Six Wives of Henry VIII / Elizabeth R (1972) Review

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(More customer reviews)THE SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII *****
This is a series of six individual plays that focuses upon each of the six wives of King Henry VIII of England. Written by six different playwrights, they are uniformly excellent. While the production values are not high, that is because these plays were part of a televised series for which there were budgetary constraints. Although the makeup is noticable, the sets are uninspired, and the lighting is harsh, the costumes, however, are gorgeous. More important, the acting is superb.
King Henry VIII is played to perfection by Keith Mitchell. He has set the standard by which all others in the part will be judged, and he is the linchpin around whom the entire series revolves. He plays the young, athletic, erudite, golden king in the first tape, and the viewer watches him age and deteriorate throughout the entire series, until he finally becomes the sore riddled, morbidly obese, self absorbed, tyrannical hulk of his later years.
Each one of the six wives has her own unique story. The plays tell that story, each a first rate drama unto itself that segues into the next one seamlessly. All the queens are portrayed by very talented thespians, and the supporting cast is superlative. All in all, this series provides a fully absorbing historical drama that should not be missed. It is through the story of each of the wives that one is able to see England transform itself from a catholic country to a protestant one. It also provides a birdseye view of the political intrigues that fueled the Reformation.
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ELIZABETH R *****
This Masterpiece Theatre, six play series of the reign of Queen Elizabeth I of England is magnificent. Written by six different playwrights, they are uniformly excellent. Glenda Jackson reigns supreme in the role of Elizabeth I.
While the production values are not high, that is because these plays were part of a televised series for which there were budgetary constraints. The shift from indoor sets to outdoor scenes is awkward, as it entails a switch from tape to film. The stage makeup is noticeable, as the lighting is harsh and glaring. Although the sets are a stark and dreary backdrop, the costumes are sumptuous and gorgeous. More important, the acting is, at all times, superlative.
Elizabeth I is played to perfection by Glenda Jackson. She has set the standard by which all others who seek to reprise this role will be judged, and she is the linchpin around which the entire six play series revolves. She begins the series playing Elizabeth as the young woman who would be queen, waiting upon the whims of her sister, the Queen Mary, and trying to survive the political intrigues and plots which surround her and threaten her very existence. The threat dissipates upon Mary's death, though it never disappears, and she becomes Queen of her beloved England.
As the series progresses, one sees her mature and resist the overtures and attentions of would be husbands, preferring, instead, to be married to England. One sees the development of her political and diplomatic acumen, as she sublimates her personal desires to become the greatest monarch, male or female, England has ever known, The Virgin Queen.
Each one of the plays has its own unique story to tell about Elizabeth and is a first rate drama that segues seamlessly into the next. The supporting cast is superb. All in all, this series provides a fully absorbing, historically accurate drama. It is through Ms. Jackson's insightful and commanding performance that one is able to understand why Elizabeth I was responsible for ushering in England's golden age.

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SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII: Over the course of six plays the life of Henry VIII and his six wives is told. Keith Michell plays the former monarch.ELIZABETH R: A masterful dramatization of the 45-year reign of Elizabeth I produced by the BBC. Nine hour-long episodes chronicle the British monarch\'s affairs of state and affairs of the heart. Beginning with her ascendance to the throne Elizabeth I challenged the status quo not least by her refusal to marry. Heavily researched and gloriously designed ELIZABETH R is considered by many to be the most factual representation of the life of this truly unique queen.Format: DVD MOVIE Genre:DRAMA Rating:NR UPC:794051256423 Manufacturer No:E2564

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Masterpiece Theater: Bertie & Elizabeth Review

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(More customer reviews)Bertie and Elizabeth is the story of the courtship and marriage of Prince Albert, Duke of York and second son of King George V, and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon. This has historical significance in that Bertie and Elizabeth became King George VI and Queen Elizabeth in December 1936 upon the abdication of Bertie's older brother King Edward VIII, who became Duke of Windsor. George VI and his Queen led the British monarchy through World War II and the beginning of the dissolution of the British Empire before the King died in his sleep in 1952.
The first segments of this story are well done but a bit thin in historical detail. I would like to have seen more of the difficult relations between Bertie and his parents, and I feel personally that the character of Edward VIII was drawn to be crueler than he deserved. (While there is no doubt that the Duke of Windsor was self-absorbed, he was kinder to his siblings, particularly Bertie and his stuttering problems, than this film depicts.) I also think Elizabeth's character comes off as superficial too much of the time, and that Wallis Simpson is made out to be far nastier than she deserves (I don't have much use for the Duchess of Windsor, but most of her missteps were out of ignorance rather than malevolence.) I enjoyed the scenes showing Elizabeth's working to help her husband overcome his stammer, though I rather doubt they really spent much time on the floor of the doctor's office.
The Abdication scenes and the early years of George VI's reign are well done, particularly the Royal Visit to President Roosevelt in 1939, but things get skimpy again in the World War II years. I don't understand why Elizabeth's famous comment that she could at last look the East End in the face after Buckingham Palace was bombed was left out. I also don't quite see the point of spending so much time focussed on Queen Wilhelmina of the Netherlands and her wartime travails. Some of the characterizations of generals and politicians are very well done indeed, particularly Montgomery and Churchill. (Its nice to be reminded of Churchill's sense of humor!!) The last few segments showing the King's final years are also nice. Queen Mary's shocked reactions are used to good effect to emphasize the advent of change in the late 1940s with the election of a Labour Government. (Clement Attlee is also very well done.) I also thought Elizabeth Dermot Walsh's portrayal of Princess Elizabeth (the present Queen) as a cool headed pragmatist extremely well done.
My only real disappointment with this film is that it is too short. A six hour mini series would have covered the period with far more detail and historical accuracy. But this film does reveal the humanity and courage of a King who did his duty and of the Queen who loved and supported him. Its a nice reminder these Windsor-bashing days.

