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UK Mall 1 - Wives And Daughters [1999]
![Wives And Daughters [1999]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/51IZKlW26vL._SL160_.jpg)
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List Price: £24.99
Our Price: £6.47
Your Save: £ ( % )
Availability: Usually dispatched within 24 hours
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
Starring: Justine Waddell, Bill Paterson, Francesca Annis, Keeley Hawes, Tom Hollander
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Average Customer Rating: 
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Aspect Ratio: 1.78:1
Audience Rating: Parental Guidance
Binding: DVD
EAN: 5014503107925
Format: Box set
Label: 2 Entertain Video
Manufacturer: 2 Entertain Video
Number Of Discs: 2
Number Of Items: 2
Publisher: 2 Entertain Video
Region Code: 0
Release Date: 2001-08-20
Running Time: 301
Studio: 2 Entertain Video
Theatrical Release Date: 2002-12-15
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Wonderful drama
Comment: The BBC! Where would we be without it and all it's fantastic offerings of cosy period dramas that made us long for an age of corsets, letter-writing, stately homes, balls and aboveall handsome suitors? The good news is that Wives and Daughters lives up to the above expectations being a lavish production full of drama, suspense and romance.
Molly Gibson and her father have always relied on each other. However when Molly's father marries again family life takes a new and unpleasant turn. The newly-wed Mrs Gibson insists on a strict code of propriety. With the arrival of Mrs Gibson's daughter Cynthia, Molly finds herself in a strange new world suddenly keeping secrets and getting mixed up in the most scandolous of affairs. I won't summarise any further as other reviewers have already gone to the trouble.
Where do I start with this excellent four-part drama? First of all the story is fantastic. It is absorbing and best of all unpredictable. At the end of every episode one makes predictions that are nearly always wrong. The script is excellent full of those witty quips and repartee that we have come to associate period drama with, managing to combine homour, romance and some beautifully moving scenes that will no doubt cause a few tears to be shed.
The acting is fantastic right down from the leads to the supporting characters. Special mention must be given to the Squire (Michael Gambon) who acts some of the bereavement scenes with such passion and poignancy that tears will come to your eyes. Justine Waddell as the lead (although appearing first as not very "lead character material") has such a genuineness of character about her that by the end everyone will want to have a friend like her while Francesca Annis as the domineering stepmother is appropraitely cruel while her daughter Keely Hawes is suitably flighty and capricious. The male actors are also excellent, not to mention extremely handsome.
Of course the secondary features are beautiful with heavenly landscapes (this movie would be a great promotion for walking!!!), moving music and period costumes.
To conclude I would recommend this movie for anyone who is a fan of period drama. It is just as good if not better than Pride and Prejudice. In fact probably better because unlike Pride and Prejudice there is something very likable about these characters. They appear very human and ordinary dealing with every day problems like illness, death, marriage and children, whereas Pride and Prejudice (not to disparrage it) mainly is concerned with marriage.
Customer Rating:
Summary: good news!
Comment: Impeccable acting. Speech and deportment faultless. How nice to be able to hear every word spoken, unlike some recent Austen adaptations, e.g. Kate Beckinsale and Keira Knightley, both of whom were far too 21st century slovenly.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fabulous 10 stars - looking forward to Cranford
Comment: This has to be one of my favourite BBC adaptations, rating alongside Pride and Prejudice. Andrew Davies again has done an excellent job, he can be forgiven a bit for his Northanger Abbey, which considering the length of the piece is understandable. I know other reviewers think this isn't quite as good, but I think Wives and Daughters is a bit of a slow burner. It isn't instantly as enticing as Pride but you will grow to love it just as much. I won't bore you with plot details as it has been done before, just buy this, if, like me you love costume drama. The performances are all excellent and unlike other reviewers I loved Justine as Molly. She isn't exactly like the Molly in the book but then that wouldn't be very appealing on scene. The excellent actress (can't remember her name)who played the main character in the recent Bleak House adaptation was also nothing like the Esther in the novel. She has made the character more engaging for me. She has done other costume drama (Great Expectations)before this and I loved her in those as well. I think it is a real shame that she hasn't had the success that the other young cast members(who are brilliant too) like Keeley Hawes, Rosamund Pike, Antony Howell and Tom Hollander have had since this production. I loved the ending of the programme as well, again a modern twist. I'm looking forward to Cranford which along with many of the cast from Wives and Daughter also has the excellent Judi Dench in it. I'm so pleased that the BBC has made Elizabeth Gaskell more well known with these series, there is also North and South which has the very yummy Richard Armitage in it. Now all we need is some good Wilkie Collins productions and I'd be very happy.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fabulous; a must for costume drama fans
Comment: This is based on the last novel that Mrs Gaskell wrote, and unfortunately, she died before completing it. We can be sure that she did intend a happy ending, but I'm not sure she would have intended quite the ending that this adaptation shows. However, that is a very minor gripe about what is an absolutely fabulous adaptation of a very readable book. Every character was spot on and all exactly as they appear in the book (with the possible exception for me of Osborne Hamley - not good looking enough). The locations, dialogue, costumes, everything are exceptional and this is a wonderful costume drama for all ages.
