Bleak House (2005) User Reviews

Great expectations entirely justified

[marcelproust · 9/10 · 21 June 2006]

At the forthcoming request for Charter renewal by the BBC, the Governors could do no better than to sit MPs comfortably on their green benches and screen the entirety of Andrew Davies' magisterial adaptation of Dickens' Bleak House.

A TV series that can afford to throw away a consummate actress like Sheila Hancock as a giggling ninny with almost no dialogue who occupies just seconds of screen time must, by definition, be supremely confident in its ability to entertain. Bleak House has that confidence in spades, and rightly so.

There is so much to treasure here - not least from the seemingly unending parade of well-known (to British audiences, at least) faces on parade. I particularly relished Matthew Kelly's absurdly self-important Old Mr Turveydrop, Liza Tarbuck's do-gooding drab, Nathaniel Parker's loathsome Mr Skiphold, Denis Lawson's achingly tender-hearted Mr Jarndyce and Hugo Speer's staunch Sergeant George. But even from the lesser-known cast - like poor, sweet Harry Eden and the two young wards who float prettily at the story's centre - there are moments of pure joy.

Three performances, however, really stand out as being responsible for making this so much more than a collection of delightful cameos. Anna Maxwell Martin provides a calm and sensible centre to the many comings and goings in Dickens' complex tale - her pale, inquisitive face registering calm resignation at the turmoils Esther must undergo. Stalwart of epic dramas like The Jewel in the Crown, Charles Dance is hypnotically dreadful as the wicked Tulkinghorn, glowering and scheming with real menace, and without once resorting to camp.

For me though, the performance of the series (and that is saying something) is Gillian Anderson's Lady Dedlock. Shot in an eerily bleak blue light, and seeming always on the verge of cracking like a porcelain vase, she is nothing short of mesmerising.

In short, the finest TV adaptation of a Dickens novel ever made and another triumph for Andrew Davies and the BBC.

Extraordinary

[sheepie87 · 9/10 · 9 June 2007]

When I saw Andrew Davies was the screenwriter, I knew it would be good; after all, he did write the script for Pride & Prejudice, my favorite movie and perhaps the BBC's most well- known production.

I really can't say more than the summary title: extraordinary! I loved the camera work (the quick cuts I liked, unlike others). The dark filtering was quite good as well. Anna Maxwell Martin--well, now I cannot imagine another Esther. Gillian Anderson too was just amazing as Lady Deadlock. Absolutely stunning, each word drawn out coldly behind her mask of rank, but her meeting with Esther was magical in a completely different way. I suppose I could praise each character, but that would be dreadfully boring; you'd be much better off delving into the book. Of course, I would suggest reading Bleak House first.

However, I did give this adaptation 9 stars because of two reasons: 1) the lack of humor that was so delightful in the book. Dickens is mercilessly funny and caustic and none of that really translated through to the screen, although I can see the point in keeping it all quite dramatic. 2) The way they portrayed John Jarndyce's relationship with Esther. He seemed much more self-serving in this version, and much more attracted to Esther than I made him out to be in the book. More human, I suppose, than the sweet and perfectly good Guardian of the book. This does not in any way degrade Denis Lawson's performance, which was, I think, actually the standout of the piece. The fact that he also played Wedge Antilles in the best movie trilogy ever also helps in my estimation!

All in all, beautiful, marvelous, a bit too dark, but altogether an extremely good production. But don't forget to read the book first ;)

wonderful adaptation of a masterwork

[drifterrus · 9/10 · 30 March 2007]

I've been an avid reader of Dickens since I was about 12 and "Bleak House" is one of my favourite works by this superb novelist. Therefore, I had some reservations about this series, especially because it's really difficult to put such a major work to screen. I need not have feared: everything here is just about perfect - even the swishing camera and jarring sound effects which eerily add to the atmosphere after one gets used to them - it takes about 20 minutes, so no big deal. Most lavish praise to all actors who turn in top-notch performances. If only television could offer us more of such superb and intelligent entertainment! I think I should immerse myself in the book now and then re-watch this high caliber period drama - it's one of the best. Thank you BBC, you deserve a big round of applause.

Shake me up, indeed!