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Wars, kings, and politicians come and go, but love endures in Bertie & Elizabeth, the story of one of the most enchanting and successful marriages in the annals of royal relationships.Albert, the Duke of York, was a quiet young man second in line to the throne when he met Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon, a beautiful and fun-loving young woman from an aristocratic Scottish family.Married in 1923, they expected to lead a life of genteel obscurity when they were suddenly thrust into the limelight in 1936 when Bertie's older brother, Edward VIII, created an international scandal when he abdicated to marry the twice-divorced American socialite Wallis Simpson.Shy, modest, and a habitual stutterer, Bertie was crowned George VI just as his country faced the onslaught of World War II.With the help of his devoted wife, and their daughters Elizabeth and Margaret, Bertie was able to rise magnificently to the challenges of being king, and together they inspired a nation soon embroiled in a horrific world war.James Wilby (Gosford Park) and Juliet Aubrey (Middlemarch) portray the reluctant royals who became the beloved king and queen of England.

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The Trojan Women (1971) Review

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(More customer reviews)Ancient Greek plays with all their dramatic devices and often an emphasis on static speeches by the actors and the chorus often do not translate well to the screen. Euripides' "The Trojan Women," however, is an exception to the rule. What makes this production work is the fine acting by most of the performers as well as the beautiful language, though in translation, of Euripides.
The plot is simple and straight forward. Queen Hecuba (Katharine Hepburn), her now crazed daughter Cassandra (Genevieve Bujold), her daughter-in-law Andromache (Vanessa Redgrave) and a host of other Trojan women are now at the mercy of the Greek victors. The play builds as one catastrophe after another befalls these women. Cassanda will be the wife of Agammemnon, Andromache will go with the son of Achilles, and Hecuba will become the slave of Odysseus-- or as Hecuba so aptly puts it, "Anguish heaped upon anguish."
The Greek chorus-- or in this instance I suppose we must call them the "Trojan Chorus" works well. Irene Papas plays a different sort of Helen than we see through other writers' eyes. Here she is unbowed, even as she awaits her fate from the hands of her wronged husband Menelaus. In a quite wonderful scene, after Helen has made her pitch to him to spare her life, Hecuba delivers the great lines: "Kill her, Menelaus." Ms. Hepburn has a lot of such passages. I remember from having seen the movie when it was released in 1971 her lines: "Kindness unwanted is unkindness."
The theme is obvious. Wars always hurt the women and children most-- Andromache's son almost steals the movie, by the way-- and while the weaponry and locales may change, war in 2005 is not that much different than it ever was, a sad, sobering thought.

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The Six Wives of Henry VIII - Complete Set (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)This review refers to DVD Complete Set(BBC/BFS Video) of "The Six Wives of Henry VIII"(3 discs).....
This classic BBC television series from 1970 is an outstanding production of 6 plays, all by different authors, depiciting the relationship Henry VIII had with each of his 6 wives.It's an entertaining and enlighting look at the monarch, played exquisitely from his youth to his sickly old age by Keith Michell.The six very different women, most of whom meet with a tragic ending are also portrayed brillantly by the actresses and will draw you into their joys and fears at being the Queen of England.
Catherine of Aragon(Annette Crosbie), Ann Boleyn(Dorothy Tutin), Jane Seymour(Anne Stallybrass), Anne of Cleves(Elvi Hale),Catherine Howard(Anglea Pleasence) and Catherine Parr(Rosalie Crutchley),were all picked to serve a purpose for the Royal Court. Some served useful in forming political alliances, and some in gaining favors for social climbers in the court. But to Henry....They were there to provide him with sons..heirs to the throne..and God help them if they didn't.
The production is wonderful. The costumes, make up, each play beautifully written, and the majestic performances will have you enthralled with each story and hanging on every word.The authentic look at this Royal soap opera is one any student of European history, or anyone who loves stories about Kings and Queens would be thrilled with.It is a five star performance.
The DVD did not get the kingly treatment it deserved.Although there is nothing about it that will interfere with your enjoyment of this treasure, it is very dated. The costumes and magnificent jewelry need to be brightned up, the outdoor scenes are a bit grainy, and the sound(although clear and distinguishable) is a very low recording.The price is a little high considering what this could look and sound like on DVD with a restoration.So 4 stars for the package.
It is absolutly worth the view and worth owning though.Unless a new edition comes along(this edition was released July, 2000), I would suggest to check with the sellers here, the prices seem much more reasonable.(I got a great deal at about half the price).
You may lose your head over this one.....enjoy...Laurie
also recommended:
Edward the Seventh(PAL edition)
or
Edward the King(region 1)

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Few television series have attracted as much critical and public acclaim as these six triumphant plays, now preserved on video. Written by six different authors, each play is a lavish and authentic dramatisation, produced with style and quality. Binding them together with his magnetic and dignified performance as the mighty monarch is Keith Michell--the definitive Henry VIII.

