The Barchester Chronicles (Donald Pleasence, Janet Maw, Alan Rickman, Nigel Hawthorne)

(Amazon UK link)

Some friends recommended the BBC drama series 'The Barchester Chronicles' highly. It was based on the Barchester novels by Anthony Trollope, but I could never quite get into his writing. So I was rather dubious. But our friends lent us the DVDs, and we decided to watch them over a couple of weeks.

The BBC is almost always good at period drama, and this is no exception. It's slightly galling to admit that a screen adaptation of the six Barchester Chronicles by Anthony Trollope was a great deal more appealing than the books - but there it is. I can only say that about a handful of films or TV series based on books. 

Once we had started watching, we felt that it was very well done indeed. The story - complex in print, easier in movie form - is of intrigue and jealousies amongst the clergyman of a fictional city. And there's a bit of love interest along the way. We did a double-take at seeing the late Nigel Hawthorne playing a somewhat smarmy clergyman. He is so well-known as 'Humphrey' in 'Yes, Minister' that it was hard to see him as anyone else!

The main character is the excellent and almost-too-good-to-be-true Mr Harding (nicely done by Donald Pleasence). But in the latter episodes we all agreed that the villainous Mr Slope rather stole the show, played brilliantly by Alan Rickman. We wondered if this was the inspiration that gave him, later on, the part of Snape in the Harry Potter movies.

Unsurprisingly, some of the episodes were a little long-winded in places and rather slow-moving. But basically we thought 'The Barchester Chronicles' was very enjoyable indeed. Recommended if you like this kind of period drama series. 

Review copyright Sue's DVD Reviews

The Parent Trap (Hayley Mills)

(Amazon UK link)

Now that I'm well into middle age, at least in theory, I want to relive some of my childhood and introduce young friends to classic films and stories. However, this is not a film that I could remember seeing, or even hearing about.  The reason we ended up with 'The Parent Trap' on our shelves is that it was on special offer in a double-pack with 'Pollyanna'. 

But when I suggested watching 'Pollyanna', it didn't much appeal to my husband. Then he decided that 'The Parent Trap' sounded much more interesting. So we watched it.

First the negative side of this film. It's rather twee, and feels extremely dated. It was actually made in 1961, so it was not quite as old as we thought. We would not have been surprised if it had been ten years earlier. Moreover, the plot is - in the end - rather predictable. Not to mention unlikely, relying as it does on an amazing coincidence following bizarre circumstances...

To say any more would be a spoiler, although I imagine that most people interested in this movie will know at least the outline of the plot.

On the plus side, it's really a delightful feel-good story, once one accepts the 1960s twee American style of acting. The young Hayley Mills does a wonderful job, acting two girls brought up in different environments. She even manages two distinct American accents. That this was done before the modern days of easy special effects is in itself a triumph of production.

So I would recommend 'The Parent Trap' as a warm family film that doesn't require much thought. There is, apparently, a 1998 remake of this film which modernises the names and situations. But many people who have seen both prefer this original. There's something special about watching a classic.

Review copyright Sue's DVD Reviews