I just love the ironies that abound; in order to 'save' Molly from unwanted male attention, Mr Gibson re-marries and promptly finds himself and Molly embroiled in terrible scandal and secrets that can't be betrayed, inflicted on them both by his new wife's daughter.
In order to achieve a serenely well-managed household, Mr Gibson re-marries and turns his house into the abode of hysterical women from which he tries desperately to stay away on all occasions.
In order to get Molly away from an admirer, Mr Gibson sends her to stay with the Hamleys and she falls in love with Roger.
Absolutely wonderful! And serves him entirely right, by the way. He is not a very likeable man in either the novel or the adaptation, and brings his own doom about in a way that reminds you of the small trickle that sets off the landslide.
However, he is resigned to bearing the folly of his own actions and achieves a reasonable happiness by the end, so all is not lost.
The 2nd Mrs Gibson is an excellent character; so flawed and yet she tries so hard to be everything she believes she is and should be.
I cannot recommend this highly enough and would also encourage you to read the novel as it is very accessible and a cracking good read.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A very good adaptation of a very good novel. Michael Gambon is brilliant.
Comment: After watching it may times over, this has become one of my favorite screen adaptations of classical novels. I never thought any movie could come close to Pride and Prejudice in that sense, but this one truly does. Elizabeth Gaskell (novelist) has no black and white characters, just like in George Eliot novels one learns to understand the misfortunes and good sides of the less sympathetic people(like the step mother and step daughter at the start) and one feels with all characters, which in my opinion gives more depth to a story. In this one the deep affection between the Heroine and her father is very beautifully described, as well as the growing love between the Heroine and her neighbor the Squires son. Equally much we get involved in the aging Squires worries and hopes for his two sons to make it in this world, beautifully acted by Michael Gambon. His performance is stunning and brings you to tears. No wonder he won a BAFTA for this one!
This movie is one of the best to describe both awakening love, peoples honest intentions and care for loved ones in the 19th century rural England. One just loves the whole story and the people in it very much!
Very highly recommended to everyone fond of the complex human nature, passion, relationships, good dialog and good acting. I wish there would be more adaptations like this, were all pieces fall into place equally well: very well directed, high quality production with acclaimed cast, costumes, scenery and footage. Don't miss it.
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Editorial Reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Wonderful drama
Comment: The BBC! Where would we be without it and all it's fantastic offerings of cosy period dramas that made us long for an age of corsets, letter-writing, stately homes, balls and aboveall handsome suitors? The good news is that Wives and Daughters lives up to the above expectations being a lavish production full of drama, suspense and romance.
Molly Gibson and her father have always relied on each other. However when Molly's father marries again family life takes a new and unpleasant turn. The newly-wed Mrs Gibson insists on a strict code of propriety. With the arrival of Mrs Gibson's daughter Cynthia, Molly finds herself in a strange new world suddenly keeping secrets and getting mixed up in the most scandolous of affairs. I won't summarise any further as other reviewers have already gone to the trouble.
Where do I start with this excellent four-part drama? First of all the story is fantastic. It is absorbing and best of all unpredictable. At the end of every episode one makes predictions that are nearly always wrong. The script is excellent full of those witty quips and repartee that we have come to associate period drama with, managing to combine homour, romance and some beautifully moving scenes that will no doubt cause a few tears to be shed.
The acting is fantastic right down from the leads to the supporting characters. Special mention must be given to the Squire (Michael Gambon) who acts some of the bereavement scenes with such passion and poignancy that tears will come to your eyes. Justine Waddell as the lead (although appearing first as not very "lead character material") has such a genuineness of character about her that by the end everyone will want to have a friend like her while Francesca Annis as the domineering stepmother is appropraitely cruel while her daughter Keely Hawes is suitably flighty and capricious. The male actors are also excellent, not to mention extremely handsome.
Of course the secondary features are beautiful with heavenly landscapes (this movie would be a great promotion for walking!!!), moving music and period costumes.
To conclude I would recommend this movie for anyone who is a fan of period drama. It is just as good if not better than Pride and Prejudice. In fact probably better because unlike Pride and Prejudice there is something very likable about these characters. They appear very human and ordinary dealing with every day problems like illness, death, marriage and children, whereas Pride and Prejudice (not to disparrage it) mainly is concerned with marriage.