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The Six Wives of Henry VIII (1970) Review

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(More customer reviews)This review refers to DVD Complete Set(BBC/BFS Video) of "The Six Wives of Henry VIII"(3 discs).....
This classic BBC television series from 1970 is an outstanding production of 6 plays, all by different authors, depiciting the relationship Henry VIII had with each of his 6 wives.It's an entertaining and enlighting look at the monarch, played exquisitely from his youth to his sickly old age by Keith Michell.The six very different women, most of whom meet with a tragic ending are also portrayed brillantly by the actresses and will draw you into their joys and fears at being the Queen of England.
Catherine of Aragon(Annette Crosbie), Ann Boleyn(Dorothy Tutin), Jane Seymour(Anne Stallybrass), Anne of Cleves(Elvi Hale),Catherine Howard(Anglea Pleasence) and Catherine Parr(Rosalie Crutchley),were all picked to serve a purpose for the Royal Court. Some served useful in forming political alliances, and some in gaining favors for social climbers in the court. But to Henry....They were there to provide him with sons..heirs to the throne..and God help them if they didn't.
The production is wonderful. The costumes, make up, each play beautifully written, and the majestic performances will have you enthralled with each story and hanging on every word.The authentic look at this Royal soap opera is one any student of European history, or anyone who loves stories about Kings and Queens would be thrilled with.It is a five star performance.
The DVD did not get the kingly treatment it deserved.Although there is nothing about it that will interfere with your enjoyment of this treasure, it is very dated. The costumes and magnificent jewelry need to be brightned up, the outdoor scenes are a bit grainy, and the sound(although clear and distinguishable) is a very low recording.The price is a little high considering what this could look and sound like on DVD with a restoration.So 4 stars for the package.
It is absolutly worth the view and worth owning though.Unless a new edition comes along(this edition was released July, 2000), I would suggest to check with the sellers here, the prices seem much more reasonable.(I got a great deal at about half the price).
You may lose your head over this one.....enjoy...Laurie
also recommended:
Edward the Seventh(PAL edition)
or
Edward the King(region 1)

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SIX WIVES OF HENRY VIII - DVD Movie

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Lord Mountbatten - The Last Viceroy (2006) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a splendid 6 part mini-series centering around the end of British rule in India and Lord Mountbatten's role in it. It's a superb production which successfully evokes the splendour of the last days of the British Raj followed by the turmoil and bloodbath of post-independence India. The splendour was deliberate. Mountbatten was adamant that the British would not just slink away. He saw what a monumental occasion this was. As he summed up in a private toast with his wife, this was about "the birth of India and the death of the British Empire."
The series covers the year immediately preceeding Independence and the year after, effectively Mountbatten's tenure on the sub-continent, as the last Viceroy and then the first Governor-General of India (1946-1948). There is an excellent all-round cast, even with non-Indians playing the major roles - Ian Richardson painted brown as Nehru and a similarly tanned Vladek Sheybal, a Pole by birth, as his arch nemesis Jinnah. History is decidedly seen from the British, or more precisely Mountbatten's, perspective. He and Nehru were close, his wife and Nehru closer still. That intimacy is alluded to very pointedly here. The villain of the piece, as the Amazon reviewer has stated, is clearly Muhammad Ali Jinnah, head of the Muslim League and the founder of Pakistan. Jinnah was someone Mountbatten couldn't get close to and didn't trust and he is portrayed here as a slithery snake who schemed and slimed his way towards the painful partition of India and the forced migration of some 14 million people, plus the deaths of up to a million Hindus and Muslims who had to flee to "their" side of the border - ethnic cleansing the likes of which dwarf that seen during the more recent Balkans conflict.
Such was their friendship that Nehru extended a personal invitation for Mountbatten to stay on as the First Governor-General of independant India. Jinnah on his part immediately installed himself as Governor-General of Pakistan. The series paints Jinnah as the instigator and behind-the-scenes manipulator of the Kashmir conflict which sparked off 2 full scale wars and remains unresolved to this day.
The series devotes equal time to both pre and post Independence India, the first 3 episodes revolving around the negotiations with the various factions (Hindus, Muslims, Sikhs and the Princely States) preceeding Independence, and the last 3 episodes chronicling the bloodbath that followed partition and the short-lived Dominion of India with Mountbatten as Governor-General before it achieved full republic status in 1950. The series ends with Mountbatten's farewell to India in 1948, including Nehru's touching farewell speech in which he makes plain his love for Lady Mountbatten and his final toast, "We will remember you... forever." As a reward for the successful transition to Indian independence, Mountbatten was finally granted an Earldom. He was made 1st Earl Mountbatten of Burma, a title that was passed on to his eldest daughter upon his death in 1979. This was also in recompense for his having renounced his royal titles (he was the grandson of Queen Victoria and he was born Prince Louis of Battenberg) at the request of the Royal Family during the anti-German hysteria of the First World War.
Mention should also be made of the score written by John Scott, especially of the stirring opening theme which is very reminiscent of Elgar's Pomp and Circumstance Marches (the Fourth March in particular), which capture in music the splendour that was once the British Empire.
What a shame that this series has been released by Acorn Media. Acorn has a checkered history with regards to DVD quality, their transfers of newer productions looking pretty good but with older series fairing rather poorly. Unfortunately Mountbatten falls into the latter category. Your heart sinks at the opening credits, as the blurry looking Union Jack flutters under the orange glow of the setting sun. It looks like a mediocre VHS tape recording. The picture is soft and blurry, the colours which should have been resplendent (the brilliant crimsons of the Imperial troops, the lush greenery of the countryside) all look drab, dingy and lifeless. Quality improves slightly as the film progresses but not by much. Thankfully the later episodes do improve quite a bit especially at the end. By and large it's a disappointing transfer. It's hard to believe that this production actually dates from 1985. There are 1960s sitcoms that look in better shape than this. One can only hope that another company buys the rights to this series and gives it the proper restoration and remastering that it deserves.

