Vanity Fair (A&E, 1998)
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Actor: David Ross, Frances Grey, Michele Dotrice, Natasha Little, Philip GlenisterBrand: A&E
Editor: William Diver
Producer: Delia Fine
Producer: Michael Wearing
Producer: Nigel Taylor
Producer: Suzan Harrison
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Box set, Closed-captioned, Color, DVD, Full Screen, NTSC
Picture Format: 1.33:1
Running Time: 300 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2003-03-25
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: A&E Home Video
DVD Reviews of Vanity Fair (A&E, 1998)
DVD Review: Surprised . . . But Not in the Best Way
Summary: 3 Stars
I bought this version of Vanity Fair after reading the reviews and while a bit weary, I decided to give it a go. I mean, it's a BBC production so what can go wrong? I'm not a purist and I've actually never read the book (kudos to everyone that did, looks like some serious reading) so I'm just basing this review purely on the viewing experience.
Overall, the story was, hmmm. . . . not necessarily boring but not "OMG, I can't wait to see what happens next!" (If that makes any sense.) It was more the banter and wit of the dialogue plus a touch of curiosity that kept things interesting enough for me to continue watching rather than the plot. The plot is pretty much a steady case of a girl who attempts to rise in wealth and social status through trial and error. Sounds good, right? Unfortunately, the execution is was a bit of a one-note. Nothing terribly exciting. Natasha Little's conniving and status-hungry Becky Sharp, however, somewhat saves the film by tap dancing on your nerves, which I gather from the other reviews, she's supposed to do. So good acting on Little's part. Naturally, there is a romantic side plot. Not focusing on Becky Sharp, mind you, but that of Becky's very, VERY naive (and that's putting it nicely) friend, Amelia Sedley who is consumed by her love for George Osborne while Osborne's friend, William Dobbin, is secretly in love with her. Personally, I liked this storyline better but I'm more of a romantic so of course, I'll gravitate toward that.
Production-wise, the film seemed more like a glorified stage play. I actually double checked the dvd case to make sure that this was really made in the 90s. Seemed more like an 80s production to me. Also, as some reviewers have already mentioned, the blaring horns are a bit overkill. I kept having to adjust the volume on my TV throughout the movie.
I found myself very fortunate to have purchased this movie in one of those buy and trade movie stores--I would have been very upset if I had paid full price then had to wait this to arrive. But obviously, there are many out there who just love this film so my suggestion is simply to rent this one first then decide on whether you think it's buyable. If it were possible, I would give this film 2.5 stars but considering Little's and Philip Glenister's (Mjr. Dobbin) performances, I'll be generous. Definitely not the caliber of film that I would have expected from BBC.
DVD Review: Cirque du Soleil meets A Clockwork Orange
Summary: 1 Stars
It's beyond me why anyone would rate this disgusting piece of tripe w/five stars. It doesn't even rate one star in my opinion. The acting is admirable but there are things in the miniseries itself which are not, such as showing a woman picking her nose and rolling around the contents between her fingers in the opening scene, an obsession w/slobbering buck teeth on a couple of the men, one of whom literally sucks face w/his new daughter-in-law, freakish makeup on everyone including Becky and that music! my God, that music! If I never hear a trumpet again, it'll be too soon. I actually muted the TV and read the closed captioning so that I could power through to the end. I'm going to start reading the one star reviews first from now on. Had I done so w/this "messterpiece", I could've saved myself a lot of aggravation, nausea and money.DVD Review: The BBC "Vanity Fair", 1998
Summary: 4 Stars
VANITY FAIR
I have just indulged in a rather interesting experiment. While reading Thackeray's novel, I've also been able to watch the six part BBC serialization starring Natasha Little as Becky Sharp. I'll comment on this BBC serial later--but first to the novel itself.
Well, it's a very good novel. Certainly one of the best from the Victorian period which it parodies so beautifully. Becky Sharp is a fine literary creation and the personal embodiment of that "Vanity Fair" which Thackeray, on the one hand, appears to despise so much, while winking at us in happy glee and suggesting "it ain't such a bad place after all" (by gad!)on the other. All the main characters are fully realized and mercilessly exposed in their weaknesses by the unrelenting author.
