I'm not entirely sure how we came to have 'The Bishop's Wife' on our DVD shelves. Perhaps it was recommended online somewhere as a special offer, or perhaps we picked it up inexpensively at a charity shop. The blurb on the back suggested that it might be a light Christmas film, so we decided to watch it during December.
It's a classic 1940s black and white film which stars a young David Niven as a Bishop in the Anglican Church. He is so busy that he hardly ever has time to be with his wife and daughter, who miss him. The surreal part of the film is due to Cary Grant who stars as a slightly unlikely angel dressed in a suit, sent from heaven to give some assistance.
The Bishop wants to build a magnificent cathedral, but unfortunately the only person who may be able to fund this project wants a huge memorial to her husband. The Bishop is not happy about this, and angry words ensue. Meanwhile the Bishop’s wife Julia (Loretta Young), worries that their marriage is falling apart because her husband is so constantly busy and stressed.
There are lots of amusing incidents in this film, and some parts that are quite moving. We thought it was very well done, in an era without computer graphics or simple special effects, and the story itself is good with a thought-provoking message.
Recommended if you like a bit of sentimental nostalgia and a feel-good story. Suitable for all ages, although probably not of much interest to young children. UK rating is U (Universal), not rated in the USA.
Review copyright Sue's DVD Reviews
'The Browing Version' is one of many films we acquired from someone who collected it from a free give-away with a weekend newspaper. It's not one I am ever likely to have chosen myself - although I quite liked watching it.
The story is an unusual one, featuring the last day of term in a British boys’ public school in the 1950s. The unpopular classics master Andrew Crocker-Harris (brilliantly played by Michael Redgrave) is leaving. His colleagues and students see him as unemotional, almost ‘dead’ emotionally, and have no regrets about his leaving.
However, during the day, Crocker-Harris's real self starts to show itself in various ways.
We meet his unbelievably ghastly wife (Jean Kent). We also get to know a boy in his class who’s fairly empathic and who quite likes classics. We see the master through their eyes, and new facets emerge.
We meet, too, a colleague who has been conducting an affair with his wife.. and many more. There's not much plot, but the gradual unfolding of a complex and rather sad personality.
The acting is good, in a 1950s kind of way (once we got past the pseudo-BBC accents) and the directing is good too. I felt that the people were believable and the flow of the story works well. On the other hand, it was rather depressing overall, with no clear conclusion.
Black and white, rate U in the UK, but probably not of much interest to anyone under the age of about 12 or 13. Not a film we're likely to see again, but perhaps worth seeing once.
Review copyright Sue's DVD Reviews
I was a little reluctant to watch the 2005 version of 'Pride and Prejudice'. It's not that I dislike movie versions of books; indeed, Jane Austen's novels seem to translate particularly well to the screen. But I had so much enjoyed the BBC mini-series that I was fairly sure that this shorter version would be disappointing.
However, sufficient people recommended this to me that I eventually put it on my wishlist; and we finally got around to watching it last night.
Being so much shorter than the BBC version, it was inevitably rather cut down as far as the various sub-plots go, but I thought that it was still true to the book. There was some excellent casting, other than Mr Bingley who we thought very weak.
It was evidently given a much higher budget for extras than the BBC version had; the balls were particularly lavish, and the sound track added to the atmosphere in a positive way.
All in all, I thought this version of the classic book very enjoyable. Particularly recommended if you don't know the book, or want to introduce someone else to it without spending house in front of the screen.
Review copyright Sue's DVD Reviews
While I'm not, in general, a huge fan of books turned into movies, I do feel that Jane Austen's novels can work particularly well on screen. The somewhat archaic descriptive language translates to gorgeous scenery and creative photography; the people come to life, if well-cast, and the story takes on a new perspective.
With this in mind, I have started collecting recommended DVD versions of Austen's novels. I was given the BBC version of 'Persuasion' for my birthday, and we finally sat down to watch it.
The story follow the classic Jane Austen novel 'Persuasion', which is less well known than some of her others. I had not read it for a few years, but still remembered the plot roughly.
The story features Anne Elliot (Amanda Root), the middle daughter of three. She is not a traditional heroine - neither feisty nor ravishingly beautiful. Indeed, as the title suggests, she is all too persuadable. And as such, we quickly become aware that she broke off her engagement to the dashing (but poverty-stricken) Captain Wentworth (Ciarán Hinds) some years previously. She has always harboured regrets, but attempts to behave as a young lady was expected to, and hide her deepest feelings.
Unsurprisingly, Captain Wentworth re-appears in Anne's neighbourhood, now doing well financially... and clearly popular with the ladies.