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A great grandson of Queen Victoria, nephew of the Tsar, and cousin of the Prince of Wales, Lord Louis Mountbatten had proven his mettle as Supreme Allied Commander in Southeast Asia during World War II. But his toughest mission came after the war, when British Prime Minister Attlee tapped Mountbatten to oversee India’s transition to self-rule. This Emmy®-winning Masterpiece Theatre classic portrays the human drama behind the history. As blood runs in the streets, Mountbatten (Nicol Williamson) becomes the go-between for the charismatic leaders at the heart of the struggle: the Congress Party’s Pandit Nehru (Ian Richardson) and Sardar Patel (A.K. Hangal), the Muslim League’s Ali Jinnah (Vladek Sheybal), and the father of independent India, Mahatma Gandhi (Sam Dastor). The task is daunting, but the blue-blooded Englishman and his compassionate wife (Janet Suzman) soldier on, ending 200 years of British rule in India.

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Edward & Mrs. Simpson (1980) Review

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(More customer reviews)This production, in my view, is one of the glories of Masterpiece Theater. The acting is excellent, from the leads to the extras. The story is fascinating, especially if you like peeking at the lives of royalty and the upper crust. Every pound Thames Television put into the show is visible; the settings are authentic or look it; the costumes appear bespoke, as they say; and everyone's manners are immaculate, even if what they do isn't.
It's the story of the affair between Edward, Prince of Wales, later Edward VIII, and Wallis Warfield Simpson, an American twice-married divorcee. It starts just before he meets her and ends shortly after he abdicates the British throne to marry "the woman I love." He became the Duke of Windsor and she his Duchess. It was probably the biggest story of its time. The program runs for six 60 minute installments. Because of the style, the acting and the story of these two people, who are so self-indulgent and so obtuse (on his part) and so calculating and brittle (on her part), it never seems boring.
Edward, played by Edward Fox, is a man of great charm and handsome appearance, a man girls swoon over and men wish to be like. He's also privileged, unselfconsciously selfish and not really too bright. He's a man who seems most comfortable with older women, women who can cosset and coo over him. His mistresses have all been older and married. Edward Fox, a fine actor, is wonderful in the part. (For those who might not recognize his name, he was the Jackal in The Day of the Jackal). Wallis, played by Cynthia Harris, is a woman who can seem hard and even scheming, but who also has some vulnerability about her that makes her at least somewhat sympathetic.
Among the fine cast is Nigel Hawthorne as Walter Monckton, one of Edward's loyal but realistic counsellors; Cherie Lunghi as Lady Thelma Furness, a mistress Edward casts off by simply telling his switchboard not to accept anymore of her calls; David Waller as Stanley Baldwin, the shrewd prime minister; and Jessie Mathews as Wallis' Aunt Bessie Merryman, all pink and plump and powdered...and keen-eyed. (Mathews in the Thirties was the toast of the London stage, singing and dancing in a number of musicals. She introduced Rodgers and Hart's "Dancing on the Ceiling.")
If you like Masterpiece Theater or similar shows, I think you'll like this program very much. The DVD picture is very good. Unfortunately, there is only one extra, A&E's Biography of Wallis Simpson. Not even any cast bios.

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On the evening of December 11, 1936, England's King Edward VIII formally broadcast his farewell to a nation. Torn between duty and love, he had decided to follow his heart. A powerful fairytale made all the more compelling because it actually happened, EDWARD & MRS. SIMPSON captures the unforgettable romance that develops between the Prince of Wales and an extraordinary American woman named Wallis Simpson. That she is already married and believed to have had previous affairs ruffles more than a few feathers. The scandal heats up when the Prince becomes King and declares his intention to marry his mistress, who has since divorced and become quite available. A critically acclaimed British mini-series from 1978 finally available on DVD, EDWARD & MRS. SIMPSON features seven episodes shot in sumptuous period detail and stars Edward Fox (Gandhi, A Passage to India) and Cynthia Harris (Mad About You, Three Men and a Baby). DVD Features: "Wallis Simpson" Episode From A&E's Award-Winning Series BIOGRAPHY; Interactive Menus; Scene Selection

