Fortunes of War
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Movie Reviews of Fortunes of War
Movie Review: A personal story of a marriage during WWII
Summary: 5 Stars
There's so much to love in this series. First, that it is a series; it needs time to convey the scope of the story. The story, itself, is simple but rings true. A young, idealistic British lit professor who has a deep hatred of Fascism returns to his teaching job in Bucharest with his new bride. This is a man who sincerely attempts to walk his talk. In an opening scene we see him give money to an elderly man, probably Jewish, who has been removed from his train compartment.
We learn that he loves everyone, including, of course, his wife Harriet. He takes in stray people the way she takes in a stray kitten, endangering himself in the process. Harriet has a somewhat different view of life--less optimistic and more practical. She comes to resent the fact that Guy's love for others takes away from his attention to her. When he isn't busy saving the world from the enemy, he has his bespectacled nose in a book, even in bed. The poor woman feels neglected.
The film is set in Bucharest, Athens, and Egypt and there are stunning shots of all locations. Visually it's a total feast.
Besides the principles, Guy and Harriet Pringle, there is a wonderfully colorful group of Brits who surround them. We come to know and feel great affection for them, even with their faults and foibles, as they are shunted from place to place, always one jump ahead of the Nazis. The most memorable is the Anglo-Russian Prince Yakimof, brilliantly played by Ronald Pickup. The whole cast is first-rate, as we have come to expect from a BBC production.
Reviewers who have read the novels from which this series was adapted complain that the character of Guy isn't faithful to the one in the book and state that the casting of Branagh in the part was a mistake. Since I didn't read the book, I can't comment on that. To my eyes Branagh was truly brilliant, combining the qualities of the socially gregarious guy who knew and loved everyone with the sensitive academic who read John Donne aloud even as they were being transported on a rusty old freighter from one destination to another. My only complaint was that his cluelessness regarding his wife was maybe somewhat overplayed, as we see him, night after night, with his nose in his book, even as his wife is languishing by his side in bed.
The only disappointment for me, was the appearance of Emma Thompson as Harriet, whose story is the basis of the film. I've loved and marvelled at her performances in everything else I've seen her in, so this was a let-down. The script mentions her beauty and "light" in many places and wherever she went, men were attracted to her; however Thompson played down that aspect of the character. Perhaps it was the costumes of the time (the really horrible hairstyles), but the other women were shown to be quite beautiful...so what happened to Harriet? The stoic and spunky aspects of her personality were clearly shown, but she spent so many hours looking glum and gloomy, that frankly, I couldn't blame Guy for wanting to spend a lot of time at work. I'm sure that others will diagree.
All in all, this is a visual treat and an interesting view of life during WWII from the point of view of a group of British citizens who were caught in some gorgeous locales.
Movie Review: The War in Romania, Greece, and Egypt
Summary: 5 Stars
"Fortunes of War" is the dramatization of six Olivia Manning novels: The Balkan Trilogy and The Levant Trilogy. The seven parts of the mini-series (6 plus hours in all of viewing) follow the fortunes of a young British Council English teacher, Guy Pringle, and his new wife, Harriet, through World War II. The couple is living in Romania at the beginning of the war and flees to Greece and then Egypt to escape the Nazis.
This is not a tale of fighting men on the front lines, but rather a domestic drama about civilians bearing up through the momentous events of war and the loss of friends and homes. The miniseries takes its time; you may find parts one and two slow moving, but part three and four are edge-of-the-seat tense. Throughout are atmospheric touches and scenic photography -- not least of which are the wonderful eyes of Emma Thompson (Harriet). The series is readily believable: no hyperbole here, phony heroism, or false notes. The novels were auto-biographical and one can believe in the reality of the series.
In the books Guy Pringle is an exasperating, generous, ebullient, near-sighted, Soviet-loving fool of a man. Kenneth Branagh's rendering of him is too restrained. Emma Thompson, however, is superb as his sensible lonely wife who finds marriage exhilarating at times but more often frustrating. The greatest character of the series is the drunken spendthrift Prince Yakimov, wonderfully played by Ronald Pickup. He's a Micawberish-character worthy of Dickens.
It's a good series, not quite great because of the so-so portrayal of Guy Pringle by Branagh, but well worth viewing for a unique look at World War II.
Smallchief
Movie Review: A Classy Series
Summary: 5 Stars
"Fortunes of War" is a seven part British series that is based on autobiographical books by Olivia Manning. It follows the lives of a British Literature Professor and his wife during their sojourn out of England during World War II. The cinematography is stunning and clearly the series was filmed on location in Hungary, Greece, Egypt and Syria. It is worth watching just for the spectacular scenery, but it has much more to offer.
The professor and his wife are played by two of England's most distinguished actors, Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson, and both give sterling performances. Branagh's character is complex, a contrast of selfishness and generosity, introvert and extravert, thoughtfulness and absent-mindedness. His wife, steady, outgoing, generous and thoughtful, has a difficult time coping because most of the time he simply neglects her.
The War rages all around them killing friends and threatening their own safety. Forced to evacuate one war zone after another, they flee to different countries and seek to re-establish their lives. One can only marvel at their tenacity to stay in such places, given the ever-present danger.
Watching this is one of those experiences that when it ends, you wish there was one more episode. Highly recommended.
Movie Review: Fine acting, fine series
Summary: 5 Stars
I have not read the books, but I found the video series enthralling.
The acting is superb. Most of it was filmed on (or near) location, so the backgrounds are great.
The story really is Harriet's, but Guy, her husband, is interesting and evolving.
The war and its stresses are omnipresent; but oddly enough, despite the suddenness and ruthlessness of war, war never changes the underlying human dynamics.
Harriet and Guy both learn about each other, and themselves--a long, wrenching, and believable process.
Like many BBC productions, this one is quite literary (Guy is a professor of English in various locales) and will be fun for lovers of Brit Lit.
Guy mounts a production of Shakespeare's "Troilus and Cressida" in Romania, and is later chastised by the foreign office for doing it while the Nazis were advancing. He replies, "I don't see how anything I could have done would have stopped the Germans."
Yet in truth, the choice of the play was apt: betrayal, ruthlessness, naked greed for power, cynicism, corruption--precisely what was going on in Bucharest as the Germans came.
Movie Review: Excellent Mini-Series. Branagh & Thompson At The Start Of Their Careers. A MUST For Fans Of Branagh & Thompson. Epic Drama.
Summary: 5 Stars
The premise of this excellent mini-series, starring Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson, before starring in "Henry V" two years later, is as follows:
Guy Pringle (Branagh) and his new wife, Harriet (Thompson), are members of the English community in Bucharest, Rumania on the eve of World War II. The film catalogs and chronicles, after the war begins, the characters [diplomats, literary types, spies, penniless royalty, gays, lesbians] that cross and re-cross their path as they flee before the advancing Germany armies to Athens and then to Cairo.
I confess, I have not read the source material (it's probably out of print; I can't find it on this website), but, being a huge fan of Kenneth Branagh and Emma Thompson, I decided to but this mini-series without so much as reading the reviews. I was nothing short of impressed. I strongly recommend it for fans of Branagh and Thompson. You won't be disappointed. This mini-series is Not Rated.