[kaaber-2 · 22 March 2006]

Just got up from a viewing of Chadwick and White's BBC version of "Bleak House" - in one sitting. Couldn't turn it off and leave it at any time. I hardly know where to begin my praise, and I most surely do not know where to end. "Bleak House" happens to be my favourite Dickens novel, and I would have thought it impossible to make a truly successful film of this vast work on the power of goodness in a rotten world. Well, part of the key, of course, is that it runs eight hours, but the fact that it never drags, not for one minute, is not entirely Mr. Dickens' feat - the success rests by and large on the most eminent editing that I can remember to have seen. The cutting among the many stories contained in the novel is executed so skillfully that we never feel for one moment that the film takes us where we are not dying to go. The main characters are wonderfully cast, and somehow Carey Mulligan and Patrick Kennedy steer clear of turning Ada and Richard into a goody-goody and the proverbial rake. Anna Maxwell shines above all others as Esther Summerson, but hard on her heels are Charles Dance who avoids making an out-and-out villain of Tulkinghorn, Burn Gorman's wonderfully touching Guppy (extra credit to him for hitting the mark in a role that begs to be grotesquely overacted) and Harry Eden's Jo. But then again, there's not a false note in this entire production. Gillian Anderson, too, deserves mention. Not cul-de-sacked by her X-file past (in which she was brilliant, btw & imo), she delivers a marvelously restrained Lady Dedlock. Top notch acting.

I am not easy to shake up at the movies anymore, although I have occasionally experienced a lump in my throat, what with the recent fashion in tearjerkers, but I am not ashamed to confess that I cried like a flogged nun at the death of Jo the Crossing-sweep, and again at the final reunion of Esther Summerson and Lady Dedlock.

Surely, this is Dickens as he should be. I wish he could have seen it.

A breathtaking East wind

[pekinman · 10/10 · 2 April 2009]

450+ minutes of a film is a long time to have your breath taken away but that's what happened when I first watched this magnificent adaptation of my favorite Dickens novel 'Bleak House.'

I always liked the earlier version starring Denham Elliot, Diana Rigg and Peter Vaughan, but this new version, adapted by Andrew Davies is superlative to the former in every way. For one thing it is more complete. The earlier version left out several characters altogether and glossed over most of the high emotion.

I'm not always a fan of Davie's work but Bleak House is a masterpiece of screen adaptation, even better than his Moll Flanders, which has long been one of my old standbys for a rainy evening or two.

Anna Maxwell Martin looks unprepossessing with her whey-face and funny lisp, but quickly her strength and intelligence waylay any doubts as to her being nigh-perfect as Esther Sommerson.

The only minor quibble with her in this role is that she looks nothing like Gillian Anderson's Lady Dedlock or John Lynch's Captain Hawdon, Esther's parents. This hardly matters in the face of some of the greatest acting I've seen come out of England on film over many years, and that is saying something.

As an Illinoisian I am proud to claim the beautiful and brilliant Gillian Anderson as a fellow traveler, she is from Chicago. Her Lady Dedlock is fascinating and goddess-like yet possessing a deeply human spark that she has buried under years of keeping her dark secret.

Bleak House is about secrets. It is a deep story, full of tragedy and human comedy at once. The villains are vile, notably Charles Dance's Mr Tulkinghorn. It isn't that Mr Tulkinghorn is evil, we create evil or reject it, but that he is just a cold cold human being who lives solely by the law, the ever-increasing book of the law that weighs down the human spirit and kills in the end. This is the best thing Charles Dance has done.

The entire cast is beyond reproach, and with two classic performances by Burn Gorman, the very embodiment of Mr Guppy, and Pauline Collins' bird-like Miss Flyte, I can't imagine Bleak House ever being more perfectly cast.

Even the cat playing Mr Krook's Lady Jane is a brilliant actor. I love cats but this is the most butt-ugly feline I have ever laid eyes upon. She looks like a cross between a bulldog and a toilet bowl brush, hisses on cue, flops over and groans, all with perfect timing. She glares malevolently with great meaning and comprehension and appears in almost every episode. A great performance.

There are some powerfully emotional scenes, not in a manipulative sense but in a deep, spontaneous sense. Anna Maxwell Martin and Gillian Anderson are dynamite, and their one and only scene together is second only to Jo's Death in impact.

Being Dickens there is also some fine humor along the way. Alas, some villains are allowed to get away with their wickedness, like the vile Mr Smallweed (Phil Davis is horribly fabulous as the seedy old money-grubber) and the good suffer horribly. It's hard-hitting stuff, Bleak House, and very pertinent to our times.