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Fall of Eagles Review

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(More customer reviews)Fall of Eagles is another of those wonderful BBC serial dramas from the 1970s, with elaborate costumes, highly literate scripts, and an attention to detail which is rarely found in these less patient times. In 13 episodes, this is the story of the last sixty years or so of the great Hapsburg, Hohenzollern, and Romanov dynasties. There is a large cast which includes many faces familiar to fans of Masterpiece Theater in the 1970s and early 1980s. This series was first shown on the BBC in 1974, then on PBS in the late 1970s, and then in severely edited form on TBS and Bravo in the 1980s. The episodes tend to be heavy on dialogue and light on action, but the scripts draw heavily from speeches, conversations, letters and diary entries of the various characters, providing an abundance of rich historical detail.
Since it has been so long since the series has been seen in its entirety, here is a brief summary of each episode:
1. Death Waltz. Dealing with the early years of the marriage of Emperor Franz Josef of Austria and his beautiful young wife Elisabeth, this episode provides a good contrast between the absolutism of the Austrian court and the rise of European liberalism and the growing nationalism of ethnic groups like the Hungarians.
2. The English Princess. This chronicles the difficulties faced by Victoria, Princess Royal of England. The eldest daughter of Queen Victoria and Prince Albert, Vicky had been raised by her father to be a voice for constitutional government and liberalism. After Vicky married Frederick, Crown Prince of Prussia in 1858, she clashed repeatedly with the Prussian government over its plans to force the unification of Germany as an absolute monarchy. Very good performance by Curt Jurgens as Otto von Bismarck.
3.The Honest Broker. Continuing the German story line, this episode focusses on Bismarck after his successful unification efforts, particularly on his alienation of Vicky and Fritz's son Willy from his parents. After Willy becomes Kaiser William II, he then turns the tables on Bismarck and fires him, allowing for a very nice "I told you so" scene between Vicky and Bismarck at the end.
4. Requiem for a Crown Prince. Returning to Austria, this is the story of the Mayerling tragedy, in which Crown Prince Rudolf first murdered his teenage mistress and then shot himself. This episode is filmed as a crime drama, with dates and times repeatedly flashing on the screen as we see the murder/suicide first discovered, then covered up.
5. The Last Tsar. Here we have the story of Nicholas II as a playboy tsarevich who cavorts with a ballerina while courting a shy German princess named Alix. Nicholas finally convinces Alix to accept his proposals and change her religion to Orthodoxy and her name to Alexandra. This episode contains one of my favorite lines: When one of Queen Victoria's granddaughters asks if it is a good idea for first cousins to marry each other, the old Queen regally proclaims "The same blood only adds to the strength!" (This is a verbatim quote from one of the Queen's letters, by the way.) This episode ends with the death of Tsar Alexander III, Nicholas' father.
6. Absolute Beginners. This is the least "royal" episode. It concentrates on Lenin's rise to power within the Russian Marxist movement and his creation of the Bolshevik party. Some of the discussions drag a bit, and its not really clear what divides Bolshevik from Menshevik from Social Democrat from Social Revolutionary, but this episode does give a good idea of Lenin's energy, charm, and utter ruthlessness.
7. Dearest Nicky. Kaiser William II bombards Nicholas II with endless letters of advice and appallingly ugly paintings during the first years of the Tsar's reign. We get a good picture of Nicholas' fatalism and lack of initiative, and of Empress Alexandra's resolve to maintain the absolute monarchy and block any reforms within Russia. The scenes showing Nicholas and Alexandra's misery over their son and heir's hemophilia are particularly well done.
8. The Appointment. Another Russian story, set in the period after the 1905 Revolution and the establishment of a semi-constitutional monarchy. The main character is a double agent who simultaneously deals with the revolutionaries and the Tsar and the Empress, weakening reform efforts and increasing the instability. There's a particularly fine scene showing Alexandra interviewing the double agent while an orchestra plays "I am a Courtier" from Gilbert and Sullivan.
9. Dress Rehearsal. This deals with the Balkan Crisis of 1908, which nearly started World War I six years early. The diplomatic machinations and double crosses are well portrayed. There are some nice scenes showing King Edward VII of England visiting Nicholas and Alexandra and otherwise playing a pivotal part in helping to prevent conflict.
10. Indian Summer of an Emperor. The least well done episode, focussing on Franz Josef in the summer of 1914. This mainly consists of a series of discussions before and after the Sarajevo assassinations and is meant to illustrate the diplomatic missteps which led to war, but it tends to be tedious. There are some charming scenes showing Franz Josef with his platonic lady friend Katharina von Schratt, whom he visited every morning for coffee and conversation.
11. Tell the King the Sky is Falling. The best episode, depicting Russia during World War I as the few competent leaders try to convince Nicholas to make reforms before its too late. Gregory Rasputin is well played both as lecher and as holy man. There's a particularly strong performance by Rosalie Crutchley as Grand Duchess Marie Pavlovna, aunt of the Tsar and the most domineering of all the Romanovs.
12. The Secret War. Here we see the February Revolution that overthrows the Tsar and the subsequent negotiations between various Russian revolutionary/Marxist groups and the German government, leading to Lenin's triumphant return to Russia and his seizure of power in the October Revolution. Kaiser William II is allowed to be uncharacteristically cautious in warning his ministers not to trust the Bolsheviks.
13. End Game. The final episode, concentrating on the fall of the German monarchy and the last months of World War I. The increasing desperation of the German High Command is well depicted. My favorite scene shows the Kaiser with his wife, talking about their now estranged/dead British and Russian relations, with the German Empress breaking into tears when talking about the Tsar and Empress, saying "Why did they shoot the children? They didn't have to shoot the children!" over and over.
This is a fine series with some excellent moments. If you're not familiar with late nineteenth century/early twentieth century royal European history some of the episodes might be confusing, but history buffs and royal aficionados will enjoy it immensely.

