House of Cards Trilogy (House of Cards / To Play the King / The Final Cut)
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DVD details
Actor: Alphonsia Emmanuel, Ian Richardson, Malcolm Tierney, Miles Anderson, Susannah HarkerBrand: Warner Brothers
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language)
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 640 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-08-26
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: BBC Warner
DVD Reviews of House of Cards Trilogy (House of Cards / To Play the King / The Final Cut)
DVD Review: Truly excellent
Summary: 5 Stars
I was in my early 20s and living in the UK in the early 1990s when this series is set and it brings back many memories. I had neither seen nor heard of the Trilogy and bought it from Amazon based upon the reviews. It is absolutely superb - acting, plot, atmosphere and true to the times. I recommend it without hesitation, and once I opened the box, I watched all 12 episodes back to back over 5 evenings. Not to be missed!DVD Review: house of cards trilogy
Summary: 5 Stars
Well written and acted British political thriller. Ian Richardson plays the villain with cool aplomb and the ending is a lovely twist.DVD Review: House of Cards Trilogy
Summary: 5 Stars
Terrific acting with a great, great script. If you liked the way "The West Wing" looked at how government works from the inside, you may love this very different, very British story of the machinations of power.DVD Review: Riveting story, fantastic acting
Summary: 5 Stars
A bit dated now, but Ian Richardson's fantastic portrayal of the insidious Francis Urquhart is one for the ages. If you like droll British intrigue, don't miss it.DVD Review: Iron Fist, Velvet Glove, Dear Chaps
Summary: 5 Stars
Anyone who has read the other excellent reviews knows already how fantastically Ian Richardson inhabits the role of Machiavellian prince in this wonderful trilogy (yes, the third disk is the weakest, but that's only in comparison to the first two). Shakespearean (and other literary) allusions are woven beautifully through all three, including of course Richard III, Macbeth, but also extending to other plays like Othello and Troilus and Cressida. This is a brilliant, funny, compelling series.
All I can add is to say that American audiences can too appreciate the sophistication of this drama, which seems in doubt for some of the other reviewers. We may not thrill to the portrayal of the royal family quite as much or get all the nuances of tension between the House of Lords and the House of Commons; but we are not complete dolts.
Description of House of Cards Trilogy (House of Cards / To Play the King / The Final Cut)
Ian Richardson (From Hell, M. Butterfly) leads an all star cast in this malevolent satire of greed, corruption and ambition in the highest realms of government. As Machiavellian monster Francis Urquhart, he schemes and backstabs his way to the top until he is standing on a pile of broken promises, betrayals and the bodies of those who oppose him. Every step of the way, Urquhart lays out his plans with horrifying wit and venomous charm. But the ranks of his enemies are growing, and they intend to bring him down, whatever the price. Brilliantly adapted by Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice, Bridget Jones's Diary), from Michael Dobbs's best-selling novel, this satirical trilogy took home a primetime Emmy, a Peabody, two BAFTAs and a Broadcasting Press Guild Award.Connoisseurs of political chicanery will relish House of Cards, the mordantly funny story of Francis Urquhart (Ian Richardson), a British politician with his eye on the top job. Urquhart is the chief whip of the Conservative Party and his job is to maintain party discipline, or, as he likes to say, "put a bit of stick about." This means that he has intimate knowledge of his colleagues' foibles, knowledge that he uses to further his own political ambitions. Aided by his equally ruthless wife and drawing on a network of accomplices, Urquhart forces the prime minister to resign then sets out to discredit each of his rivals for the party leadership. Although it is strongly cast throughout, House of Cards belongs to Ian Richardson. Without his perfectly balanced performance, Urquhart might have become no more than a two-dimensional villain, but Richardson finds exactly the right tone to make his character as attractive as he is wicked. Thanks to Richardson, and a superb script by Andrew Davies, this brilliant political satire is sure to delight anyone who has wondered what might be going on in the darker corners of our democratic institutions.
In To Play the King, Urquhart appears to have everything he wants. He is the prime minister, he has no immediate rivals, and everyone who knows of his crimes is either on his side or dead. But a new challenge arises when the queen dies and the new king (Michael Kitchen doing a perfect Prince Charles) proves to be a thorn in Urquhart's side. Urquhart may be a staunch defender of the monarchy as a concept, but an individual sovereign is fair game if he proves to be a threat. With a Davies script that pokes fun at British politics and the antics of the royal family as well as a terrific cast led again by Ian Richardson, To Play the King maintains the high standard set by House of Cards.
The Final Cut, the last installment of the trilogy, strikes a more somber note than its predecessors. Urquhart has almost overtaken Margaret Thatcher to become Britain's longest serving postwar leader, but the public is tiring of him and there are rumblings of dissent in the Conservative Party. Urquhart and his wife plot to secure both their place in history and their financial future. Once again, writer Andrew Davies has created a satire to relish, one that confirms all of our doubts about the motives of politicians. Ian Richardson's wonderful performance--filled with sly asides and winks to the camera--makes Francis Urquhart as fascinating as he is wicked, and we find ourselves rooting for this terrible man. The world would certainly be a duller place without him. --Simon Leake
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