- It has always been recognized as one of Charles Dickens's literary masterworks, but this Bleak House is now fast moving, daring, gripping television. Here is the murder mystery, the love story, the comic genius and the tantalizing scandal of the novel but, stripped of its sentimentality, we find ourselves swept along by a pulsating and edgy drama. Out of an interminable court case spin three young
Genre: Feature Film-Drama
Rating: PG
Release Date: 29-MAY-2001
Media Type: DVDMeticulously adapted from Edith Wharton's 1905 novel, The House of Mirth may seem at first to be as dry (and as flat) as pressed flowers, but it's quickly evident that director Terence Davies and X-Files star Gillian Anderson (in a breakthrough film role) have tapped directly into the venality of Wharton's New York society. As the ill-fated socialite Lily Bart, Anderson perfectly conveys the understated wit and craftiness of a woman who knows how to play the game, and yet learns too late that it's loaded with ruthless, unspoken rules. Rising above the traditional crop of "marriageable girls," Lily is desired by any number of men who could ensure h! er place among the moneyed elite, but she deflects their courtship; lawyer Lawrence Selden (Eric Stoltz) is her true love but, tragically, his modest financial status leads them both into a cycle of unfulfilled romance.
Instead, Lily makes too many assumptions about her station, offending her aunt (Eleanor Bron), falling into a financial obligation to a manipulative investor (a curiously apt role for Dan Aykroyd), ostracized by a "friend" (Laura Linney), and refusing help from her most prominent would-be suitor (Anthony LaPaglia). All of these gaffes combine to forge Lily's downfall, and Anderson brilliantly captures the horror and confusion of a woman who is shocked when her expectations are no longer matched by her reality. Lily grows defenseless and dependent, and The House of Mirth evolves from stately reserve to become a devastating portrait of class cruelty. Heavy stuff, to be sure, but expertly crafted and blessed by Anderson's complex and heartbreaking per! formance. --Jeff ShannonStarring Gillian Anderson (The ! X-Files, The Last King of Scotland) and Robert Carlyle (The Full Monty). The Mighty Celt uplifts and charms. Young Donal, growing up alone with his mother, Kate, works after school for Good Joe, a local greyhound trainer. As Donal's talent with dogs becomes apparent, he strikes a deal with Good Joe to own a promising greyhound, The Mighty Celt, if he can train it to win three successive races.
Meanwhile, each of their lives is profoundly affected by the reappearance of O, an enigmatic figure from the past. Good Joe clearly dislikes O, hating all that he represents, and resents the growing closeness of Donal and O-a friendship that worries Kate. When Good Joe reacts to the growing relationship between O and Donal by reneging on his deal, Donal is forced to learn some harsh lessons about life.
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Since it hit TV screens three years ago, the X-Files ! has achieved astronomical success, and has attracted a huge and dedicated cult following. Gillian Anderson (Special Agent Scully) who plays alongside David Duchovny (Agent Mulder) has achieved a popularity and fan-base equal to that of the show. Recently voted the world's most beautiful woman by People magazine, and the world's sexiest woman by FHM, Anderson's career as a superstar looks set to continue. This highly illustrated biography looks at life before and after the X-Files, as well as giving a revealing look at life as Special Agent Scully.It has always been recognized as one of Charles Dickens's literary masterworks, but this Bleak House is now fast moving, daring, gripping television. Here is the murder mystery, the love story, the comic genius and the tantalizing scandal of the novel but, stripped of its sentimentality, we find ourselves swept along by a pulsating and edgy drama. Out of an interminable court case spin three young people, each seaching for their pl! ace in the world. The story moves fast - swirling through a in! credible array of characters from passionate young lovers, from an ice-cold aristocratic beauty to a shrewd, relentless detective - until the final thrilling climax. With a screenplay by Andrew Davies (Pride and Prejudice), Bleak House features a galaxy of major stars from feature film, television and comedy.Andrew Davies isn't much of household name in the U.S., but he's the king of the BBC mini-series. His skillfully adapted scripts for Pride & Prejudice (the beloved Colin Firth version) and many, many more are peerless examples of classic novels done right--cunningly edited and shaped to let all the rich emotion and sharp intelligence spill over with zip and vigor. Bleak House is no exception; it's one of the best Dickens adaptations to date. The mini-series form allows Dickens' panoramic view, brimming with eccentric characters and complex turns of plot, to sprawl out without losing an iota of suspense or momentum. Two innocent young orphans (Patrick Kennedy and C! arey Mulligan) are the potential heirs to a fortune, but their fates are snarled in a monumental legal battle known as Jarndyce and Jarndyce. But the heart of the story is another orphan, Esther Summerson (Anna Maxwell Martin), whose mysterious parentage proves to be intertwined with the fate of the Jarndyce wards and the aloof Lady Dedlock (Gillian Anderson, The X-Files). Dickens' story twines through an excoriating vision of the legal system to heartbreaking domestic drama to a murder investigation to near-Gothic horror, all broken into utterly delicious half-hour segments (after the hour-long opening episode). Martin is utterly beguiling, homely at one moment and luminous the next; Anderson's grippingly eerie and brittle performance will delight her fans. But to single out anyone seems absurd, because every character--from the vicious lawyer Tulkinghorn (Charles Dance, White Mischief) to the foppish parasite Skimpole (Nathaniel Parker, The Inspector Lynl! ey Mysteries) to the simpering clerk Guppy (Burn Gorman)--! is intri cately drawn, all hitting a mesmerizing balance between caricature and stark emotional honesty. Bleak House demonstrates that humor, pathos, and social criticism can all be contained in one wonderfully entertaining package. --Bret Fetzer
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