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In the latter half of the 19th century, three ruling houses dominated Europe: the Hapsburgs of Austria-Hungary, the Romanovs of Russia and Hohenzollerns of Germany. Centuries of despotism, a continued lack of social reform and the advent of the devastating First World War caused the vultures of revolution to start circling. This 13-part epic drama features an all-star cast including Patrick Stewart, Gemma Jones, John Rhys-Davies, Gayle Hunnicutt and more!

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The Lost Prince (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)Now that I have finally seen both episodes of The Lost Prince I can say confidently that it is one of the best Masterpiece Theater presentations in many years. As the story of Prince John, the youngest child of King George V and Queen Mary of Great Britain, it is heartbreakingly evocative of the tragedy of one child and of the loss of an entire world.
The first episode opens with Prince John at about the age of three or four. He is epileptic and probably autistic, handicaps which no one knew how to deal with effectively at the time and which were especially difficult to handle for a Royal on public display much of the time. His family is fond of him but emotionally distant, and the only real love John receives is from his nurse Lalla and his next older brother Georgie. Most of the time John is kept out of sight, though occasionally he gets to watch Royal occasions like the visit of the Russian Imperial Family to England (among the most beautiful of the scenes in this film, the Grand Duchesses and the Empress being elegant and charming) and the funeral of his grandfather Edward VII. His parents are so bound up with their royal duties and conscious of their dignity that they can't unbend enough to risk being with Johnnie too often. (With Queen Mary we are given an explanation for her apparent unfeelingness when we are shown glimpses of her own difficult and embarrassing childhood as the daughter of a very large and very undignified Princess.) Johnnie's handicaps make him refreshingly natural and spontaneous, which embarrasses his family when, for example, he repeats some unflattering comments he has overheard the Prime Minister make about the Royals. The first episode ends with the outbreak of World War I and Johnnie's removal to the countryside.
In the second episode Johnnie is safely ensconced at a farm near Sandringham with Lalla and a small retinue of servants. He rarely sees his family, who are busier with royal duties than ever. His main source of news and information is Georgie, who is a miserable cadet at the Royal Naval College. Georgie witnesses Britain's conversion to a war footing and the development of chauvinistic super-patriotic anti-German feelings. These lead to the Royal Family coming under attack for its German origins, and to the dynasty's renaming itself the House of Windsor. We also see the fate of the Romanovs after the fall of the Russian monarchy in 1917. Although the British government at first agreed to accept the Romanovs as exiles, rising anti-monarchical sentiment in Britain so alarmed George V that he prevailed on his government to rescind the invitation. This led to the eventual execution of the Romanovs and lifelong remorse by the King.
During these war years Johnnie lived a quiet life, roaming the countryside and planting gardens. His parents saw him rarely and were as distant as ever. Eventually, Lalla prevailed on the King and Queen to hear Johnnie give a recital. One of the happiest parts of The Lost Prince comes when the King and Queen find themselves listening to and enjoying the company of their youngest son, gradually unbending and smiling as he plays the trumpet and kicks a football. Johnnie lived only a short time after the end of World War I, but the King and Queen carried his memory with them for the rest of their lives. By the way, it may be of interest to know that his brother Georgie, to whom Johnnie gave the courage to pursue his own artistic interests, had difficulties of his own in his twenties and thirties with drug addiction and sundry other problems, finally dying in a plane crash in 1942. This Georgie was not King George VI, the father of the present Queen. George VI's original name was Albert (Bertie) and he appears only as an extra in this film.
The Lost Prince is a beautiful production. Extreme royal aficionados will notice a few missteps (the Romanovs may have been Russian Royals, but they didn't have Russian accents the way this film portrayed them. If anything, Nicholas and Alexandra and their children had British accents!) but these are mere fumbles in the delivery of a beautiful and evocative series.

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LOST PRINCE - DVD Movie

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My Boy Jack (2007) Review

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(More customer reviews)2007's "My Boy Jack" is an extraordinarily good drama for television, featuring an excellent cast and a compelling story about the First World War, based on a play and a screenplay by David Haig.
When Britain goes to war with Imperial Germany in 1914, young men sign up in droves for the military. John "Jack" Kipling, son of famous writer and British Empire advocate Rudyard Kipling, is anxious to serve in uniform but rejected due to poor eyesight. Overruling the concerns of his wife and daughter, Kipling Senior pulls some strings to get Jack a commission in the Irish Guards. Jack works hard to overcome the challenge of his eyesight, in the process becoming a competent lieutenant and earning the respect of his platoon. All too quickly, Jack ships out for the Western Front, where he goes missing in action in his first mission "over the top" from the trenches at Loos in 1915. The family will spend agonizing months trying to learn his whereabouts. A shell-shocked member of Jack's platoon will finally bring word of Jack's fate.
David Haig is uncanny as Rudyard Kipling, Jack's father, a superbly talented storyteller and novelist, now a government propagandist trying to make sense of hideous casualties. His efforts to enable his son to "do his part" will be a source of immense guilt when Jack goes missing. Kim Cattrell is astonishingly good as Carrie, Jack's American mother. Haunted by the loss of another child, Carrie advocates for a position of less danger for her son, whom she fears will be at additional risk due to his poor eyesight. When Jack goes missing, Carrie is relentless in tracking down clues to his possible fate. Carey Mulligan is very effective as Elsie "Bird" Kipling, Jack's sympathetic older sister, who shares with him the stifling burden of living in the shadow of a very prominent father. Daniel Radcliff is absolutely credible as Jack, whether braving the challenge of military training or sneaking cigarettes with his sister.
At the core of the drama is the haunting question of whether Jack should have gone into service in the first place. The family argues over Kipling Senior's efforts to get Jack preferential treatment, but the story makes clear that Jack is very much a volunteer. Moreover, it is apparent that Jack, out from under his father's shadow, is transformed by his few months in uniform from boy to man, performing with exemplary bravery and with compassion for his soldiers.
Production values are exceptionally good for a television movie. At least some filming was done at Kipling's home of Bateman in Southern England. Period costumes and manners are spot-on. The recreation of the Western Front is appropriately wet, muddy, and terrifying. The closing scene, in which Rudyard Kipling comforts King George V for the unexpected loss of his own child by reciting a moving poem, is a perfect ending for the movie.
This movie is very highly recommended as compelling period family drama.