Becky, as I have said, is the very embodiment of the superficial, and finally worthless, attractions on offer in the pitiless and unrelenting world of "Vanity Fair" which raises people up for a moment, only to mercilessly crush them forever after they have strutted for their little pompous moment on the high society stage. Amelia's Major Dobbin is the only really honourable character in the book--and he is continually trampled over by all the bright young things who want to make their momentary splash in "Vanity Fair". Thackeray describes him as a "spooney" and, indeed, he spends most of the novel as Amelia's platonic lover who dare not ask for more than the little she will give him. Becky Sharp is the real hero, heroine or "anti-heroine" of this novel "without a hero". She manipulates everyone with the most perfect judgement and lives for the joy of Vanity Fair's thousand intrigues. Her husband Rawdon's unexpected escape from a debtor's house and subsequent discovery of his wife making love to the Marquis of Steyne (and his resultant thrashing of that gentleman) is probably the most dramatic moment in the book. However, Becky--if not her husband or the Marquis--is able to move beyond even this catastrophe.
"Vanity Fair" is not without faults for the modern reader. Sometimes Thackeray indulges in page after page of almost nonsensical parody of the contemporary society of his day and this comes across (in the 21st century) as even worse than Swift's most obscure rants in Gulliver's Travels on the Tory/Whig politics of his time. Thankfully, Thackeray doesn't usually detain his reader long in such tedious environs, but soon gets his marvellously readable story moving again.
As I wrote earlier, I have been watching the 1998 BBC adaptation of "Vanity Fair" while actually reading the novel itself--and it's been quite a revealing experience. Of course, one sympathises with the person responsible for making the adaptation. How is it possible to condense the action of more than 800 pages into a 6 hour serial? No doubt it's an impossible task, but I was, mostly, impressed with the beeb's minor success. The adaptation is well done, though it's not without blemish and, most notably, substitutes some of Thackeray's prejudices for several of our own time. For example,(in the novel) Becky's husband, Rawdon, thrashes Lord Steyne with his open hand to make the point that he regards him as a coward and expects to be satisfied in a duel. The beeb substituted a drunken head-butt for this subtle assault--presumably because they thought this was more acceptable to late 20th century British yob culture. Again, the serialization accurately includes a black manservant in the Sedley family. However, he (the black manservant) is given a far larger part in the adaptation than in Thackeray's novel (where, indeed, he is hardly more than a wretched slave). Wouldn't it have been better to simply cut this character out altogether rather than have him purposelessly wandering through (seemingly) every episode full of a somewhat threatening "joie de vivre"? Nevertheless, as I wrote earlier, the adaptation is probably ALMOST as good as it could have been in the circumstances. In particular, Natasha Little is quite enchanting as Rebecca Sharp.
DVD Review: As True to the Book as a Movie is Capable
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this movie to encourage me to read the dauntingly thick novel by William M. Thackeray. Not long into the book written in the typical Victorian over-winded details & drawn-out descriptions & explanations, I was pleasantly surprised at the enthralling nature of the book. The original story in itself became so gripping that I had to stop the movie so that it wouldn't ruin the ending.
This movie was as true to the book as any movie could achieve. Obviously, this 5-hrs movie cannot possibly cover every detail of that illustrious book, however, it touches on all the necessary & crucial points that I believe Thackeray wanted the reader to ponder. For example, the character study of Becky Sharp, the governess who used her talents, wit & cunning to attain social status & to feed the cost of making her appearance in compliance to that status, was such in the novel that kept the reader guessing at the nature of her character. Her pretenses & ulterior motives at the cost of others her superior or inferior can make her out to be quite vile & reprehensible. But then, towards the end, when you think her the worst of vipers, she does something for Amelia (whom she offended early on) that was so sweet & almost redeemable, you want to forgive her. The movie was able to capture these feelings & thoughts that go on while you're reading the text. The book also keeps the reader guessing at just how far Becky stooped to get what she wanted. Was she sleeping around? With whom? When? And the movie preserved this "question" & perpetuates this mystery even at its conclusion. In the book, there was also the suggestion that she had a hand in Jos Sedley's death (Amelia's bumbling brother), which was never explicitly explained, but the movie ended with this woman walking away hand on arm with Mr. Sedley while wearing her usual malicious grin that suggests poor Mr. Sedley to be the unsuspecting lamb being led to the slaughter.
