JCR_In_Jersey Reviews

The History of Tom Jones, a Foundling (1997)

A Tremendous Amount Of Fun - The Best Version

[10/10 · 6 June 2004]

Other posters have stated that the Finney version of this story is the best.

I wholeheartedly disagree. This story, as with most of Henry Fielding's stories, is intended as a parody of English 'morality' in his day. The Finney version is a lot of fun, but it's just a film about silly people wandering the countryside. In the A&E version, Brian Blessed performed his character (Mr. Western) in exactly the over-the-top correct way to ridicule the English wealthy. Mr. Allworthy was absolutely perfect as someone who believes that since he is a good honest man, the rest of the world must be good and honest as well. Tom's aunt has the line that in my opinion sums up the meaning of this book/movie (paraphrased), "It is not enough that your actions are good, you must make sure that they appear to be so."

Jane Eyre (1997 TV Movie)

The Only Version That Gets The Book Right

[10/10 · 6 June 2004]

This book was an enormous success, not because it's a great love story, although it is, but because it was a story about a strong woman triumphing over a man in a man's world. All other versions of this film concentrate only on the love story aspect and miss the empowered woman aspect. Everyone always raved to me about the Joan Fontaine/Orson Welles version, but in that one, just as Jane is at her lowest point with no hope in sight, Mr. Rochester saves her. In the book and this A&E version, Jane is in a self-sufficient position with other prospects of love when SHE decides to return to Mr. Rochester. I also have to say that the humor in this film is done in exactly the correct way to endear us to the main characters.

Pride and Prejudice (1995)

I Can't Get Enough Of This Movie

[10/10 · 5 June 2004]

I'm a man and this is a chick flick, but the A&E version of this movie was spectacular. It only deviated from the book when necessary for flow. Every shot in the film was like a painting. When I rented this movie, I watched it over two days. As soon as it was over, I watched it again. When I purchased the DVDs, I watched it again over two days. Then I watched it once more the next weekend and many more times since then. There are two other A&E movies that I consider among my absolute favorites. They are Jane Eyre and Tom Jones (both of which I now own). At least one of the A&E films was terrible, Tess Of The D'Urbervilles. The main female lead (Tess) was strikingly beautiful, so they probably could've made that movie better just by showing her standing against a blank wall for 2 hours. I don't know why Pride and Prejudice is excluded from the top movies of all time. It has a higher rating than the currently top rated film on the list.