The_late_Buddy_Ryan The BBC version of Elizabeth Gaskell's "Cranford" a few years back was mostly about Dame Judi and her spinster cronies and their unbecoming bonnets, but this wonderful series, based on Mrs. G's last novel, focuses on the younger generation: Roger Hamley, the old squire's younger son, seems like a perfect match for Molly Gibson, the doctor's daughter; he's a budding naturalist, she reads Lamarck and other serious works; they both enjoy looking at pondwater through the microscope. The problem is that Molly's father has just remarried, which brings Cynthia, a vivacious, not-so-serious stepsister, into the picture; before he sets out on a lengthy expedition, Roger proposes to Cynthia. This leaves Molly with plenty of time to help the other characters sort things out—Cynthia's unfortunate entanglement with a caddish young striver (Iain Glen, currently seen on "Game of Thrones"), Roger's older brother's estrangement from their temperamental father (a perfect part for Michael Gambon; twenty years after Waterloo, the old squire's still hatin' on the French).Master adapter Andrew Davies, assisted by a near-perfect cast, really gets us involved in such no-longer-burning questions as whether a young lady who's "lost her character" by talking with a young man in a secluded spot could get it back by swanning around town for an afternoon with a peer's daughter; Rosamund Pike is charming, and gets to wear the best costumes, as the latter (I wanted to call her the duchess ex machina, but I think she's just the daughter of an earl). Francesca Annis is clearly enjoying herself in the role of Molly's stepmother, Hyacinth, a scheming, moralizing ex-governess; Dad seems to find her adorable, because she's not the boss of him and, despite the unflattering Mid-Victorian coiffure, she's still Francesca Annis. Though Mrs. Gaskell was a reformer and a progressive on the issues of her day—she clearly approves of Molly and Cynthia's ladylike revolt against the town's gossips and prigs—it's interesting that she weighs in on the current stay-at-home-mom debate by portraying Cynthia as a fractious adolescent who resents her mother for "abandoning" her to go to work as a governess.Justine Waddell may be a bit too glamorous for the part of Molly, but that doesn't strike me as a dealbreaker; Keeley Hawes, who seems to have had a corner on out-of-control ingenue roles that year (see "The Last September"), is just right for Cynthia. Available on streaming Netflix and Amazon Prime.

Neil Doyle JUSTINE WADDELL gives a charming, completely believable performance as young Molly Gibson, supposedly the plainer of the two heroines, overlooked by the leading man until the romantic ending. And the cast surrounding her is full of memorable character actors, including MICHAEL GAMBON who almost steal the show single-handedly with his gruff interpretation of the frustrated country squire, and BILL PATERSON as Molly's wise and sympathetic father.FRANCESCA ANNIS is a revelation as the giddy step-mother from hell, anxious to see her vain and shallow daughter (KEELEY HAWES) married to a man of wealth and position no matter what the circumstances are. But the flaw in the cast comes with Miss Hawes, who is seriously in need of dubbing to make her dialog clear to American viewers. She drops her voice mid-sentence in many a scene, barely above a whisper, and her enunciation is enough to drive Professor Higgins to distraction.She is the only element in the large cast that is worthy of any criticism. IAIN GLEN makes an impression as Mr. Preston, the mysterious figure in the story whose attraction to the shallow Cynthia (KEELEY HAWES) is hard to understand given that Justine Waddell is so enchanting as the "plain" heroine.Wonderfully produced in the best British tradition and based on the book by Elizabeth Glaskell, it's visually striking and set against backgrounds and settings that perfectly capture the period atmosphere.For lovers of Victorian melodrama, this is a must see with an excellent background score. It could have used a stronger ending for the final scene in the rain, but it's satisfying enough on all other counts.

retailmonica To me, one of the hallmarks of a good movie is when I forget myself, and feel apart of the world the movie/series is trying to create. There is no sense that Justine Waddell is pretending to be Molly Gibson. She - is- Molly Gibson. And it's not just Waddell, all of the characters are convincing as real people. Mr. Gibson's emotions are so intense, and yet realistic. His humor is incredible, and he really shines next to his foil, (played by Francesca Annis).The chemistry is just what all films strive to have. If you like Michael Gambon at all, you cannot miss his performance. Many of the characters are conflicting in their temperaments. One of the characters actually makes a note of it. To find so many actors who can show love, compassion, anger, joy, depression, indifference, anxiety... they are all so dynamic.In general, I find that period pieces (which I ADORE) fall into a couple different categories. Some of the ones from the 80s are rather stuffy for the casual viewer. If you liked the 2005 version of Pride and Prejudice, give this a try. It doesn't have the pace of that film, but it has a similar chemistry for a modest sized cast, and also it's more visually pleasing than older period pieces.You can also get a better sense of the actors' skills by seeing their other films as well. Similar films with these characters include, among many:Cranford - Barbara Flynn, Deborah Findlay, Michael Gambon, Francesca Annis(1995 P&P) - Barbara Leigh-HuntSense and Sensibility - Elizabeth SpriggsMansfield Park - Justine Waddell(2005 P&P) - Tom Hollander, Rosamund PikeCranford is also based on Elizabeth Gaskell's writings... so if you enjoy this, by all means, see Cranford!Wives and Daughters is in my top 5 :)

kylealanhale A treasure, really. I enjoy films portraying this period, but this is above all my favorite. The acting is incredibly touching. I was in awe with the portrayal of the story throughout its entirety.Waddell portrayed the character of Molly so well, it made me ache for her. Her obvious childishness throughout the movie makes her eventual development so much more satisfying. She is one of the best dynamic characters I have seen on film. Paterson is all at once likable, firm, loving to his daughter, annoying, and trustworthy. Truly a real characters, full of depth, intricacies, and idiosyncrasies.This movie reads like an excellent, cozy book. I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys excellent acting and reading fine literature.