I fell across the DVD of this purely accidentally when I was perusing the shelves in our little country library. What a masterpiece! Love Trollope, but haven't read this one yet, so that is a joy in store. I was glued to this - hardly found the energy to go to my day job - and was very rude to anyone who tried to interrupt me. David Suchet is a wonderful actor, as are many of the cast. So nice to see so many of the quality British actors who don't appear in every UK movie to emerge. The mangled accent of Mrs Hertle have been abused enough, let's just say she didn't quite make it. And the Miller won his lass! It was fascinating to see the issues and prejudices of the era handled and brought out into the open, and the ravings of the desperate Melmutte at the end could almost make you sorry for the monster that he was. Ably executed, horribly addictive, and a total pleasure.
Since this review, I have read the book. What a disappointment the DVD is by comparison - obviously the book is nearly 800 pages, so one was expecting cuts, less characters etc, but why was Paul Montague sent to Mexico when he never went in the book, and Ruby Ruggles!! She never did THAT in the book either - and was living with her grandfather, not her father. I understand certain changes, but my argument with major changes is why use the book at all if you wish to write your own story?
A great pity, because this is an excellent production which must have been aimed that those who would never read Trollope.
Since this review, I have read the book. What a disappointment the DVD is by comparison - obviously the book is nearly 800 pages, so one was expecting cuts, less characters etc, but why was Paul Montague sent to Mexico when he never went in the book, and Ruby Ruggles!! She never did THAT in the book either - and was living with her grandfather, not her father. I understand certain changes, but my argument with major changes is why use the book at all if you wish to write your own story?
A great pity, because this is an excellent production which must have been aimed that those who would never read Trollope.