The cinematography, music, costumes, everything are great.

I can't think of a greater Dickens film adaptation. If you love his books you will want this set. If you don't know Dickens but like A Christmas Carol with Alastair Sim then this Bleak House may be the entryway to the deeper worlds of Charles Dickens.

Extraordinary

[robertconnor · 10/10 · 25 April 2007]

Sheer brilliance at work here as Dickens' multi-stranded plot is woven into a magical TV production. Bleak House works on every single level, and certainly left this viewer alternately gripped or moved, as Davies rolls out the parallel stories of the Jarndyce wards and their companion Esther Summerson, and the slow, horrible destruction wrought on Honoria Deadlock.

Casting is absolute perfection, right down to the minor characters, and Chadwick, White and Rhode James have enabled the most delicious characterisations from every player. Maxwell Martin is delightful as Esther, making her totally believable and real - there isn't a trace of 'acting' in sight, so luminous and real is she. As Honoria Deadlock, Anderson is astonishing - post-X-Files, she has once again proved herself as one of the most versatile female actors around (reference also The House of Mirth and The Mighty Celt). Her ability to convey such intense emotions - grief, panic, terror - hidden behind a composed countenance is sublime. However, singling these two out in no way lessens the performances from other cast members - each in turn creates an incredibly believable character.

So one of the BBC triumphs of the decade, and unmissable in every respect!

An excellent production, superb performances.

[celia78 · 10/10 · 9 January 2006]

Dickens creates a fascinating world of characters in Bleak House and Davies does an excellent job of capturing the essence of those characters while bringing the production into the realm of 21st Century viewing. The camera work with the quick changes was distracting at times but sometimes accentuated the fast pace of this drama or emphasised plot points.

Watching for well known faces was fun but didn't detract anything from the performances of this superb cast. Anna Maxwell Martin gave a wonderful performance as Esther; outwardly stronger than in the book but this focused the viewer on Esther's strength of character, her compassion, common sense, loyalty and love. Lawson's Jarndyce was touching and gentle; Burn Gorman's Guppy a revelation and Charles Dance was eerily scaring and deliciously malicious.

Gillian Anderson also demonstrated her extreme talents as the aloof, lonely, bored, haughty yet vulnerable Lady Dedlock. Anderson subtly revealed the inner turmoil, fear and long hidden love of the outwardly cold 'My Lady'. With a turn of the head, a facial movement and those eyes that speak volumes she revealed the inner character, very often with no words at all. More Ms. Anderson, please BBC. The colourful performances of Timothy West and Pauline Collins also deserve a mention.

A fabulous production by all. Well done BBC.

Brilliant Dickens Adaption

[johnmbale · 10/10 · 1 December 2006]

Bleak House is certainly one of the best adaptions of Dickens brought to the TV screens. It distills the essence of the long novel graphically and with a some brilliant characterizations by the superb cast. There is real feeling here for the period and the book. An truly excellent cast including perhaps surprisingly Gillian Anderson (The X Files) who impresses as the cool Lady Dedlock, Charles Dance as the sinister Tulkinghorn, Denis Lawson as kindly John Jarndyce, Alun Amstrong as Bucket, Nathaniel Parker as Skimpole, Pauline Collins as Miss Flute, Burn Gorman as poor Guppy, and particularly Philip Davis as the dreadful Smallweed, all wonderful Dickensian characters. The sets and locations have the right feel for the story the photography of a high order, with the only quibble being the zip shots into each sequence, a modern stylistic trick that does nothing to enhance the period story. Considering the complexity of the story and its great length the editors have done a great job in never letting the film drag. I rather think that Charles Dickens if he were still around would heartily approve.

Great piece of Television

[bird-dog-1 · 10/10 · 4 February 2007]

Now I'm not one for oldy worldy period plays, but having read the reviews, I mentioned it to my wife who seems to think she was in another life back then, so it was no surprise that she was waiting impatiently for the series to play here in New Zealand. Well, wait we did, but seeing as how all NZ TV is such crap, I kinda knew that this superior stuff would have no place on TV here-so we sent off for the DVD as soon as it was released in UK. Man I was hooked from episode 1 to the very end-such a pleasure to watch the finest actors, the finest of writers, and the very best of drama throughout the entire collection. A superb & engrossing storyline, it is indeed at times very dark, but compelling viewing-Bravo! to all who were involved.

