I was absolutely stunned by this BBC-miniseries: it's almost perfect in every way. It succeeded in producing the exact atmosphere of Dickens' novel as I recall it, with all the fine irony, the dark and the good sides of human nature, the description of the beautiful countryside as well as the ugly corners of the big city, the sumptuous costumes, I could go on and on, everything seemed to be in perfect place and exactly right.
Due credit should go to the director and of course to the writer, who did a great job in translating some 700 pages of Charles Dickens into a manageable script. The fact that the whole American section of the novel is left out, didn't bother me that much. In the book it's almost a novel within a novel, and since with the adaptation of novels of this scale one always has to make some concessions, it seemed a sensible choice to comprise the American adventure to one or two short scenes.
As to the actors, they really deserve the highest credit, it's unbelievable how a whole cast can be of such high standards. Tom Wilkinson as the hypocritical, greedy en pompous Pecksniff is absolutely great; equally good and entertaining is Pete Postlethwaite, and I also should mention Elizabeth Spriggs as the scruffy, boozing and ad-libbing Mrs. Gamp, the "nurse" who you wouldn't trust with your worst enemy let alone with a patient! Julia Sawalha (Absolutely Fabulous) and Emma Chambers (Notting Hill) as the Pecksniff-offspring are not only hilarious, but also develop their part in a very convincing and in the end touching way. On the other, more dark side of the spectrum of Dickens-characters, Keith Allen as the ominous Jonas Chuzzlewit is blood-chilling in his portrayal of a cruel and relentless son and husband. And so I could go on, until even such small parts as the spicy young Bailey (Paul Francis - how DO they get such a young kid to play so natural and easy?!).
If any, to me there's only one minor flaw in this production: the role of young Martin Chuzzlewit by Ben Walden. I don't know what to make of it. Here's a young actor with a handsome yet rather uncommon face, an awkward way of acting, and a curious, almost mumbling diction! He seemed a strange choice to play one of the major protagonists in the story. But another reviewer on this site mentioned of him, that he "casts a spell with his eyes and voice", so maybe that's another way of looking at him.
I give this production a heartfelt 10 out of 10.
Due credit should go to the director and of course to the writer, who did a great job in translating some 700 pages of Charles Dickens into a manageable script. The fact that the whole American section of the novel is left out, didn't bother me that much. In the book it's almost a novel within a novel, and since with the adaptation of novels of this scale one always has to make some concessions, it seemed a sensible choice to comprise the American adventure to one or two short scenes.
As to the actors, they really deserve the highest credit, it's unbelievable how a whole cast can be of such high standards. Tom Wilkinson as the hypocritical, greedy en pompous Pecksniff is absolutely great; equally good and entertaining is Pete Postlethwaite, and I also should mention Elizabeth Spriggs as the scruffy, boozing and ad-libbing Mrs. Gamp, the "nurse" who you wouldn't trust with your worst enemy let alone with a patient! Julia Sawalha (Absolutely Fabulous) and Emma Chambers (Notting Hill) as the Pecksniff-offspring are not only hilarious, but also develop their part in a very convincing and in the end touching way. On the other, more dark side of the spectrum of Dickens-characters, Keith Allen as the ominous Jonas Chuzzlewit is blood-chilling in his portrayal of a cruel and relentless son and husband. And so I could go on, until even such small parts as the spicy young Bailey (Paul Francis - how DO they get such a young kid to play so natural and easy?!).
If any, to me there's only one minor flaw in this production: the role of young Martin Chuzzlewit by Ben Walden. I don't know what to make of it. Here's a young actor with a handsome yet rather uncommon face, an awkward way of acting, and a curious, almost mumbling diction! He seemed a strange choice to play one of the major protagonists in the story. But another reviewer on this site mentioned of him, that he "casts a spell with his eyes and voice", so maybe that's another way of looking at him.
I give this production a heartfelt 10 out of 10.