North & South [DVD]

I had been given this box set for Christmas but hadn't had the chance to watch it until a few days ago. I'm not a massive fan of love stories so I put this on with a degree of trepidation, expecting it to be four hours of "I love you" and soppy glances. While there is a romantic undertone to this, it's actually done in a very subtle way which makes this all the more watchable. Enough people have given an indication of the plot so I don't want to go over old ground in that regard. North & South is a very interesting social commentary as well as a love story. It very subtly illustrates the hypocracy of the workers who feel demeaned and shunned by the 'masters', whereas they treat one of their own in a very similar fashion. They complain about the social heirarchy that exists when they are oblivious that they themselves have their own social heirarchy and have ways of dealing with those who don't adhere to the expected behaviour. Margaret Hale is deemed to be haughty, rude, snobbish and patronising towards the northeners, when the northerners demonstrate those same features to her. Margaret may not fit in with the social convention of an industrial town, but she can shift between a natural friendship with the workers and a marginally tolerant, if nothing else initially, relationship with Thornton and his mother. There are no clear good or bad characters in this production, contrary to how they first appear and it's refreshing to see that almost every character has their good and bad side, Margaret also shows she's not entirely clean cut mid way thourgh the series, albeit with good intentions. It's also interesting to see how the concept of the strike was dealt with. Much of this plot centres on the character of John Thornton. While Thornton appears initially to be a brutal, uncaring man we are gradually shown that this is not the case. His character makes no apologies for the tough way he runs his mill however the character is given the opportunity to say "yes, I beat a man in front of you for what you think is a small matter, but here is the reality...". Thornton's character in many ways is the least selfish in this show. He's certainly the most compassionate (if that's a word you could apply to him, he's a complex character) of the masters and his actions, while harsh, serve to protect his workers from unemployment and to look after his family (his mother in particular). The acting is brilliant and I can't say there was a weak link in any of them. While this has given Richard Armitage more than a big stepping stone in his career (easy to see why the females of UK give a collective swoon when he appears on screen in anything now!) much less has been seen from the other characters. I think it's perhaps because Armitage does steal every scene he's in but that's not to say his co-actors don't step up to the mark. Daniela Denby-Ashe is nicely cast as Margaret Hale. I'm not sure how Ms. Denby-Ashe managed to keep a stern "I really don't like you" look at Armitage's character when he's staring at her or trying to befriend her; it's certainly not a look I could maintain for long! She's a likable lead however and pulls Margaret Hale off with seeming ease. I feel a special mention should be given to Jo Joyner as the (very unexpected) comedy foil in this production. Yes, a BBC period drama doing comedy. Joyner plays John's sister Fanny. She's not the most tactful woman on the planet, but it still extremely likeable. Her facial expressions, comments, litte subtle gestures made me smile every time she was on screen. Without some of the physical acting, I'm not sure Fanny would have been such a funny character but I'm glad they decided to give her some depth. All too often period dramas can be overly stiff and formal. Joyner's character gave a nice refreshing edge to this brilliant drama. Finally, a must mention is the setting. While it's fairly obvious that this was filmed primarily in Edinburgh (and how I love my city, so to see it used for this production was wonderful) the recreation of the mills were also beautifully done. To see Thornton walking through the mill, with the fluff everywhere and his workers all silently operating the machinery while the children collect the fluff of the floors, was striking. I had visited New Lanark Mill town several years ago and to see on TV what the mill must have looked like is something else (well worth a visit if you're now interested in this industry/era!). Please give this a go. Gentlemen, even if you're not into 'lovey-dovey' stuff this is still a must watch. My husband has no interest in romances and is only very slightly tolerant of my Richard Armitage crush, but he's watched this and found it fantastic. I think he liked the notion of the struggle to provide for a family both in the worker environment and the masters' environment. He's also interested in trade union and how collctive labour power can draw industry to a halt so please don't disregard this as just a love story. That's a part of it, but it's very subtly done.

