The Good Soldier (1981 TV Movie) User Reviews

If I could command what would be released to DVD...

[fraserpatty · 10/10 · 10 July 2003]

I would make a set of underrated, though wonderful movies or series that ended up on Masterpiece Theatre. This movie is one that would surely end up on disc. One of many beautiful period pieces, it is distinguished by the emotional impact the storyline has. Neither of the two couples involved in the story are young, and yet still their love stories are spellbinding. Sex is not the issue here, it is what happens when one person in a marriage loves but the other does not. Yet these are passionate people, and their passions bring about their downfalls. Some of Britain's greats (the late Jeremy Brett and the late Susan Fleetwood and Robin Ellis from Poldark) give deeply emotional performances. That this movie, and most other Masterpiece Theatre's little gems (like Memento Mori) will never be available on disc is a true loss to lovers of this PBS show.

Edited to add: Wonder of wonders--this movie is now scheduled for a DVD release on April 24, 2007. It is truly worth a rental, if not a blind buy. One of Jeremy Brett's best performances. Enjoy.

Riveting Adaptation of a Difficult Novel

[moondog-8 · 10/10 · 2 August 2004]

This made-for-TV film gets high marks all around: lucid and intelligent cinematography, breathtaking performances, and visually strong direction. It's a great film, based on great source material.

The film addresses how a man, by re-examining several years in his life, realizes that he was totally clueless regarding what was happening around him, as his wife and friends schemed and had affairs while he thought they were all happy and content. The novel moves back and forth in time, and so does this film: a complex yet totally engrossing narrative that leaves other time-shift ideas such as *Pulp Fiction* in the dust.

Among all the great performances in here, special mention must be made of Susan Fleetwood, whose layered performance is both sensual and calculating.

I've turned on many friends to this film. Definitely one of my desert-island videos.

Highest accolades!!

The Saddest Story Ever Heard Is Stunning

[AZINDN · 9/10 · 13 September 2007]

I saw the Granada production of The Good Soldier by Ford Madox Ford when it screened on Masterpiece Theatre in the early 80s. It was stunning then, and now out on DVD, it has held up as a fine piece of ensemble acting. A story of "screaming hysterics," duplicity, infidelity, and madness, the superior cast of Jeremy Brett as Edward Ashburnham, a good man, his equally good wife, Leonora (Susan Fleetwood), the American cuckold husband, John Dowd (Robin Ellis), his deceptive wife, Florence (Vickery Turner), and "the girl," Nancy (Elizabeth Garvie) is situated in 1904 and follows the upper-middle class lifestyle set in a German spa town and English country. It is an orderly, polished, and genteel setting of women dressed in white, men in flannels, an altogether civilized arrangement of two married couples John describes as a 'minuet.'

That having "a heart" describes not a positive situation but the opposite, Edward is unable to control his romantic sexual urges, a 'condition' that nearly wrecks his good name and that of his wife, who takes over the husband's finances to keep them from total ruin and disgrace. In voice-over narration, the tale of recriminations and thwarted love affairs is told through John in a non-chronological reverie. It leaves the state of marriage a demolished failed situation of lies and stiff upper lip British hypocrisy.

Not wanting to create a scandal by divorcing Edward, Leonora tortures him with Nancy's virginal innocence, and reveals to Nancy the truth of Edward's affairs. When faced with the truth about Edward, Nancy offers herself to Edward, but he rejects her instead of corrupting the one pure individual he's ever loved. Summoning the widower, Mr. Dowd to their home, he is ready to marry Nancy, but she is shuffled off by Edward to Ceylon to join her abusive father instead. It is Edward's one unselfish act which his heart is capable. He later tells John that he's gotten over Nancy, she was only a passing flirtation. When Nancy sends back a cable that she is "having a good time," the news pushes Edward to commit suicide, and drive Nancy insane. In the end, John, living in the former home of his first wife's people, as well as the Ashburnhams, finds himself again the caretaker of Nancy, another sick woman, who instead of being John's wife, is sadly, a broken "shuttlecock" from her own sickness of the heart.

Adult, very British, and slowly paced, it is one of the finest performances by Jeremy Brett before his Sherlock Holmes days.

Slow and disconnected.

[planktonrules · 4/10 · 30 May 2012]

Wow...the current reviews for this one are all over the place--with two 10s, a 9 and a 1! As for me, I think it's neither as wonderful as several folks think but it certainly doesn't seem like it deserves a 1.