Mike, Auckland, New Zealand

Even if you don't like Dickens, see this film!

[Red-125 · 10/10 · 8 June 2013]

"Bleak House" (2005), is a miniseries directed by Justin Chadwick (8 episodes) and Susanna White (7 episodes). This movie is a superb adaptation of the book that many believe is Dickens' best novel.

The plot follows the fortunes of a young woman, Esther Summerson, after she arrives a a country mansion called Bleak House. Esther, played by Anna Maxwell Martin, has grown up unloved and unwelcome, but she finds a comfortable position as companion to a young woman with more means.

Much of the plot hinges on Esther's relationships with those around her. However, an underlying and ongoing theme is a protracted law case--"Jarndyce vs. Jarndyce." The case sucks in--and ultimately destroys--almost all of the potential heirs.

Intertwined in the plot is the relationship of Lady Dedlock (Gillian Anderson) to Esther. And, intimately involved in everything is the lawyer Mr. Tulkinghorn, played by Charles Dance.

The film succeeds because of the strength of the novel, the strength of the adaptation, the strength of the BBC production values, and the strength of the minor characters.

However, what lifts this movie above the basic excellence of other BBC adaptations is the extraordinary acting of Dance and Anderson. You believe that Mr. Tulkinghorn can always achieve what he wants. You believe that he wants power about all else, and you believe that there is no limit to what he'll do to achieve that power.

Gillian Anderson was born to play Lady Dedlock. With her slender, erect figure, her incredible blue eyes, and her unremittingly haughty demeanor, she becomes Lady Dedlock. Obviously, Gillian Anderson is an attractive woman. However, this attractiveness reaches new heights when she portrays Lady Honoria Dedlock. Try this experiment: go to Google Image, and click on "Gillian Anderson, X-Files." Then click on "Gillian Anderson, Lady Dedlock." You'll see what I mean.

Bleak House is not a happy novel, and the film is not a happy film. The directors make the movie very depressing by showing repeated scenes of the dirt and degradation found in 19th Century London. When the location is one of the country estates, they avoid the pleasure we would get from grass, trees, and flowers. When they switch to the rural scenes, the directors start with a series of jump cuts, accompanied by harsh metallic sounds. They are telling us, "This may be the country, but don't expect a break from the grim story lines."

I think this movie would be better seen on the large screen. However, it was made for the small screen, and it certainly worked well enough on DVD. If you love Dickens, this film is a must see. If you don't love Dickens, it's still a must see. Find it and watch it.

Very Dickens, But Distracting Use of Effects

[dane-92 · 6/10 · 28 January 2010]

Acting is good. Sets, costumes, etc., are good. Mood is spot-on Dickens. BUT...the directing makes me crazy. It's like "Bleak House Meets Lord of the Rings."

Shaky-cam shots, wild zooms, synthesizer swooshes and whams, over-the-top digital colorization. This story doesn't need all that sci-fi/fantasy production value, and in my opinion, it damages the series.

When style gets in the way of content, it takes away from the story, and regrettably, that's what I feel happens in this adaptation. I really hope directors will step back from this new faddish style, which everybody is copying now, and get back to good storytelling.

Best film I've ever seen

[barrywood · 10/10 · 17 January 2007]

This mini series is so exquisitely produced and filmed, that it would be impossible to name just one of the actors or actresses that makes Bleak House nothing less than brilliant. I watched the whole series in two days and it is indeed the best film I've ever watched in my life.

The film scenes, the clothes, the acting: all flawless. Sometimes when I was watching it, I would rewind the DVD to play a scene over several times. And the music: it's eerie and catchy and exact. I also liked the cliff hanger after each segment.

Some times I cried, some times I felt chills crawling up my back, and sometimes I laughed. No movie has ever touched my heart such as this one. I also like how it only took about ten minutes to get into it.

So if you have about seven or eight hours, I urge you to rent, borrow, or buy this exceptional movie. I think Charles Dickens himself would have been pleased with this film. Bravo to all concerned in making this classic come alive in my living room.