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Its 1915 and World War I has been declared. Aged only 17, Kiplings son, like most of his generation, is swept up in the enthusiasm to fight the Germans, a mood stoked vigorously by his father. Jack is cripplingly short sighted and the army has rejected him twice, rendering him too myopic even for an army suffering thousands of casualties a week and desperate for recruits. Yet Rudyard is undeterred, determined that his son should go to the front, like countless other sons, and fight for the values that he, Kipling, espouses so publicly. Using his fame and influence, Kipling persuades Lord Roberts, on his death bed, to get Jack a commission in the Irish guards. This intervention is barely tolerated by Carrie and daughter Elise (Carey Mulligan), as they disagree that Jack is fit to fight and fear for his safety on the front line. Jack is instantly popular with his troop he is a great leader and trains tirelessly to overcome the disability that is his eyesight. Six months later Jack sails to France as a lieutenant. Jack went missing in action during the Battle of Loos and his mother and father carried out an increasingly desperate search for him, spanning many years and many miles.DVD Features:Deleted ScenesInterviews

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Railway Children: Masterpiece Theatre (2000) Review

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(More customer reviews)This PBS version of "The Railway Children" is nowhere near as
charming as the original 1970 movie. If you saw this TV version and liked it, you owe it to yourself to see the young Jenny Agutter in the earlier film. In my opinion, the PBS remake lacks the warmth and civility of the original.

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Three resourceful children save the day with their family is thrown into distress by the mysterious disappearance of their father. Based on E. Nesbit's beloved novel, first published in 1906, and starring Jenny Agutter, Michael Kitchen, and Richard Attenborough.

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Elizabeth R (1972) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a superb BBC miniseries, or "cycle of six plays", with extraordinary acting and most of all, a script that is a marvel, which uses original documents and the writings of Queen Elizabeth I as its source, making the story, so full of intrigue and drama, for the most part very accurate.
My favorites are the monologues, spoken with such power by Glenda Jackson, whose performance is a treasure. The cast that surrounds her is also wonderful, and often having a physical similarity to the historical character (with kudos to the make-up department).
There are so many reasons to buy this fantastic DVD package, which may seem expensive but is actually an excellent value. For historians this is a must, and anyone who appreciates great English theater will be delighted. The quality of the film is also exceptional, with an exceedingly clear picture and audio.
I bought it to prepare for a portrait of Queen Bess, and was enthralled by the detail of the costuming; what amazed me was how the fashion changed during the queen's forty-four year reign. It was a time rich with culture and style, with the emergence of Shakespeare and other great writers, and the queen loved clothes and jewelry, and surely set the trends.
The music by David Munro also adds to the atmosphere, and the sets have an authentic feel.
This is a brilliant production, and total running time is 540 minutes.
The DVD "extras" are terrific, are the entire content of the 4th disc, and should perhaps be viewed before the film, for full appreciation of the history. The "extras" are:
1: A lengthy interview with Glenda Jackson
2: An interview with historian Alison Weir
3: "Elizabeth I", an A&E documentary with commentary by various authors and historians, and marvelous imagery to illustrate it.
4, A: Glenda Jackson reads documents. B: Portrait Gallery (there is an error here, where the portrait of Robert Dudley is actually one of Sir Francis Drake). C: Historical Sites, including the queen's tomb, palaces, etc.
5: Behind the scenes, with a Who's Who of the cast.


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Episodes: The Lion's Cub, The Marriage Game, Shadow of the Sun, Horrible Conspiracies, The Enterprise of England, Sweet England's Pride. This magnificent 6-volume collection recounts the epic life and times of the remarkable Elizabeth I in a cycle of 6 plays. Won multiple Emmy Awards.DVD Features:Audio CommentaryInterviewsPhoto gallery

