begob A wealthy Victorian bride and her half-sister become the victims of an abusive marriage, and their only salvation lies in uncovering a mystery from the family's past ...Brave attempt to cover a complex story in a relatively short run time. Some of the adaptations work very well to fold events and characters into a streamlined plot, but others take too many liberties. The main drawback is that the malevolent Count Fosco is reduced to a few scenes of haughty guffawing, and his back-story is completely erased. This does improve in some ways on the 1982 TV series, with some conviction added to the dialogue, but can't really compete.The writer has beefed up the roles of the half-sister and the lover, and the actress gives a strong performance. Sadly, in spite of all the streamlining, the end has to rely too much on exposition to lead us out of the labyrinth.Overall: Well produced but bit off more than it could chew.

TheLittleSongbird Judging from the vehement hate this version of The Woman in White has gotten on Amazon, seeing as the book is a masterpiece and how outstanding the 1982 version with Diana Quick was, I was expecting this adaptation to be bad. After seeing it, it is better than it's given credit for though the 1982 version is far better, which was very faithful, was more consistently acted and had a perfect length and pace. Those who say that as an adaptation the 1997 version is very unfaithful are right with some names changed, physical appearances not matching and Glyde's real motivation for persecuting Anne not making much sense here. However adaptations do deserve to be judged on their own, and on its own while very flawed the 1997 version is not that bad. The book is big and its complexity is difficult to adapt, so the attempt is at least laudable.It could have done with being longer(125 minutes is not enough I don't think) and could have slowed down, that way the story and characters would have had more complexity and intricacy. The voice over agreed was not needed and added nothing, and not all the casting works, both due most likely to their roles being half-realised/developed. James Wilby was rather dull and not oily enough for Sir Percival Glyde, he is charming and aristocratic, which is just one part of his character, but from personal perspective he never believed as a main villain/criminal. And Simon Callow- also suffering from the worst of mismatched physical appearances, too thin- is too mannered and civilised for Fosco, quite possibly one of literature's most interesting villains, the intelligence is there, the evil doesn't register, at least to me.However, it is a beautifully made adaptation. The scenery, sets and locations looking splendid, there is an eeriness but also like a postcard-come-to-life quality and make-up, costumes and hair that looks authentic. The photography is seamlessly composed, like looking at a painting. The music score is an underrated one, it was only mentioned in like 3 or 4(out of 58) reviews on Amazon, it is very magnetic and has an eerily haunting quality that matches the tone adeptly. The dialogue does have flow, sounds very intelligent and thoughtful and makes an effort to make the characters believable(especially Marian, Madame Fosco and Farlie). The story is not as intricate- there could have been more of a danger if the villains convinced and were developed more- but still has that Gothic touch, is fun and tense and the romantic angle is tender.So while it loses the book's complexity and doesn't make as much sense there is evidence of good, solid storytelling. The British Museum scene is tense in a subtle way and through body language too, and the climax is chillingly hair-rising. Most of the cast do work. Tara Fitzgerald commands the screen brilliantly, bringing out Marian's strong-willed and passionate qualities. Justine Waddell is a softer, more trusting and sympathetic contrast as Laura, almost fairy-like, and Susan Vidler is a touchingly vivid Anne even with some of her lines being on the deadpan side. Kika Martin's Madame Fosco is harrowing and Adie Allen in a role that even when condensed has shades of Rebecca's Mrs Danvers has the right sinister touch. And Ian Richardson, who was one of the high points of the earlier adaptation of The Woman in White, gives an interpretation of Mr Fairlie that has actually grown while keeping the essence of the character. He is every bit the nervous wreck but also appropriately condescending and self-centred with a touch of humour.Overall, for a better version adaptation-wise, it's best to watch the 1982 version, judging it on its own it is decent and is not wholly deserving of the vitriol it's gotten. 6.5/10 Bethany Cox

Terrell-4 "The bad dreams always come back again like unwanted friends," says Marion Fairlie, who with her half-sister, Laura, lives in a vast mid-Victorian country estate. "And last night I found myself in Limmeridge churchyard. Normally, people who are dead stay dead, just as normally it is the criminals who are locked up rather than the victims. But then, there was nothing normal about what happened to us..." And we're off on a first-class Gothic story of madness, deception and villainy, based on Wilkie Collins' great novel of Victorian mystery. It's a good idea to pay close attention, because there are plots within plots, yet they all center on a cunning and ruthless scheme which involves, what else, money, lots of money. Marion Fairlie (Tara Fitzgerald) and her sister, Laura Fairlie (Justine Wadell) are devoted to each other. Marion is fierce and protective; Laura is softer and much more romantic. Marion has no money of her own; Laura will inherit riches when she comes of age. Marion has no marriage prospects that we know of; Laura has been pledged sometime ago to Sir Percival Glyde (James Wilby), an altogether too charming aristocrat. They are the wards of their uncle, a fussy, condescending, immensely self-centered hypochondriac (Ian Richardson). All seems to be quite routine, but then a young artist, Walter Hartright (Andrew Lincoln), is engaged to teach them drawing and artistic appreciation. And when he arrives at night to the local train station, there is no carriage, so off he sets out on foot to the estate. In the dark woods he encounters a strange woman, dressed all in white, wandering about and speaking of things he does not understand, who then disappears. Are we uneasy? Yes, and so is he and the sisters when they come to realize the strange woman looks much like Laura. Later, does love emerge between Walter and Laura? Does a bud bloom? Is there a misunderstanding that sends Walter away and results in Laura marrying Sir Percival? Does a canker gnaw? And do secrets slowly come to light about the relationships among Laura, Marian and the woman in white...do we learn to be deeply suspicious of Sir Percival's intentions...do we come to enjoy the style and manners of Sir Percival's close friend, Count Fosco (Simon Callow)...and do we eventually realize the foul depths of depravity, as well as the power of honor and true love, that humanity is capable of? Do we visit Victorian insane asylums, see falls from high towers, dig open graves in the middle of the night and watch retribution arrive amidst the roaring flames of a locked church? Well, of course, and it's a grand journey for us. This BBC/Masterpiece Theater program features fine acting and outstanding production values. To fit Collins' 500-plus-page novel into a television show of less than 120 minutes means a good deal had to be cut or abridged, and some changes were made most likely to achieve greater impact in the little time available. Still, taken on its own terms, the production of The Woman in White in my opinion works very well as a moody, romantic, dark television tale. Tara Fitzgerald as Marion gives a commanding performance as a woman determined to protect and then save her sister. James Wilby as Sir Percival manages the clever feat of slowly letting us see the depraved slime beneath the skin, who still has charm amidst the villainy. Ian Richardson as the young women's uncle almost steals the show. He gives such a bossy and pungent performance it almost unbalances the story every time he appears. Perhaps the weakest of the main parts is Simon Callow as Count Fosco. The Count is simply a monster, yet a supremely civilized and charming one. Collins described him as being of immense girth. Callow does a fine, mannered job of it, but to me he lacks a little of the monstrosity of evil. At one point, Marian tells us, "My sister and I are so fond of Gothic novels, we sometimes act as if we were in them." Little did she know what was in store for herself and Laura.

vallen30 This is supposed to be based on Wilkie Collins' _The_Woman_In_White_, but the only resemblance it bore to that story were the characters' names, the time period, and the settings. If they were going to change the story so thoroughly, I don't understand why they needed to keep up the pretense that it came from Wilkie Collins. Go read the book. It's much better.