Visual "style" ruins production

[mike-3251 · 6/10 · 1 August 2013]

My main comment is in regards to the visual style of Bleak House. I have a big hair up my butt about overuse of hand-held cameras and this production is particularly guilty of this, given that the look of the sets, actors, and period would be wonderful were it not spoiled by being filmed almost 100% by someone standing there with a hand-held, wavering, moving, too close in, no scene composition, good editing not a factor. Terrible. It is a cheap way to film though.

This is perhaps the most grievous use of handhelds in a film I've ever seen because the acting and script are so great.

Not a factor for some though ..... if so, very worth watching for the acting and script. As for me, I might not make it past the first episode.

Sucks all the charm out of it

[zebras_ · 3/10 · 17 November 2019]

Despite its name, /Bleak House/ is one of the few Dickens novels that's not about squalor and misery and poverty and misery and squalor. Its main enjoyment is in its satire and comedy. This adaptations, however, chooses to underline the "bleak" in /Bleak House/, and the result is bleak indeed. It isn't until episode six that we see an interior scene not shot at night.

The novel's great humorous characters have been replaced by faint impostors (Turveydrop) or evil psychopaths (Smallweed).

I had to stop watching when I could no longer take the way in which every single blessed shot is framed with some extreme closeup of an object or character, so as to create a blurred outline in a corner of the screen--a visual effect which loses its novelty sooner than the makers of this series might have anticipated.

Absolutely Riveting 10/10

[ChrisQ · 30 November 2005]

Bleak House is not a book I have read. I was however aware that the central story concerned the never-ending courtroom litigation of Jarndyce versus Jarndyce. As a child, this book, I decided was way too boring to read. How wrong I was. I never dreamt that a Dickens novel could become such an obsession in later life.

This dazzling adaptation is serialised in the same way that Dickens serialised his masterpiece in the popular press. Each half-hour episode ends on a cliff-hanger. We, the viewers, are forced to count the days until the next episode is screened. ( and there is only 6 more to go!!!) It is impossible to find fault with the production. The characterisations and directing are the best I have seen from the Drama Department of the BBC. They have managed to capture the gloom, grime and squalor of the late 19th century convincingly.

Each actor is ideally cast. Charles Dance as the lawyer Tulkinghorn is evil personified. Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock, totally unrecognisable from her X-File days, is fragile and enigmatic. Particularly noteworthy in the host of Dickensian eccentrics are Pauline Collins as Miss Flite, Johnny Vegas as Krook and Philip Davis as "Shake me up Judy" Smallweed and Burn Gorman as Guppy. However it is invidious to single anyone out of such a stellar casting.

I cannot give this drama a higher recommendation

Bleak House Review

[shivashaktidancer · 10/10 · 5 November 2005]

An excellent series! Wonderfully shot! Gives a wonderful impression of the era.

Of all the cast, Gillian Anderson is the one who really excels. Her Lady Dedlock is captivating, and utterly mesmerising whenever she is on screen. She is understated and alluring. From the very first episode it was apparent that she would be the one to hold the story. Her character was only on screen for seconds, but she was the one you wanted the camera to return to. The rest of the cast are also very good, but she is the one to watch.

Each episode, leaves you wanting more. The 30 minute slots are a very good idea too.

Having never read "Bleak House" this series as encouraged me to now read the Dickens novel.

My only criticism, is that I wish there were more episodes! It's a shame that the show will not run for a little while longer. It's a real treat!

I'll be sad to see it end... but can't wait for next weeks instalment!

Superb adaptation may never be surpassed!

[michaelstep2004 · 10/10 · 9 October 2008]

No need to write a long review -- others here say it very well.

This version of 'Bleak House' is simply one of the best films ever made.

It is the best adaptation of any Dickens work that I can remember, going go back to the wonderful 'A Tale of Two Cities' and 'Great Expectations' of the Golden Age of Hollywood. What is the real core of Dickens' message is highlighted, and the dated dross of sentiment eliminated.

Every single aspect of the production is of the highest excellence. There's really nothing more to say. A must-see, if anything is.

A very effective television adaption of Dickens dark "Bleak House".

