The Barchester Chronicles
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Movie Reviews of The Barchester Chronicles
Movie Review: BBC/Trollope's fascinating look at corruption in the Church
Summary: 4 Stars
BBC & Trollope's fascinating look at corruption in the Church of England
Based on the book by Anthony Trollope, "The Barchester Chronicles," is a fascinating and satirical look at corruption in the Church of England, and the reformers who wish to make changes, and end up getting more than they bargained for.
Reverend Septimus Harding (Donald Pleasence), a decent, gentle and caring man who values music and it's relation to God above all else, is the clergyman in charge of Hiram's Hospital. John Hiram, a rich and influential man, has died decades before, leaving money for the forming and management of a men's hospital, intended for worn out old men to take refuge in the country and live their last days out in peace. Appointed by Bishop Grantly (Cyril Luckham) to his post almost 12 years ago, Rev. Harding is suddenly attacked in a lawsuit by reformers who claim that corruption and nepotism have invaded into the town of Barchester. They begin calling for reform and although the lawsuit is defeated at the end, Rev. Harding ends by honorably resigning from Hiram's Hospital, to live poorly and struggle on as a clergyman in Barchester.
Not too long after, a change in government calls for a change in church leadership: when a new prime minister is named just as Bishop Grantly passes away, Dr. Grantly (who had hoped to become the next bishop) is passed over for a new appointment: Bishop Proudie. Enter Alan Rickman (in an early role pulled off with resounding success), playing the fantastically flirtatious and social-climbing devious chaplin, Reverend Obadiah Slope. Slope is chaplin to shy, quiet, stammering Bishop Proudie, who is controlled by his wife, Mrs. Proudie (Geraldine McEwan), in nearly everything he does. A few other characters thrown into the mix, including the beautiful and crippled Signora Madeline Neroni (Susan Hampshire) and her rakish brother, combine to create a mesmerizing tale of love and the thirst for power.
As Slope and Mrs. Proudie (who began as "great friends) priggishly fight on for control over Bishop Proudie and his actions, ambition takes on a new meaning. A church appointment is made by one, and contradicted by the other: another appointment is made and overturned by the other: it creates a delightful almost-comedy of errors in which you chuckle at the power struggle and feel sorry for the innocent people affected so deeply by it.
Content: There is no language to speak of, and very little "violence" (if you can even call it that): a woman slaps a man (with good reason). Many discussions take place about corruption and nepotism in the Church of England, and the need for reform: nothing untoward is mentioned, other than that men are appointed and paid for doing very little work: nothing to do with Christianity, the reform is do with the church, its appointments, and its care of the people of Britain. Other content: a man flirts outrageously with many women, and a woman flirts with many men.
On the whole, a very unobjectionable film that entertains and delights on one hand, even as you can't help but be saddened and appalled at the actions of some on the other hand. What amazes me most about the power-hungry actions of some characters is that all this takes place in the relatively small town of Barchester. Overall, this 1982 TV mini-series by BBC gives a fascinating in-depth look at the clergy and church reform, as it so realistically just might have been.
Movie Review: 19th century soap opera goodness
Summary: 4 Stars
At the heart of the Barchester Chornicles is the story of corruption and wastefulness in the Church of England. Much of the story centers around the lives of clergymen and their offspring in the 19th century and how they fought political battles for better positions in the church and personal battles for better social and financial positions.
Donald Pleasance is billed as the lead actor in the series and is the focus of the first two parts but then becomes more of a supporting character whom others actions are woven around. Around part 3, Alan Rickman's Obediah Slope (the "villain") becomes much more pivotal as his manipulation of those around him is at the center of most of the action. In fact, manipulation on nearly every level is a great deal of what occurs in the series. It is so pervasive that there are very few characters who are actually all that likable. Even many of the "good" characters come across as duplicitous and insincere as they work Slope's ambitions to their favor by pretending to be duped by his act.This all makes for rather interesting viewing and a very soap-like feel to the series.
