Disraeli
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Movie Reviews of Disraeli
Movie Review: Disraeli
Summary: 5 Stars
I would really have appreciated it if there had been subtitles with this as the sound track and accents are a bit difficult to understand.Movie Review: History made easy
Summary: 5 Stars
A thoughtful, well research and professionally presented production of the life of Disraeli. Excellent costuming and stage sets.Movie Review: A good overview of the history and personal life of a great politician
Summary: 4 Stars
Ian McShane does a superb job of playing Benjamin Disraeli from the time he is a young politician, losing 5 elections in a row, to the time of his death after serving as Prime Minister of England twice. He is able to portray the handsome curly haired young dandy covered in gold chains and also the elderly stately politician with his large bald forehead. He is supported by a superb cast that includes Rosemary Leach as Queen Victoria and Mary Peach as Mary Anne Lewis Disraeli, the two women in the life of Disraeli that were most supportive of his political career and ambitions.
McShane is great as the young Disraeli, of Jewish heritage but baptized in the Anglican Church as a child. Disraeli's family was highly supportive of his ambitions and intellectual curiosity. Disraeli wrote novels and was relatively successful as a novelist before becoming a politician in his 30s, however he continue to write some also during his political career. It took 5 attempts before he was finally elected to the House of Commons as a Conservative. Yet over time he reveals himself to be a progressive conservative, steering the conservative party toward continued successes in policy. He was Prime Minister twice, much to the liking of Queen Victoria who appreciated Disraeli's philosophy, politics, and social interactions with herself. Disraeli married a wealthy widow woman 13 years his senior but their 33 year marriage was strong and supported by their mutual fascination with politics. Disraeli dealt with multiple challenges during his years of leadership including his political rivalries and allies, crisis in India and Ireland, the purchase of controlling stock in the Suez canal, and the rise of a unified Germany under the control of Otto von Bismarck. A dramatic moment occurs in the film when Baron Rothschild provides the British government a loan to purchase the Suez canal and thus keep it out of the control of the French and especially the Russians.
The DVD is four hours long and covers a good bit of English history however the majority of action is implied in the dialogues between characters. In fact, like many early BBC products, the dialogue is the primary messenger rather than action sequences. Because there is so much to cover in just 4 hours, in some ways the issues were glossed over and were not explored in any depth. This is the major drawback of the production in that it jumps from historic event to historic event to personal event to personal event without a sense of integration or without extensive context which is really necessary to understand complex historic trends and the complex personalities that swim in these political waters. Thus the DVD should be seen as an introduction to the life and career of Disraeli and that further study might be needed later to fully understand the sweep of events that is discussed in the DVD.
Movie Review: A Masterpiece of Victorian Drama
Summary: 4 Stars
This film is a fascinating historical drama on the life of Benjamin Disraeli, two time conservative prime minister of Britain. Given his background, reputation as a "Dandy", and his Jewish ethnicity, it is hard for even those of us with hindsight to see how one who was so "unrespectable" by stuffy 19th century British standards would be able to overcome all those staggering obstacles and become not only a revered prime minister, but the embodiment of British conservativism. If you're an Anglophile, I highly recommend this for you. It is important, however, that you have a basic knowledge of the British political system and the Victorian Era. This would include Victorian values, society, politics, etc. The only reason I did not rate this miniseries 5 stars is because this format does not include subtitles and it is hard to hear what is being said at various times throughout the viewing. That said, I still recommend this to anyone who has any interest in the era and in one of the greatest statesmen the United Kingdom has ever produced.Movie Review: Disraeli the politician
Summary: 4 Stars
I had heard a lecture about Disraeli and wanted to know more about his role in history. This DVD appears very accurate in following the influence of Disraeli's leadership as a statesman in England and opening up the Middle East for what would become Israel today. He was clever and an acquired taste as a statesman. Those that knew him respected him and relied on his oratory and integrity to lead Britain. It was interesting to realize the support, influence and love he received from his wife and even Queen Victoria.
The actors played their roles well. It helped to read up on Disraeli so you could get an idea of the era and background of the characters... the obstacles of being Jewish by birth in a country filled with anti-Semitism. Disraeli helped level the playing field in politics.