The Elizabeth Gaskell Collection (Wives and Daughters / Cranford / North and South)
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DVD details
Actor: Daniela Denby-Ashe, Lesley Manville, Richard Armitage, Sinéad Cusack, Tim Pigott-SmithBrand: Warner Brothers
Editor: Kristina Hetherington
Writer: Sue Birtwistle
Writer: Susie Conklin
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Stereo; English (Original Language), Stereo
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, NTSC, Widescreen
Picture Format: 1.66:1
Running Time: 828 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2008-05-20
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: BBC Worldwide
Product features:
- Three BBC miniseries adapted from Mary Gaskellsic novels. Cranford, a market town in the North West of England, is a place governed by etiquette, custom and above all, an intricate network of ladies. It seems that life has always been conducted according to their social rules, but Cranford is on the cusp of change? North & South follows Margaret Hale, the daughter of a middle-class parson who
DVD Reviews of The Elizabeth Gaskell Collection (Wives and Daughters / Cranford / North and South)
DVD Review: Three excellent productions based on Elizabeth Gaskell's works
Summary: 5 Stars
Cranford
Cranford aka the Cranford Chronicles, based on Elizabeth Gaskell's story is a stellar production. It is a lush period drama and is very authentic in its portrayal of people living in a little hamlet called Cranford. The sets are beautiful as are the costumes, and of course the production is elevated to a level of excellence by its impeccable casting.
Writer Heidi Thomas does a wonderful job of adapting Elizabeth Gaskell's story [purportedly based on Gaskell's own hometown] and though liberties are taken, the stellar cast more than makes up for whatever deficiencies there may be in the faithfulness of the adaptation. Dame Eileen Atkins [Miss Deborah Jenkins] and Dame Judi Dench [Miss Matty Jenkins] portray two spinster sisters in 1842 who live in the little town of Cranford. Far from being a quiet little hamlet, this little town hums with activity and village gossips, especially a Miss Pole [Imelda Staunton]who flits around from one hearsay to another, avidly passing on any little nuggets of gossip to the other inhabitants.
Cranford is set aflutter by the arrival of a new doctor, Dr Harrison [Simon Woods] who is young, handsome, single and very much into trying new methods of treatment, to the initial consternation of the townspeople. Dr Harrison finds himself attracted to a beautiful local lass, Sophy [Kimberly Nixon] though he inadvertently attracts the romantic affections of other single women in Cranford.
But the story does not merely focus on romance, as there are other more serious themes underlying the series. For one, there is talk of a railroad being built that would go through Cranford, and disrupt the idyllic life in the village, giving rise to the inevitable battle between modernization and the desire for things to remain unchanged. The local rich lady, Lady Ludlow portrayed by Francesca Annis is very much opposed to change, and not only opposes the railroad but also any form of societal change, such as literacy amongst the lower classes [she refuses to hire a maid who is literate, saying the girl's parents did her a disservice by teaching her to read].
There is also the theme of lost love, death and grief. Miss Matty Jenkins[ Judi Dench] finds herself recounting the tale of her lost love [played by Michael Gambon]. This is what makes Cranford such an engaging viewing experience - the absurd [the story of the cat swallowing an anitque lace and how the lace is retrieved] is interlaced with tales of poignancy and everything unfolds leisurely. It is a tale that we wish will never end, and hope to revisit again and again.
North and South
This production of North and South stays faithful to the novel and has a superior cast - Daniela Denby Ashe plays Margaret Hale who symbolises the 'south' [rural, agricultural] whilst Richard Armitage plays John Thornton who epitomises the industrial north. When Margaret's family moves to the gritty mill town of Millstone, the two leads' paths cross and they engage in a war of words. Margaret initially dislikes the brusque John Thornton, and John in turn is attracted to Margaret's outspoken manner. Though Margaret comes to form a liking for John, both find that there may be insurmountable obstacles barring their path to happiness.
Wives and Daughters
BBC's adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's Wives and Daughters beautifully captures the nuances of family and personal relationships, amidst a Victorian setting. The writing by Andrew Davies [who also gave us Pride and Prejudice with Colin Firth] is excellent as is the casting. Added to this are the gorgeous period authentic costumes, the lush landscape of the English countryside and a beautiful score.
The story centers around young Molly [played to perfection by the talented Justine Waddell] who is the daughter of local doctor Dr Gibson [Bill Patterson]. Both father and daughter are very close but the dynamics of their relationship changes with Dr Gibson's remarriage to the self-absorbed and ludicruous Hyacinth [Francesca Annis]. Molly finds herself chafing under the Victorian strictures imposed by her stepmother, and finds some relief with the arrival of her glamorous step-sister, Cynthia [Keeley Hawes]. Both Molly and Cynthia form a friendship though their personalities are polar opposites. Cynthia is vivacious and a social butterfly, and very aware of her charms and effects on the opposite sex whereas Molly is unassuming and possesses a more natural sort of beauty.
The Hamley brothers, Osborne[Tom Hollander] and Roger [Anthony Howell] add romantic interest and Molly is dismayed by Roger's infatuation with Cynthia, as she herself harbors romantic feelings for him. Meanwhile Squire Hamley [Michael Gambon] plays an ambitious man who wishes to see his sons married into the 'right' family, i.e. with proper connections and wealth. The rest of the story deals with what happens to these young people with some revelations to spice things up!
