The Merry Wives of Windsor (1982) (TV)

Director:

David Hugh Jones

Writer:

William Shakespeare (play)

Release Date:

27 December 1982 (UK)

Genre:

Comedy

Plot:

When Sir John Falstaff decides that he wants to have a little fun he writes two letters to a pair of Window wives: Mistress Ford and Mistress Page...

Plot Keywords:

Shakespeare's The Merry Wives Of Windsor | Mistrust Of Wife | William Shakespeare | Based On Play

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)

Alan Bennett	...	Justice Shallow
Richard O'Callaghan	...	Slender
Tenniel Evans	...	Sir Hugh Evans
Bryan Marshall	...	George Page
Richard Griffiths	...	Sir John Falstaff
Gordon Gostelow	...	Bardolph
Nigel Terry	...	Pistol
Michael Robbins	...	Nym
Miranda Foster	...	Anne Page
Judy Davis	...	Mistress Ford
Prunella Scales	...	Mistress Page
Ron Cook	...	Peter Simple
Michael Graham Cox	...	Host of the Garter Inn
Lee Whitlock	...	Robin
Elizabeth Spriggs	...	Mistress Quickly

Also Known As:

The Complete Dramatic Works of William Shakespeare: Merry Wives of Windsor (USA) (video title)

Country:

UK

Language:

English

Color:

Color

Sound Mix:

Mono

Company:

British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC)

Trivia:

Director David Hugh Jones originally wanted to shoot the entire film on location in Stratford-upon-Avon, Shakespeare's home town, but when this proved impossible, he had production designer Don Homfray design a house based on the real life house which Shakespeare's son-in-law, Dr. Tom Hall, lived in.

Movie Connections:

Version of Falstaff (1987) (TV)

Weak Falstaff, terrible direction

Falstaff reminds me of a Civil Servant from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries three weeks before his retirement date !

There is a British TV series called 'Pie in the Sky' staring Richard Griffiths. It's about a fat chef who does occasional detective work. He is very similar to the character Griffiths portrays in the Merry Wives of Windsor, Sir John Falstaff. He finally found his forte, eating all the pies. However he does have a rather impressive CV. Sir John Falstaff should be more like a Robert Newton of Treasure Island fame rather than a pastry cook.

If you have ever heard the audio version with Anthony Quale as Falstaff and Dennis Hordern as Master Ford you will understand what a facile, badly directed and totally incorrect version this is.

Just because it has the letters BBC behind it does not always mean there is quality.

What I found irritating was the Somerset accents for most of the Principle characters. Windsor is a short barge ride up the Thames from Richmond Palace. Windsor Castle can be seen from Heathrow Airport, so why the West Country "ooo--arr" lads ? Perhaps the director was from Bristol ?

The costumes look so new and clean, whilst the moneyed members of the cast might look like this the others remind me of a lucky tramp who has just had free apparel from Savile Row.

Where is Falstaff growling for his quart of Sack ? Where is the lust and roguery of the fat pudding ?

Master Ford/Brook should not be portrayed as the limp character he is. Where's the anger of the cuckold?

Where's the 'she mercury' of Mistress Quickly.

Nym and Pistol have credibility.Judy Davis and Prunella Scales play Mistresses Page and Ford well enough, even with some humour.

It's as if the director was directing the Merry Wives yet thinking the context of a completely different play.

No, humour, no direction, no acting and no good. This is supposed to be a comedy but the cast act as if someone has made an inappropriate joke at a wedding! Mis-cast,misdirected and occasionally over acted. Why does Ben Kingsley act as if he is playing the part of Master Slender ? Frank-ly not Master Ford.

And how sped you ?

Very ill favourably Master Director, Very ill favourably.

Bring me a quart of Sack to get over this dead fish lying on a wet fish shop's slab.

The comments of "Deadly Dull" from Chicago has it spot on !