[irvingwarner · 10/10 · 1 September 2007]

You rarely see television OR movie writing this good. "Bleak House" was a landmark transfer of a Dickens novel to the small screen. It must have really suffered, i.e. all sliced up in short episodes; therefore, I consider myself lucky indeed to have seen it on DVD. I was able to let it roll for long-time periods. And I did! The production design, costumes, and things related are outstanding; the photography was also superior. But it is the writing and the acting, when put together, that enabled "Bleak House" to rise way above most other television and screen work. The positive characters are your usual Dickens characters, almost too good to be believed, but writer Andrew Davis handled that very well. It was the rich assortment of villains,e.g. human ragbags, diverse lowlifes -- along with some outright criminals-- that just overwhelmed me. Special mention must be given to Charles Dance (Mr. Tulkington), Philip Davis (Smallweed), Burn Gorman (Guppy) and Nathaniel Parker (Skimpole) for assembling into one of the greatest most repugnant, morally reprehensible group of humans that ever populated a single television or movie production. This, once again, proved that a drama is only as good as its villains! Boy, the television adaption of "Bleak House" went a long ways to prove that. Hats off to this wonderful creative drama.

Just Incredibly Brilliant

[martimusross · 10/10 · 27 January 2019]

Andrew Davies quite incredibly has turned this most indigestible of all Dicken's novels into a tour de force of dramatic impetus, fine characterisation and a real sense of menace and intrigue. The most indigestible novel in the English language is The Cathedral by Hugh Walpole.

The "problem" with Dicken's is always the number of characters, the need he has for stereotypes and personality definition above this stereotype. Sometimes you can hear Dicken's talking to the reader directly and can make the characters very similar.

Mr Davies rises above these "traps" that would lessen this dramatisation.

Where to even comment about the acting just incredible. Tulkinghorn was evil incarnate, Lady Deadlock was a masterful expression of suppressed emotion. If I was handing out Oscars this would win the lot.

I am aghast how unpopular Dicken's is these days and we must all promote perhaps our greatest author to give him the global exposure of his thoughts on the human condition.

Perfect despite its imperfections

[ianlouisiana · 10/10 · 25 January 2006]

In his introduction to the TV tie - in edition of "Bleak House" Professor Terry Eagleton writes:- "Like most Dickens novels,"Bleak House" is a wonderfully overpopulated work,crammed to the seams with grotesques,eccentrics,amiable idiots and moral monstrosities". The first task of adaptor Andrew Davis was,to many Dickens scholars, sheer sacrilege,the winnowing down of huge number of characters that pop up in various places in the narrative,seemingly unconnected,but all part of the author's overall vision of and structure for his work. Mr Davis was in a "no win" situation as far as the academics were concerned and there was general discontent in the Ivory Tower community that their hero's great work was to be reduced - as they saw it - to the level of a soap opera for the edification of the unwashed.It had clearly escaped their closed minds that Dickens had written the book in the first place with an intention not so far removed from the one they abhorred. In the event he succeeded brilliantly,producing not "Bleak House Lite", as many had feared,but a production that caught the core values of the novel and evoked the look and feel of the period perfectly. My only criticism - and it is a minor one - is that it occasionally yields to the temptation common to many post 80s prestigious TV series where the makers are apparently compelled to exercise the techniques they acquired during their apprenticeship in the industry which,as often as not,involved the making of commercials.By their very nature these require that their makers get to the point very quickly with the maximum of noise and flash and with a preponderance of big close-ups and high impact-making shots.It works fine if you're selling a BMW and have to pack it all into 30 seconds but is out of place in an adaptation of a 19th century novel.Having said that,so brilliant was the overall production that I found myself in the end ignoring their little tricks,forgiving them even,and waiting patiently like an indulgent parent for the children to stop showing off. Because when it's on track,"Bleak House" is Television at its highest level.Superbly adapted from a novel that's more accessible than you might think,it's funny.thrilling and moving by turns. It has been carefully cast,rather daringly in some cases,and all the care shows on the screen. Television is of course a huge consumer of talent with hundreds of channels working 24 hours a day.In those circumstances it is hardly surprising that majority of material it turns out is,to put it kindly,mediocre.All the more reason therefore to celebrate when it gets something so right,because despite my misgivings,"Bleak House" is,in my opinion,the best TV drama series since "Roads to Freedom". If you have never read Dickens and doubt his ability to entertain and amuse a 21st century audience I suggest you call at a Public Library,seek out "Bleak House" and simply read Chapter 21 "The Smallweed Family".You will find therein as funny,moving and true a document as you are ever likely to read,by a writer whose perception of the human condition has never been equalled

Bleak House is Dickens at his Best!