This is one of my favorite BBC period dramas and Andrew Davies' screenplay is fantastic, bringing to life the intricacies of human relationships set within a Victorian setting.
Conclusion - this DVD set is a value buy for fans of period dramas. I have worn out my older DVDs of North and South and Wives and Daughters and this set is an excellent choice to replace my worn-out discs. Also, fans of period dramas and Elizabeth Gaskell will truly delight in the superior quality of these productions, with great attention to period details, authentic and beautiful costumes, great casting, excellent score for each of the productions and the beautiful depictions of the lush English countrysde.
More The Elizabeth Gaskell Collection (Wives and Daughters / Cranford / North and South) reviews:
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Description of The Elizabeth Gaskell Collection (Wives and Daughters / Cranford / North and South)
Three BBC miniseries adapted from Mary Gaskells classic novels. Cranford, a market town in the North West of England, is a place governed by etiquette, custom and above all, an intricate network of ladies. It seems that life has always been conducted according to their social rules, but Cranford is on the cusp of change? North & South follows Margaret Hale, the daughter of a middle-class parson who uproots the family from rural southern England to start a new life in Milton - a northern mill town in the throes of the industrial revolution. Wives and Daughters is set in a richly portrayed society well-stocked with eccentric nobles and gossipy villagers. The well-ordered world of 17-year-old Molly Gibson becomes complicated when her father, a respected country doctor, remarries after many years of widowhood.DVD Features:
Audio Commentary
Biographies
Deleted Scenes
Documentary
Interviews
Production Notes
Cranford
Adapted from Elizabeth Gaskell's novels, the five-episode miniseries Cranford focuses on female characters in the 19th-century British town to thematically contemplate encroaching modernity in rural England. With the camera roving house to house, each drama within the grander story is constructed of scenes featuring dialogue between several gossipy ladies obsessed with moral code, romantic ideas about courtship, and social occasions. Three main characters, the ever-appropriate Deborah Jenkyns (Eileen Atkins), her sweet sister, Matilda (Judi Dench), and their younger, more savvy relative, Miss Smith (Lisa Dillon), continuously weigh in on situations, providing a dependable view when other ladies, like the nosey Miss Pole (Imelda Staunton) are too judgmental. In fine period dress, the women of Cranford remind the viewer of how little action was needed in their small-town lives to provide unceasing entertainment. The series'most intriguing aspect lies not in the ample female conversation but rather in its display of earlier technologies and ways of life. Part One, for example, quickly launches a main narrative thread that runs throughout the series, namely the arrival and assimilation of London doctor, Frank Harrison (Simon Woods), into village society. Dr. Harrison's medical practices, such as his refusal to amputate a man's arm because it's broken, are all the more radical because they are so fundamental by today's standards. In subsequent episodes, he recommends Miss Smith get spectacles to cure her headaches, and saves his love's life by cooling her fever after conservative doctor, Dr. Morgan (John Bowe), recommends the old school practice of burying her in blankets in front of a raging fire. In Part Two, Lady Ludlow (Francesca Annis) throws a garden party at her estate, treating all the women in their fancy hats to a new novelty: ice cream. This scene foreshadows Ludlow's future concern at a railroad plan involving her land that would connect Cranford to Manchester, symbolizing the ruin of this idyllic setting.
In fact, fluffy and clever as some scenes are, death and rebirth assert themselves in each showing, both physically and idealistically. Part Four shows an auctioning off of a deceased man's antiques, and focuses on issues of class and women's education, as Mr. Carter teaches a peasant boy to read while his assistant fumes at her trappings as a seamstress. Part Five ushers in a new period of medical emergencies, securing Dr. Harrison's shaky position in town. In total, Cranford offers a powerful, if sentimental, look at how death begets life, love, and passion. --Trinie Dalton
North & South
North & South is a splendid, four-hour adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's 19th century novel about an unlikely, and somewhat star-crossed, love between a middle-class young woman from England's cultivated south and an intemperate if misunderstood industrialist in a hardscrabble, northern city. Daniela Denby-Ashe plays Margaret Hale, forthright and strong-willed daughter of a former vicar (Tim Pigott-Smith) who relocates his family from a pastoral village outside London to unforgiving, largely illiterate Milton, a factory town where John Thornton (Richard Armitage) and his mother (Sinead Cusack), survivors of poverty, rule their cotton mill with an iron hand. Thornton befriends Margaret's father but incurs her wrath for his severity with his workers. What she doesn't notice is Thornton's core sense of responsibility for his employees' welfare. On the other hand, he misinterprets some of Margaret's own actions and intentions. Equally stubborn, the two drag out their obvious attraction over many painful months and events.
North & South's two leads are both very good, though Armitage's brooding, penetrating performance may very well be considered a classic one day. There are other wonders in the cast: Cusack and Pigott-Smith are superb, and Brendan Coyle is memorable as a firebrand union organizer who ultimately becomes an ally to a softening Thornton. The miniseries script by Sandy Welch is a persuasive mix of historical context and character study. Brian Percival's direction is full of moments that linger in the imagination, such as the winter-dream look of a busy cotton mill, with thousands of snowy fibers floating in the air. --Tom Keogh
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