In my opinion, the BBC really know how to do Jane Austen. I don't suppose the budget was huge, but this adaptation brought the novel to life very well. There was some nicely done humour where appropriate, and two very believable main protagonists. The scenery and language felt believable, close to the text of the book, at least as far as I could remember it; my husband, who has not read any Jane Austen, thought it very well done too.
All in all, a very enjoyable film. Recommended.
Review copyright Sue's DVD Reviews
I have been a fan of 'Quantum Leap' since it was on TV 15 years ago or more. An unlikely fan, in a way, since I don't in general like science fiction or fast action. But somehow the theme - that of someone stuck in a time travel experiment, bouncing around the decades directed by God to sort out 'what once went wrong' appealed - and still appeals - to my imagination.
Scott Bakula as Sam is a wonderful hero in this series. Dean Stockwell as his holographic sidekick Al provides a lot of humour, although some of it is rather bawdy.
I was delighted to learn that all the Quantum Leap episodes are available on DVD. They are sold by the five different seasons for which the series ran on television (originally in the USA, but also broadcast in the UK).
We have managed to watch two or three episodes each month, and it has taken us nearly six months in all to see the fourth series. There are some excellent great episodes, including one where Sam becomes a chimp. We thought that one very well done. We particularly enjoyed the amazing finale to this series, when Sam leaps back into Al as a young man, caught up in a murder trial.
Unsurprisingly there are, if we thought about it in any depth, a few logic leaps. It's almost inevitable in any story involving time travel. But one has to suspend reality while watching this kind of show. More importantly from my perspective, there are also some amusing quips, and fascinating insights into both Al and Sam, as we explore a little of their past and get to know them better.
Definitely recommended. The UK rating is 15, probably due to some violence, bad language, and sexual references. Not intended for younger children.
Links to reviews of the other seasons of Quantum Leap:
Review copyright Sue's DVD Reviews
I very much like films with Steve Martin, which is probably how 'Parenthood' appeared on my wishlist. The blurb suggested something fairly light-hearted, and sure enough it made a good relaxing evening's viewing.
Steve Martin stars brilliantly as the father of three, trying to relate well to his children, juggling parenthood with his job and also his wife. He has three siblings with very different attitudes to family life. One of them has two rebellious teenagers, one is over-protective, and is hot-housing his small daughter, and the third pretty much ignores his delightful son.
The film is entirely character-based, like most of my favourite books, with plenty of interaction between the various siblings, cousins and other characters. Of course they’re mostly exaggerated, but nonetheless, I could see at least a grain of reality in everyone.
There's humour (some of it rather risqué), and some pathos too. I just wished the topic of home education had come up with Kevin, the sensitive child who was very unhappy at school.
Although Amazon UK lists this as PG, our version states that it is rated 15. I assume that’s because of several innuendos and sexual references. But there’s nothing explicit, no nudity, no violence, and – as far as I noticed – no bad language. Perhaps it was down-rated. In America, the rating is PG-13. Unlikely to be of much interest to young children anyway, but very enjoyable for adults wanting something light, not requiring too much brainpower, and yet surprisingly thought-provoking.
Recommended.
Review copyright Sue's DVD Reviews
I've liked all the books by Jane Austen, and 'Mansfield Park' is one of my favourites. It features the shy, well-behaved Fanny Price who hero-worships her cousin Edmund. However she faces grave displeasure from her cousins and friends when she stands up for something she believes to be right, despite their attempts to persuade her otherwise.
Jane Austen's novels usually translate well to the screen, particularly (in my view) when made for television. A TV series allows for longer versions than a film to be shown at the cinema.
So when we were given the 2007 ITV version of 'Mansfield Park' by a relative, who found it free with a Sunday paper, I looked forward very much to seeing it.
Unfortunately, this is by a long way the worst adaptation of a Jane Austen novel that I have seen. Billie Piper is a talented actress. But she is totally miscast as the demure, puritanical but kind Fanny Price, and this spoils the entire thing. Piper plays Fanny as a pouting, overly-prudish miss, whom nobody could possibly like.
While the film roughly follows the plot of the book (other than in Fanny Price's personality), there are too many missing characters, in my view. There are also other unnecessary changes which do not really make sense.
In addition, we did not feel that there was any sense of the 18th century at all. Yet it's not a deliberately modern interpretation - which might have been intriguing. Instead, it looks like modern people dressed up in costume. Even the camera work is bizarre at times.
It’s strange how the BBC can make such excellent period drama productions, whereas some of those made for ITV (such as this one) can be much poorer quality. I’m glad we got this free with a newspaper rather than being given it for Christmas or paying for it.
NOT recommended, unless you're a fan of Billy Piper and have not read the book 'Mansfield Park'.
Review copyright Sue's DVD Reviews