[cashelguy_59 · 10/10 · 22 February 2007]

There is no country with a richer literary history than England. There is also no country that does a better job of transferring its great works of literature to the screen. Of all of England's great authors none transfers to the screen better than Charles Dickens. Therefore, it should come as no surprise that this 2005 version of Bleak House is as good as TV gets. This multi-hour TV drama that appeared on Masterpiece Theater is a masterpiece from beginning to end. Much of the American commentary on this program has concentrated on the lone American in the cast, Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock. Yes, she gives a bravura performance, but so does everyone else in the cast. It is unfair to single out individuals from such a great company, but I particularly loved Pauline Collins as Miss Flite and Burn Gorman as the aptly named Mr. Guppy. Also, Charles Dance as Mr. Talkinghorn is one of the most despicable villains in screen history. The atmosphere is so rich it feels as if one is right there in 1850's London. If one doesn't like this landmark drama then one had better stick to watching professional wrestling.

Excellent acting, but not all it should have been.

[7malligk · 6/10 · 31 August 2020]

This TV series is a pity. It could've been so good. Excellent acting and writing and up being let down by overly dramatic camera work, dated editing and atrocious colour grading, to reduce what should've been great, to simply something that's passable.

An outstanding BBC drama, with fantastic acting and very rich in detail.

[TheLittleSongbird · 10/10 · 15 July 2009]

The book Bleak House I found rather complicated to be honest with you, and I didn't understand much of the law stuff. But that didn't deter me from watching this superb mini-series, which in every aspect was infinitely better than I expected.

The series' main merit is the period detail. I thought the series captured the Victorian Era perfectly, with its issue of class and the generally dangerous living conditions, just like the 1995 mini-series of Pride and Prejusice did with the late 18th century. The mini-series visually looked splendid, with excellent costumes and well designed sets.

The script was very intelligent, and the direction was slick. The pace was perfectly fine, and the characters were easy to relate to. Excellent music as well.

Another high point was the acting, with outstanding performances from Gillian Anderson as Lady Deadlock, Charles Dance as Tulkinghorn as Dennis Lawson as Jarndyce. Anna Maxwell Martin while not as impressive as Lawson, Anderson and Dance still turned in a lovely performance. In more secondary roles were Hugo Speer,Nathaniel Parker, Johnny Vegas, Burn Gorman Matthew Kelly and my favourite Allun Armstrong as Inspector Bucket. I loved Phil Davis as Smallweed too.

All in all, a hugely satisfying period drama series, that is possibly the best TV drama of 2005. 10/10 Bethany Cox.

Should have been great, but . . .

[duncanja · 6/10 · 24 September 2021]

The cast and production are first rate, and the script is pretty good, but this version of Bleak House is marred by fancy camera work and editing that call attention to themselves at the expense of the story. Characters are introduced in a disorienting fashion that makes it hard to fit them into the scheme of things-unless you've read the book. Sound cues and handheld camera effects are jarring and anachronistic for a period production. Probably the director made his reputation making rock videos. Just look at the photo that pops up on IMDB. That says it all.

Excellent Dickens adaptation

[didi-5 · 18 November 2005]

Half-way through this version of Charles Dickens' weighty novel seems a good time to comment on it. The BBC have taken the view that, as Bleak House was originally presented to its reading public in short magazine instalments, it is a good idea to present it in half-hour segments twice a week in the soap opera tradition.

Andrew Davies, who has adapted other books before such as Pride and Prejudice and House of Cards, has done an excellent job here - tweaking and inventing as you must to make television drama work, but without losing the context of the piece.

Despite the jarring camera work and bitty scenes, there are some outstanding performances here - Charles Dance as the scheming lawyer Tulkinghorn; Denis Lawson as John Jarndyce, attracted to his ward Esther despite having paid for her upkeep since she was a child; Pauline Collins as Miss Flyte, ever twittering on alongside her caged birds about 'the day of judgement'; Gillian Anderson as Lady Dedlock, who tries to hide her mysterious secret; Johnny Vegas, who fits the character of drunken landlord Krook like a glove; and many others.

There are also witty and perceptive cameos from the likes of Richard Griffiths, Matthew Kelly, and Ian Richardson.

I would have preferred to see hour-long episodes but that is only a small quibble (the other would be the invention of a character - Clamb - who seems to serve no useful purpose). This is an inventive and excellent adaptation; not replacing the classic 1980s version, perhaps, but a worthy companion to it.