This movie also casted actors & actresses that fit each character perfectly. Each character was exactly how I would like each person to look. Amelia Sedley has a gentle, pale face & quietness that fits her. Jos Sedley her overweight, dopey, nearly cross-eyed brother was comical to behold. George Osborne was tall w/ angular jaws & was handsome which fit the book character well. Major Dobbin's actor portrayed perfectly that serious, contemplative honest man whom the reader & viewer cannot help but love. Rawley, Becky's husband was tall in appearace which the book stressed upon as well, with a handsome, cocky face, who was able to play Rawley the rake, then Rawley the socialite, Rawley the good husband, the good father, & the repentent Rawley, whereby the viewer/reader mourns him for all that he could have been had not his wife been so selfish & cold. Finally, the actress that played Becky was both beautiful & wicked at the same time. Even as the character Becky was pretending to be upset, the actress did an excellent job portraying someone acting/deceiving the other character(s). And her eyes seemed very alert & calculating even as her face exhibited (false) kindness or attention. The other Vanity Fair movie with Reese Witherspoon was so poorly casted that I could barely watch it. And part of the problem was the selection of the cast. Reese's face is far to innocent & guileless to play the serpert, Becky Sharp. And really, do 19th Century gentlemen gel their hair into spikes? Surfer types in Victorian suites just doesn't work.
In conclusion, a great movie to visualize a great book. I urge any Victorian literature enthusiast to read the book too. It's a book that's loaded with social and moral issues that leaves you thinking. And please forego the Vanity Fair movie starring Reese Witherspoon, you'll thank me for it.
DVD Review: vanity fair--
Summary: 3 Stars
The acting was mediocre. The story just wasn't what I wanted it to be. There is a bit of nudity which was unnecessary. I don't know which movie is closer to the book but if I had to pick one I would choose the newest one with Reese Witherspoon. It just had a better and more dramatic ending. The production was a decent one and that is the best I can give it.
Description of Vanity Fair (A&E, 1998)
In a culture obsessed with status becky sharp - beautiful clever adn poor - is determined to earn her place in society. Her childhood friend amelia sedley enjoys the privileges becky lacks little realizing how fickle these blessings can be. Studio: A&e Home Video Release Date: 03/25/2003 Run time: 300 minutes Rating: NrBecky Sharp is "poor and put-upon." She's also "a sharp little minx," a "treacherous little trollop," and "a heartless mother and faithless wife." Yes, there's something about Becky in this impeccable BBC production based on William Makepeace Thackeray's classic novel. It speaks volumes about Thackeray's indomitable heroine and Natasha Little's seductively ingratiating performance that our hearts go out to her even as we eagerly await her comeuppance.
Becky is scorned for her lack of breeding, but as one admirer notes, "she's got pluck." Poised to begin her new job as a governess, Becky's calculated social climbing begins in the home of her friend, the naive Amelia Sedley (Frances Grey), whose father is a wealthy merchant. She immediately makes a play for Amelia's doofus brother, but their budding romance is sabotaged by Amelia's fianc? George Osborne (Tom Ward), an "interfering, officious snob" who doesn't fancy a governess for a sister-in-law. And so it's out into the world, where Becky works her wiles on a gallery of memorable characters, including her lecherous new employer Sir Pitt; his imperious rich sister Miss Crawley (Miriam Margolyes), who takes Becky under her wing; and Pitt's dashing son Rawdon (Nathanial Perker), the first of Becky's misguided sexual entanglements.
Vanity Fair charts in lavish detail Becky's rise in London society and her scandalous downfall. Her story is counterpoint to that of the fair Amelia, who is clueless that her husband is a rake and that his best friend, the loyal, long-suffering Dobbin (Philip Glenistar), is in love with her and is her secret benefactor when times get bad for her bankrupt father. Adapted for the screen by Andrew Davies, who did the honors for the phenomenally successful Pride and Prejudice, Vanity Fair is another addictive miniseries that is the video equivalent of a compulsive page-turner. As yet another fancier remarks, "Well done, Becky Sharp." --Donald Liebenson
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