North & South (2004)
North & South is a British television drama serial, produced by the BBC and originally broadcast in four episodes on BBC One in November and December 2004. It follows the story of Margaret Hale, a young woman from southern England who has to move to the North after her father decides to leave the clergy. The family struggles to adjust itself to the industrial town's customs, especially after meeting the Thorntons, a proud family of cotton mill owners who seem to despise their social inferiors. The story explores the issues of class and gender, as Margaret's sympathy for the town mill workers conflicts with her growing attraction to John Thornton. The serial is based on the 1855 Victorian novel North and South by Elizabeth Gaskell. It was adapted for television by Sandy Welch and directed by Brian Percival.
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All of these films share one commonality, that being a kind of emotional center that humanizes a cast of monsters.
There's no way I can possibly love it entirely but I just think its ridiculously bad, but enjoyable at the same time.
Although I seem to have had higher expectations than I thought, the movie is super entertaining.
Actress is magnificent and exudes a hypnotic screen presence in this affecting drama.
I had not read the book and I'm ashamed to say I haven't read many of the classics but why read them when I can watch them so beautifully? I loved watching how each character changed in the duration of the four episodes and wished it was longer. You really felt Margaret's disdain and then loyalty to the union workers plight. It's like she really was looking from the outside and seeing both sides. Well done!
I enjoyed North & South because of a few things: the beautiful setting and cinematography and the fact that the characters are so believable! The actors are very good and Richard Armitage is fantastic! He is handsome, charming, he has that kind of authority that makes for a great leading male-role. Daniela Denby-Ashe is also worthy of her role, I like her modest, soft beauty, it goes so well with the century portrayed and her role, just perfect.I applaud the makers of this film, it is worth watching and enjoyable. If I am however to comment on something North & South is very much lacking... it is suspense. You just know from the beginning that Margaret is going to end up with Thornton, the whole thing is just postponing THE moment when they declare their love for one another. I would have expected a more intricate design. Too straightforward, you know where it is heading and once it takes you there there is no wow-moment.
Margaret Hale, daughter of a priest Richard Hale migrates along with her family from the simple, dull and old fashioned lifestyle to an industrial town Milton. Miss hale with her simple and humanitarian doctrines finds constantly hard to cope with the modern society. The plot here is taken of 18th century Victorian Era. With the prejudice of insipid and rigorous Industrial Revolution, where the means of production are only in the hands of a few people Margaret meets the townspeople. Here she meets the exploited laborers and their owners Mr. Thornton specially, an obdurate and callous aristocrat. Margaret with her unyielding resolutions quickly develops contempt for industrialist town Milton but in the end finds that preconceptions often mislead.Contrary to Auterism, in case of Adaptions we know it's the screenplay which shines out. The difficulty about good adaption is that the characters are predefined so there is not much room for improvisations. As for this it is an excellent adaption, one who has read thoroughly the Victorian era knows that plot executed is exactly reminiscent of the 18th century. Elizabeth Gaskell who published this in 1855, her work mostly deals with social novels. The characters and dialect is simple and efficient. Unitarianism urges comprehension and tolerance toward all religions and, even though Gaskell tried to keep her own beliefs hidden (being a Unitarian), she felt strongly about these values, which permeated her works—as in North and South, where "Margaret the Churchwoman, her father the Dissenter, Higgins the Infidel, knelt down together. It did them no harm." Much credit to the cast for their exquisite performances, especially Daniela (Hale),Richard (Thornton) but Sinead Cosack (Mrs. Thornton) and Brendan Coyle (Mr. Higgins) steals the show. Brendan who is nominated currently for Primetime Emmy for best supporting actor in Downtown abbey lives up to your expectations. He finely portrays Mr. Higgins, union leader, as a proud, honest, egoistic man working for the better of the society and his family. Whereas Mrs. Thornton much attached to his only son Thornton, constantly supporting him morally is finely depicted by Cosack. A great mixture of history, drama and romance, North & South (2004) is a winner in every sense.
This is one of those series that, once you've finished each episode, you're begging for more. With a fantastic soundtrack, perfect acting, and a beautiful plot, this series makes my personal Top 5 favourites. My mother suggested this to watch, as she'd seen it when it originally came out, and I was doubtful. But within the first five minutes, I was intrigued. I know for sure that classic novel fans will adore this, and many will be converted into classical literature through this, if they are not already (a bit like me!!!). It has elements of hostility and intensity, which has all been filmed and produced brilliantly. I cannot fault this series, and I am usually a very critical person! 10/10