Manor House
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Movie Reviews of Manor House
Movie Review: Great show!
Summary: 5 Stars
I saw Manor House on PBS several years ago, and bought the DVD set for my birthday this year. I love this reality series! I've never seen a reality series that showed people's emotions and inter-relationships so eloquently. I don't believe the producers created drama within the series in order to present "artificial" drama - the relationships between the people were dramatic enough.
I found the narration very helpful, in that the lifestyle of the Edwardian period was explained pretty thoroughly. After watching Manor House, I have a much greater appreciation for the hardships endured by the servant class, and the fantasy world that the ruling class lived in.
I wish I could have seen how the people who enacted the various roles in Manor House felt about the show after it was over. For instance, how did the couple who took on the role of Master and Lady of the house feel about their experience 1 year after their time at Manor House ended? By the end of the show, this couple were traumatized because they had to leave their luxorious life at Manor House and enter the real world again. Were they able to re-adjust to life in the outside world?
I gave this series a 5-star because it was a well-researched and fascinating look at the Edwardian period. Great casting, as well.
Movie Review: Now THIS is what I call Reality TV!
Summary: 5 Stars
What a great show! I can't believe first off how HARD life was in that time period and I also can't believe (2ndly) that the people who agreed to be servants actually STAYED (well, 2 bailed but that's a spoiler!!). I can't say that the wealthy had it all that easy too...their tedium brought about it's own kind of prison I think. The very fact that the modern sister-in-law had to take a break is very telling on how hard the life must have been for the women of that era. Of course the ones you really feel for are the servants. What a horrible life. Even if you were lucky enough to be one of the top level servants it wasn't all that great. This show was a real eye opener into a lifestyle I have no experience with. Very well done.
Those of you who have seen the 1900 House or the 1940s House should look very carefully at the guests of the Manor House when they come for the costume ball. One couple consists of the gentleman who supervised the 1900 House and the woman who was the historian (I believe) for the 1940s house (Julia Gardnier???). Everyone got in on the act for this one. ;>)
Movie Review: Six hours of in-depth history lessons on the Edwardian era
Summary: 5 Stars
The most fascinating part of history is learning how people's regular day-to-day lives were like. It is that which this type of series exploit so well. While seeing how things were done a hundred years ago, such as 16-hour work days, no time off, and making your own dish washing soap, is enough to watch this series, it is the human experience of the participants that is truly intriguing. From the lady of the house, an emergency room doctor in real life, becoming shockingly comfortable and happy as de-emancipated consort to her all-powerful husband Sir John, to the butler who goes full in to understand the life of his grandfather, who was "in service" during that time.
This DVD does a better job than anything else I've seen to let the 21st century viewer understand how incredibly dysfunctional society of the early 1900s truly was and how trapped just about everyone were and how extremely limited their lives were in ways people of today would simply never think of.
Movie Review: Thoroughly engaging series!
Summary: 5 Stars
What would happen if you place an upper middle class family in a huge manor house and require that they live according to the rules of Edwardian England? And what if you take normal every day people, and place them as the servants of the Manor House?
This is the premise of the show, and the results are thoroughly fascinating! How would you react to all the rules that servants had to adhere to? How would you like to give orders and live with the protocol of an Edwardian land baron? There is plenty of conflict, drama and comedy! I wanted the show to last much longer!
My only criticism is that they didn't reunite the entire cast, to have them talk about their experiences, but it must be remembered that this was filmed before "reality TV" had hit its peak.
A great mini-series to enjoy!
Movie Review: Another PBS Classic
Summary: 5 Stars
I am so grateful to PBS for their wonderful work. I saw only 2 of this 'House' program, before it finished running on TV. I was so delighted to finally get the whole program to view from start to finish.
The most remarkable evidence of money corrupting people was displayed in this program, as the people chosen to play the lord and lady of the house became less and less in touch with the reality of the world in which 'their servants' lived. The pompous lord and lady actually believed that they were deserving of such outrageous attention. They showed less and less compassion for others, as they fell more and more into their roles. Is it any wonder that the servants despised them, before the series ended.
It was this 'House' program that has lead me to view and buy more of the PBS DVDs.