Like some of the reviewers on Amazon, I didn't see the film on TV because French TV seldom broadcast British films like Pride and Prejudice and North&South. But luckily for me, I have a strong liking for everything that is English (cinema, literature, theatre and music) and I am always deeply interested in what British TV can produce. I've seen the BBC Pride and Prejudice many times (I've also read the book) I like it -even though my preference goes to the new 2005 movie (sorry, can't help it)- and I am even familiar with Elizabeth Gaskell's work (I've read Mary Barton and I've started reading North&South). So, on reading the positive reviews on Amazon and on the BBC website, I decided to buy it, although I knew little about the whole story. My God, I never imagined that this BBC film could be so good! I can't even describe how I felt when I first watched the first episode except that I became completely hooked and I couldn't stop watching until I knew how it ended. And what an end!!! Wow! Now I can only say that it has even eclipsed the BBC P&P film in my heart. It is more romantic anyway! Everything is perfect, the cast, the setting, the photography (the image of cotton flakes in the mill), the dialogues, the music, the social background. The background definitely adds another interesting layer to the film because you can see both sides, the mill owners' and the workers' and you can see them working. All the characters are marvellous and so likeable. They really make a difference for me because they are down-to-earth, they have depth and there is always a certain dignity about them. We can thank Elizabeth Gaskell for creating such wonderful characters, yet they wouldn't make such an impression in the film if the actors weren't so great. They really got into their parts. Sinead Cusack is a magnificent Mrs Thornton, you may have the impression that this iron lady always controls her emotions but you just look through her and realize that she is not as cold or hard as she seems, especially when you take full measure of the depth of her love for her son. What a great mother she is! And what about Brandon Coyle/ Higgins, I mean, I've just talked about the dignity of the characters, here is a fine example, you just have to look at the face of this union leader to know that he is at heart a good man, even though he is a bit ruthless sometimes. Even jobless or heartbroken, he remains dignified and calls for respect. Jo Joyner as Thornton's sister is a delight, probably the only source of comic relief in the story. And of course, the film wouldn't be so brilliant if there wasn't Daniela Denby-Ashe and Richard Armitage in the parts of Margaret and Mr Thornton. Daniela portrays both the vulnerability and the strength of the heroine very well. As for Thornton, oh, God, What a man! I fell in love with this fascinating character. Of course, Richard Armitage is already so charismatic that you can't take your eyes off him. But the actor is especially fantastic because he makes the character so alive on screen. He is Thornton! I can't believe I am saying that but `forget Darcy, Thornton is so much better'. I mean the man is so dedicated to his work, -and contrary to Darcy, he has known poverty and he has had to fight back-that I can't help being impressed. Out of nothing but using his wits, he has been able to run a fine business and when we first meet him, he is a well-off and powerful mill owner. His position in society makes him arrogant and brutal, yet, he remains fair with his workers and, thanks to Margaret, becomes more aware of the living conditions of the working class. So here you have strength, intelligence and integrity in one man; and, at the same time, his love for Margaret makes him completely vulnerable. Oh, the way he looks at her! (sigh) It is incredible what the two actors can produce on screen. In the proposal scene, the interaction between them is really intense. There is so much passion on their faces and in the way they respond to each other that it is breathtaking. I was really shaking inside. (I always feel a bit frustrated by the BBC P&P, although the actors are excellent, because the film sticks too much to the book. And I wish that we could see more touching of hands or more signs of passion between Firth and Ehle. Thankfully, here, the film, North &South, is not completely faithful to the book especially concerning the dialogues and so they have more impact in the film. The ending scene, in particular is so beautiful that it always brings tears to my eyes. Is it due to R. Armitage's magnetism on screen or to the tenderness that is palpable between them when they talk or when they look at each other or to the way they touch each other's hands with the sweet music behind? I can't tell. All I can tell is that Mr Thornton and Margaret Hale have become as dear to me as Mr Darcy and Elizabeth Bennet! Enjoy! This is a jewel!

This 2004 BBC adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's "North and South" now ranks as one of my all-time favorite period dramas, up there with 1995's Pride and Prejudice (Restored Edition) and Cranford: The Collection (Cranford / Return to Cranford) , among others. Interesting to note that all three BBC adaptations of Gaskell's works, i.e. Wives and Daughters , as well as "Cranford" and "North and South" are all stellar productions. Being a great fan of British period dramas, I am surprised it took me this long to discover "North and South". The story of "North and South" is both a love story as well as a story of class and industrialization. Margaret Hale (portrayed by the beautiful Daniela Denby-Ashe) is the lovely daughter of a clergyman, Richard (Tim Piggot-Smith) and his wife, Maria (Lesley Manville who also played Mrs. Rose in "Cranford"). When her father breaks with the church over an issue of conscience, Margaret is forced to uproot from the idyllic southern town of Halston in Hampshire and move to the industrial town of Milton in Northern England. There the Hale family try to adjust - father Richard finds a job as a tutor and teacher, but mother Maria and Margaret find it more difficult to come to terms with the customs of the Northerners who seem a much coarser lot than the genteel Southerners. Plain speaking and independent-minded Margaret chafes at the strictures placed upon her sex and also comes to learn about the inequalities between the working classes and the mill owners. This sets the stage for the clash between John Thornton (Richard Armitage in a magnificent performance), owner of a cotton mill and Margaret, whose first impression of Thornton is of a cruel and insensitive man who treats his employees abysmally. Sparks soon fly between the two though it is Thornton who feels the initial strong attraction to Margaret. Margaret is too overcome by her first impressions to really feel much for Thornton, and her developing friendship with a young mill worker and her father, Nicholas (played by pre-Downton Abbey's Brendan Coyle) further fractures the fragile relationship between Thornton and Margaret (Thornton becomes Richard's pupil, studying the classics and the two men form an affectionate friendship, despite Margaret's animosity towards Thornton). When Nicholas becomes a union leader, calling for a strike at all the cotton mills to fight for a raise and better working conditions, Thornton and Margaret clash even more. Richard Armitage's performance as the brooding, proud cotton mill owner John Thornton reminded me of both Mr. Darcy of Pride and Prejudice and Mr. Edward Rochester of Jane Eyre (Signet Classics) . Armitage delivers a credible and magnetic performance and the natural chemistry between Armitage and Daniela Denby-Ashe makes for riveting viewing! I could not take my eyes off the screen, especially when these two were engaged in heated conversation. There's so many layers to this wonderfully-written production. There's romance, family tensions, class and gender issues, and many more. All of these are masterfully weaved into a production that not only looks beautiful (with a haunting score to boot) but also flows seamlessly. I watched all four episodes (Prime members get free streaming) in one sitting and plan to re-watch it again. There's much to savor here, and the love/hate relationship between Thornton and Margaret Hale anchors the story, making for a compelling and engaging viewing experience. This is truly a wonderful production and I am purchasing the DVD to add to my period drama collection.