There are only a few "weak points" in my opinion. The first is that the story starts rather slowly due to the way the first two parts establish Mr. Harding's character and situation. I think that no more than one part should have been spent doing so. The second is the absolute distraction of Susan Hampshire's appearance in a period piece. She was 45 at the time that she portrayed Senora Neroni, a great and presumably somewhat younger than 45 beauty, and a clearly obvious (and overdone) nose job and tightly-pulled facelift made it hard for this viewer to stay in the story and accept the character every time she appeared onscreen.
Nonetheless, I would recommend this DVD to any fan of this sort of BBC drama. The story has increasing momentum and you do find yourself wondering where the characters will be by the end. It's extremely well-acted and worthy of the viewer's attention.
Movie Review: The Barchester Chronicles: a review by David Hinley
Summary: 4 Stars
Made by the BBC in 1982, this series, which combines Trollope's two Barchester novels, the Warden and Barchester Towers, is, overall, an excellent, seamless adaptation of both books.
Made during the golden years of BBC television drama, it stars Donald Pleasence as the saintly Warden of a home for the poor and Nigel Hawthorne as Dr Grantly, a clergyman who, like so many of his day (the early to mid 1800s) is interested mainly in the politics of religion rather than its practice. Geraldine McEwan is quite wonderful as the new Bishop's power-mad wife, Mrs Proudie. Susan Hampshire is also outstanding as Signora Madeline Vesey Neroni, a heartless cripple. Hampshire manages to maintain the delicate Trollopian balance of charm and malice.
With the exception of Pleasence and a couple of minor characters, the acting is true to the way in which the author conceived them. However, Pleasence, whose character is the pivot on which the Chronicles revolve, plays the Warden as a humorless, self-righteous old bore.
The direction, by David Giles, is competent.
The quality of the DVD is quite good and accurately reflects the production values of those days. That is to say the lighting is flat and without depth. This is mainly due to the fact that the television equipment of those days couldn't cope very well with deep shadows.
In short, an excellent example of what was on offer from the BBC in the early 1980s.
David Hinley
Hobart, Tasmania, Australia
6 September 2005
Movie Review: Trollope at his funniest
Summary: 4 Stars
The adaptors of Trollope's WARDEN and BARCHESTER TOWERS for the BBC keyed in exactly to the keynote of the second of these works, the most famous of Trollope's novels, and gave this miniseries the kind of ferocious energy with which Trollope's Barsetshire clergymen and their wives and daughters fight their amazingly highpitched manic battles over trivialities. The most satisfying moments in this series recognize either the slapstick humor in the original or its divergences into sentimental reflections upon goodness and kindness (the fine casting of Donald Pleasance as the Rev. Mr. Harding, the pivot upon which the entirety revolves, allows for occasions for the latter). While the casting is for the most part first-rate (particularly Nigel Hawthorne as the splenetic Archdeacon Grantly, Peter Blythe as the silly wastrel Bertie Stanhope, and Alan Rickman as the unctuous Obadiah Slope), Geraldine McEwan plays the role of the domineering Mrs. Proudie on far too gigantic a scale. While Mrs. Proudie is certainly Trollope's most larger-than-life creation, McEwan delivers her lines with so much intensity that she disrupts the rhythms of almost every scene she's in. The costumes and sets are first-rate, and the lovely quiet title cards contrast the beauty and stillness of the Barchester Cathedral with the mania of the characters' lives.Movie Review: very enjoyable
Summary: 4 Stars
Enjoyment builds slowly and steadily...well worth savouring over several evenings. The cast is excellent and the costumes are great, and I've always thought Anthony Trollope's novels deserve to be dramatized. I'm only sorry the rest of the "Barchester novels" weren't done, but maybe some day.
Sound quality is a little murky at times, I suppose from the limitations from the original production budget...sometimes the background noises of carriages & horses sounded like they were coming from a tape recorder in the corner of the room instead of outside of the windows, and the dialog in some of the party scenes is hard to distinguish, but these are small nits to pick. Overall well worth it.