In Relation to Wives and Daughters

Based on the book by Elizabeth Gaskell, Wives and Daughters is about young Molly Gibson (Justine Waddell). Molly is sent by her widowed father Dr. Gibson (Bill Paterson) to spend a few weeks at Hamley Hall. Dr. Gibson promptly gets engaged to an elegant but self-absorbed governess named Hyacinth (Francesca Annis), who has a daughter about Molly's age. The new additions to the Gibson household alternately wreak havoc and blessings on everyone around them.

Pros: I love Molly Gibson! She's very sweet, but has a bit of a temper. Dr. Gibson is one of my favorite characters of all time. It's nice to watch a movie with a strong father character! Roger Hamley (Anthony Howell), though clueless like most men in nineteenth century novels, is very kind. Lady Harriet Cumnor (Rosamund Pike) is a great character - but she isn't in the movie nearly enough!

Cons: The music can be distracting at times. Osborne Hamley (Tom Hollander) could have been taller and handsomer. Hyacinth gets almost painfully superficial.

My Rating: AGC

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Concerning Cranford

Cranford, based on the stories by Elizabeth Gaskell, is about a small town in 1840s England. Largely untouched by new-fangled inventions such as railroads, Cranford has been quietly managed by a small group of older women headed by Miss Deborah Jenkyns (Eileen Atkins). Everyone who joins the town, from Capt. Brown (Jim Carter) to Miss Mary Smith (Lisa Dillon) to young (and unmarried!) Dr. Harrison (Simon Woods), must conform to the town's ideas of proper conduct or face severe disapproval.

Pros: This movie is not only extremely well acted, it's also hilarious! The little old ladies who run the town, particularly Mrs. Forester (Julia McKenzie), are so funny. They continually make mountains out of molehills and molehills out of mountains. There's also many a tear-jerking moment involving various deaths and other tragedies. Miss Matty (Judi Dench) is a wonderful character and very, very well acted.

Cons: There's no great heroine and hero who make a great couple. The closest thing is Sophy Hutton (Kimberely Nixon) and Dr. Harrison - but they're not the sort of people one overly admires.

My Rating: OK if certain scenes are skipped, T if not (surgery scenes)

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