I don't want to get into the details of the story of 'North & South' since many over here already have. 'North & South' is another example of BBC doing what they do best – adapt literary classics faithfully and make you wish you lived in an era peopled with the likes of John Thornton, Will Ladislaw and Fitzwilliam Darcy!
'North and South' is unlike either of the previous works mentioned. It is much more profound I thought – going by the BBC adaptation at least – in its exploration of the human condition. It has shades of the works of George Eliot in its richness of characterization; of Dickens in its social realism and of Jane Austen in its unraveling of dormant passions. To be honest, I didn't think 'North & South was not without its faults. I get that Margaret Hale was the central character but at times I felt that the story was too one-sided. Everyone who ever spoke to John Thornton invariably ended up talking about Margaret which I thought was a bit unreal. And then there were the stock elements – now so overused – to make the hero seethe in jealousy: the mention of another eligible bachelor (Henry Lennox) in Margaret's life; the sight of her embracing another man! Gasp! The train station scene was the most predictable I felt. When the scene started with Margaret and Frederick bidding their goodbyes, I just thought to myself, "And who should witness this lovey-dovey farewell but Thornton!" and then the next instant he was there indeed glowering at them in righteous jealousy! And yes, Thornton's proposal and Margaret's prompt rejection of it has 'Pride and Prejudice' written all over it but literature is rife with heroines turning down marriage proposals because of their prejudices and/or natures – Alcott's Jo March and L M. Montgomery's Anne Shirley being two more similar famous heartbreakers!
But I digress Because in spite of everything, this BBC adaptation with Richard Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe is simply put – heart-achingly beautiful! The acting, the cinematography, the writing were all top notch. In some shots Daniela Denby-Ashe was so beautifully lit, it was as if the camera was kissing her. Her character Margaret Hale is an incurable do-gooder, sometimes to the extent of being annoying but Daniela brings grace and class to it. But I have to admit that I think Richard Armitage shoulders this adaptation almost single-handedly from the beginning to the end and I cannot imagine anyone else playing the role. I even wonder if this adaptation would have succeeded had some other actor played Richard's character. As the intelligent brooding and conflicted mill-owner John Thornton, Richard Armitage's performance is nothing short of hypnotic. You root for him throughout and in the end, when Margaret professes her love for him by kissing his hand, you can't help but get misty-eyed! This is the first performance of Richard's that I watched and given his devilishly handsome good looks, brooding persona and incredible acting chops, the fact that he isn't more popular and hasn't made it big in Hollywood is a surprise indeed. Sinead Cusack, Tim Piggot-Smith and Brendan Coyle are excellent in supporting roles. I'd like to make special mention of the music given by Martin Phipps. The violin tune composed by him at the start of each part and surfacing in between is absolutely beautiful and complements the story perfectly.
I don't want to get into the details of the story of 'North & South' since many over here already have. 'North & South' is another example of BBC doing what they do best – adapt literary classics faithfully and make you wish you lived in an era peopled with the likes of John Thornton, Will Ladislaw and Fitzwilliam Darcy!