Customer Rating:
Summary: good news!
Comment: Impeccable acting. Speech and deportment faultless. How nice to be able to hear every word spoken, unlike some recent Austen adaptations, e.g. Kate Beckinsale and Keira Knightley, both of whom were far too 21st century slovenly.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fabulous 10 stars - looking forward to Cranford
Comment: This has to be one of my favourite BBC adaptations, rating alongside Pride and Prejudice. Andrew Davies again has done an excellent job, he can be forgiven a bit for his Northanger Abbey, which considering the length of the piece is understandable. I know other reviewers think this isn't quite as good, but I think Wives and Daughters is a bit of a slow burner. It isn't instantly as enticing as Pride but you will grow to love it just as much. I won't bore you with plot details as it has been done before, just buy this, if, like me you love costume drama. The performances are all excellent and unlike other reviewers I loved Justine as Molly. She isn't exactly like the Molly in the book but then that wouldn't be very appealing on scene. The excellent actress (can't remember her name)who played the main character in the recent Bleak House adaptation was also nothing like the Esther in the novel. She has made the character more engaging for me. She has done other costume drama (Great Expectations)before this and I loved her in those as well. I think it is a real shame that she hasn't had the success that the other young cast members(who are brilliant too) like Keeley Hawes, Rosamund Pike, Antony Howell and Tom Hollander have had since this production. I loved the ending of the programme as well, again a modern twist. I'm looking forward to Cranford which along with many of the cast from Wives and Daughter also has the excellent Judi Dench in it. I'm so pleased that the BBC has made Elizabeth Gaskell more well known with these series, there is also North and South which has the very yummy Richard Armitage in it. Now all we need is some good Wilkie Collins productions and I'd be very happy.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Fabulous; a must for costume drama fans
Comment: This is based on the last novel that Mrs Gaskell wrote, and unfortunately, she died before completing it. We can be sure that she did intend a happy ending, but I'm not sure she would have intended quite the ending that this adaptation shows. However, that is a very minor gripe about what is an absolutely fabulous adaptation of a very readable book. Every character was spot on and all exactly as they appear in the book (with the possible exception for me of Osborne Hamley - not good looking enough). The locations, dialogue, costumes, everything are exceptional and this is a wonderful costume drama for all ages.
I just love the ironies that abound; in order to 'save' Molly from unwanted male attention, Mr Gibson re-marries and promptly finds himself and Molly embroiled in terrible scandal and secrets that can't be betrayed, inflicted on them both by his new wife's daughter.
In order to achieve a serenely well-managed household, Mr Gibson re-marries and turns his house into the abode of hysterical women from which he tries desperately to stay away on all occasions.
In order to get Molly away from an admirer, Mr Gibson sends her to stay with the Hamleys and she falls in love with Roger.
Absolutely wonderful! And serves him entirely right, by the way. He is not a very likeable man in either the novel or the adaptation, and brings his own doom about in a way that reminds you of the small trickle that sets off the landslide.
However, he is resigned to bearing the folly of his own actions and achieves a reasonable happiness by the end, so all is not lost.
The 2nd Mrs Gibson is an excellent character; so flawed and yet she tries so hard to be everything she believes she is and should be.
I cannot recommend this highly enough and would also encourage you to read the novel as it is very accessible and a cracking good read.
Customer Rating:
Summary: A very good adaptation of a very good novel. Michael Gambon is brilliant.
Comment: After watching it may times over, this has become one of my favorite screen adaptations of classical novels. I never thought any movie could come close to Pride and Prejudice in that sense, but this one truly does. Elizabeth Gaskell (novelist) has no black and white characters, just like in George Eliot novels one learns to understand the misfortunes and good sides of the less sympathetic people(like the step mother and step daughter at the start) and one feels with all characters, which in my opinion gives more depth to a story. In this one the deep affection between the Heroine and her father is very beautifully described, as well as the growing love between the Heroine and her neighbor the Squires son. Equally much we get involved in the aging Squires worries and hopes for his two sons to make it in this world, beautifully acted by Michael Gambon. His performance is stunning and brings you to tears. No wonder he won a BAFTA for this one!
This movie is one of the best to describe both awakening love, peoples honest intentions and care for loved ones in the 19th century rural England. One just loves the whole story and the people in it very much!
Very highly recommended to everyone fond of the complex human nature, passion, relationships, good dialog and good acting. I wish there would be more adaptations like this, were all pieces fall into place equally well: very well directed, high quality production with acclaimed cast, costumes, scenery and footage. Don't miss it.
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