Super série, dans la veine des Jane Austen, je recommande le livre aussi pour les fans

Ha sido un placer ver esta serie en su idioma original y con subtítulos en inglés (sólo en inglés, no en otros idiomas). Me ha permitido constatar que la versión en castellano que ya conocía está desgraciadamente incompleta, tijereteada y amputada en su metraje original, aquí y allá, con supresión de escenas que en algunos casos rondan el minuto de duración. El resultado de esta rapiña inadmisible es que en cada uno de los cuatro episodios desaparecen en la versión castellana unos 5 minutos de media, lo que supone un total de 20 minutos recortados. Ya digo: inadmisible amputación en la versión castellana. Ahora, tras haber visto la versión completa, se entienden mejor algunas cosas que resultaban algo enigmáticas cuando contemplaba la versión castellana menoscabada. Como la de la flor que Thornton entrega a Margaret casi al final de la serie y que revela que ha estado en Helstone. En cuanto a los extras, incluyen las escenas total o parcialmente suprimidas en el montaje final y una entrevista con Richard Armitage, el protagonista masculino. Como siempre con los extras, se pueden pedir más cosas, pero éstas no están mal. La contrastada calidad de la BBC ha conseguido una excelente plasmación en imágenes de una de mis novelas favoritas. ¡Cómo no ponerle las 5 estrellas!

This series is one of the best I have ever seen. Richard Armitage could do no wrong. He was born to become Mr. Thornton. I thought that 'Margaret' spent far too much time with Higgins. A nice Southern girl would not have done that. And I was really surprised to see Margaret give Higgins a kiss as she was leaving Milton (even though it was just on the cheek). A solid friendship between the two characters would be most unusual, let alone kissing. I wasn't really sure of Margaret's affection for Thornton until she kissed Mr. Thornton's hand at the Station, which led to one of the most romantic scenes I have ever seen. I think I have watched the ending over 50 times already. Mr. Thornton sure knows how to kiss and I hope Margaret regrets what she has been missing over the length of this film. Buying North & South from Amazon is one of the best purchases I have ever made. Are there any other films that are as good as North & South? I would appreciate hearing about them. Well....here I go to watch this film again.

アメリカ人の友人におすすめのperiod dramaを聞いたところ、Larkrise to Candleford、Cranford and Return to Cranford、Wives and DaughtersとこのNorth and Southを教えてくれました。 テーマ曲がどこか懐かしいような愁いを帯びた曲で、Downton Abbeyのように耳に残ります。映像もとても繊細で美しく、登場人物も地位や立場の違いが分かり易く、また、専門的な言葉などを除けば、英語字幕をチラ見しながら楽しめる内容です。 Richard Armitageの初登場シーンでは、彼の目力に思わず息をのみました。出世作と言われるだけの演技です。 Pride and Prejudiceと比べられることが多いようですが、概要は似ていると思いますが。 吹き替え版の仕上がり具合が分かりませんが、よほど英語を聞くのも見るのも嫌という人でもない限り、英語版でご覧になるといいと思います。流石に通しで見るのはきついので1話ずつ見ましたが、結局、続きが見たくて飲み物を用意してトイレ休憩をはさんだ他は、ほぼぶっ通しでした。