The film is about two couples at the early part of the 20th century. One couple is American and the other British. Each year, these folks vacation together in Germany at a health spa. During these times together, apparently the British hubby (Jeremy Brett) has been having an affair with the American wife. Oddly, however, you never really see any of this. In fact, almost everything that occurs is talked about...again and again. Heck, it's all talk--and often large and important parts of the story are simply explained through narration--a strangely disconnected sort of storytelling. While there are a couple deaths and a few twists, none of it is particularly interesting. Well acted, yes, but not terribly interesting. Worth seeing if you can stand the slow pace and style.

A fantastic adaptation

[Sleepin_Dragon · 9/10 · 15 December 2017]

I had this sat on my dvd shelf for years and decided to give it a go, after five minutes I was captivated, totally drawn in. The story is fantastic, I've not read the book so can't compare, but there are multiple layers, love, betrayal, longing, and a true sense of character. Spellbinding performances all round, although it must be said Jeremy Brett captivates every single time he appears, he is phenominal, so charismatic. I found myself also loving Pauline Moran here, she made Maisie such a tragic character.

Lovely production values, at times it felt like I was watching The Great Sherlock Holmes, it only needed a murder. Fabulous costumes and period detail, it truly is a lavish drama.

Glorious viewing. 9/10

Ho hum....

[lizholzer-95726 · 4/10 · 24 November 2015]

This video (I watched it on YouTube) doesn't come close to developing the central ideas of the novel. In fairness, I don't see how any filmed version could. The story in the book is told from the pov of an enigmatic narrator who doesn't always know the full story, may have reasons for not being 100% square with the reader, and appears emotionally dim and stunted. He has no real intimacy with any of his fellow characters, who succeed in betraying him over the course of years despite their physical proximity. He is bitter, but too phlegmatic to be vengeful. His views on men, women, love, marriage, and human nature are fascinating. The book is terrific and really worth reading, but the film captures only the action and none of the heart. On video, the narrator comes off as some rich clueless slob whose wife and friends do a bunch of random things that inexplicably result in suicide and insanity. Pointless, in my opinion. But Jeremy Brett is handsome, hence a few stars.

Another great adaptation made by Granada.

[jotka · 10/10 · 10 May 2023]

Well, where should I start? It's really a sad story. Story about love, convenances and sacrifices. Where romances are kept behind closed doors. And honor is most important issue.

Two pairs of married couples and the girl. Soldier, who love his wife, but keep falling in love with another womens. His wife, who is trying to pretend that she doesn't care about infidelity of her husband. American Quaker, who is unconscious that his wife is unfaithful. His wife, who's pretending to have health problems.

And Nancy. Innocent girl, who turn the life of good soldier, Edward.

I must say, I like this adaptation. That typical for Granada attention for details in every aspect. Cloths, furniture, trains or everyday items.

That makes us feel like part of the story. We could sympathise with those people and their feelings.

And for me it's worth watching. Especially for Jeremy Brett.

A beautiful film of great sadness

[clanciai · 9/10 · 29 April 2024]

Jeremy Brett makes a memorable performance here as the good soldier who is the ideal good man to everyone around him but who has terrible inner conflicts to battle worse than any war. The two couples meet at a German spa and spend a lot of time together associating with other prominent guests as well in an ideal environment with perfectly idyllic music (very much Schubert) and splendid weather, everything is beautiful, but it is all only appearances. The good soldier's wife has some outbursts, and then suddenly there is a drama present. The story and events are not very dramatic, although there are some surprising deaths and two suicides and a case of permanent insanity, but the appearances keep constantly in perfect style, there is no breach of etiquette, the constant politeness keeps dominating all the relationships and their innocent activities in a perfect paradise of idylls, while the tragedy ends up definitely dominating everyone's lives and future, while we naturally must wonder: whatever will the widow finally make of the whole thing?

this movie was terrible

[kassdo · 1/10 · 10 June 2007]

Not sure what they other reviewers were watching but the editing was bad; the acting was boring and the screenplay itself was confusing; actually restarted about 5 minutes into the film because scenes suddenly started to repeat... it was tough to figure out if it was present or past... do not waste time... There was one interesting person who was pretty good... for the most part the scenes were very contrived and the actors did little to make me believe that they believed in the storyline... not sure where the title came from... Have no idea why the American male lead even wanted to remain friends with the English wackos... stay away