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The 39 Steps (2008) Review

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(More customer reviews)Diplomat, intelligence officer, and adventure writer John Buchan's superb 1915 thriller "The 39 Steps" has been recreated several times on the big and small screens, most famously in Alfred Hitchcock's 1935 movie. The 2008 BBC production is now available on DVD. It stars Rupert Penry-Jones, familiar to PBS fans as Captain Wentworth in 2007's "Persuasion", as Richard Hannay, a resourceful Scottish mining engineer just returned from South Africa to the United Kingdom in 1914, as tensions rise with an aggressive Imperial Germany.
At loose ends, Hannay encounters a British Secret Service agent on the run, who imparts a notebook full of coded messages before being murdered in Hannay's London apartment. Sought by the police and the mysterious men who framed him, Hannay flees to Scotland. There, he manages to decode enough of the notebook to realize a deadly foreign conspiracy is afoot against Britain, and sets out to expose the conspirators and clear himself.
The story features a complicated espionage plot, some terrific location shooting in Scotland, an exciting action sequence involving a biplane (reminiscent of "North By Northwest"), and an unlikely but charming romance with a fiesty suffragette named Victoria Sinclair (Lydia Leonard).
This version of "The 39 Steps" is loosely based on the John Buchan original, as re-imagined by screenwriter Lizzie Mickery. It includes some new story elements, such as a two-part ending and Hannay's relationship with Victoria Sinclair. Viewer opinions may well depend on their attachment to earlier versions. This reviewer suggests enjoying "The 39 Steps" on its own terms for best results.

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BBC's new adaptation of John Buchan's thriller is the best ever! Richard Hannay (Rupert Penry-Jones) finds himself framed for a murder he didn't commit. Now he has to break a ruthless German espionage network to prove his innocence and, more importantly and patriotically, warn the admiralty that its plans have fallen to the enemy. Full of excitement, danger, fun and romance, The 39 Steps is a remarkable tale of an ordinary man who puts his country's interests before his own safety.

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Masterpiece Theatre: Elizabeth I - The Virgin Queen (2005) Review

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(More customer reviews)This is a very interesting programme, produced in Britain and originally shown on the PBS series, Masterpiece Theatre.
This miniseries was directed by Coky Giedroyc, a veteran of television productions in Britain, including another royal-themed miniseries, 'William and Mary', in 2003. Giedroyc brings an interesting modern twist to the series - rather than filming things in majestic, sweeping camera pans with classical music as a background, and rather than having the dialogue (and acting) be in a stilted, falsely formal style, Giedroyc incorporates modern music with medieval and Celtic flavouring to it (both of which have experienced a renaissance of sorts in the past decade), and the situations are decidedly modern without being out of place in their own times.
This presents the life of Elizabeth from her young adulthood under Queen Mary, as a supposed participant in intrigues against the Catholic Queen, through to her death after serving decades on the throne of England as the Virgin Queen, the queen who never married. In fact, the miniseries plays a tantalising game with Elizabeth's virginity, showing her desires (as well as those around her) without ever giving up the game of 'was she or wasn't she?' Anne-Marie Duff plays the part of Elizabeth, and does a remarkably able job for such a complex figure. Duff won the Irish Television award and was nominated for the BAFTA award for best actress in a television drama in another series, 'Shameless', last year.
Duff is joined by Tom Hardy, who plays the role of Robert Dudley, the favourite of Queen Elizabeth. Dudley is also an extraordinarily complex role, as he played several sides in the political struggles during Elizabeth's early reign, and was part of a family well experienced in regal intrigue - Robert Dudley's family had tried to manage the reign of Elizabeth's brother Edward, engineer the accession of Lady Jane Grey (placing Guildford Dudley on the throne with her), and is sometimes referred to as 'the uncrowned kings of England'. In fact, perhaps the most stunning single scene in this miniseries is after Elizabeth has elevated Robert Dudley to the earldom of Leicester, and during her illness, he sits upon the throne as the protector of the realm. Hardy is well suited to this role, and plays it with skill.
The sets are appropriate to their time period, neither too ornate nor too medieval; the costumes also have a touch of modernity to them, but are still primarily of the period. The situations presented give good insight into the overall pattern of Elizabeth's reign and some of the principal concerns during that time period, although to compress such a long reign into such a short time frame as a four-hour miniseries by necessity means that the history has had to be selectively chosen. Elizabeth faced problems from without and within, many of which were far more complex and pressing than her marriage issue. In the end, Elizabeth made the right decision for the time, if not for the future.
This is a great production for television, and holds up well against other major productions featuring the Virgin Queen Elizabeth of a few years ago.

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As The Virgin Queen begins, a young Elizabeth is imprisoned in the Tower of London by Queen Mary, charged with conspiracy and treason. Both women are daughters of the ruthless and oft-married Henry VIII, who plunged England into turmoil by breaking with the Roman Catholic Church. Mary wants to reunite with Rome, while Elizabeth is determined to stand by her Protestant faith--a potentially fatal choice. But Elizabeth’s life takes an unexpected turn when Mary dies, leaving no heir to the throne. As the new queen, Elizabeth discovers the harsh realities of ruling a religiously divided nation and must learn to outwit her enemies and charm those who conspire to their own ends.Soon under pressure to secure a politically advantageous marriage, the coquettish Elizabeth rejects a string of eligible royal bachelors from abroad, openly preferring the burning affections of her childhood playmate, the athletic, handsome--and married--Robert Dudley. But is she toying with him as she is with her other suitors?Starring Anne-Marie Duff (The Aristocrats, The Magdalene Sisters) as the shrewd and captivating queen who defended her throne amidst an atmosphere of plotting and intrigue, torture and murder, The Virgin Queen is a riveting drama that explores the fascinating 44-year reign of Elizabeth I.

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