The Forsyte Saga, Series 1
by Christopher Menaul, David Moore
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DVD Cover Information
Actor: Ann Bell, Beatriz Batarda, Damian Lewis, Gina McKee, Rupert GravesDirector: Christopher Menaul, David Moore
Brand: Acorn Media
Producer: Andy Harries
Producer: David Boulter
Producer: Rebecca Eaton
Writer: Jan McVerry
Writer: John Galsworthy
Writer: Stephen Mallatratt
DVD: Region Code 1
Audio: English (Unknown), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo; English (Original Language), Dolby Digital 2.0 Stereo
Format: Anamorphic, Box set, Closed-captioned, Color
Picture Format: 1.85:1
Running Time: 426 minutes
DVD Release Date: 2002-10-08
Audience Rating: NR (Not Rated)
Studio: Acorn Media
Movie Reviews of The Forsyte Saga, Series 1
Movie Review: "I'm a Forsyte!"
Summary: 5 Stars
"The Forsyte Saga" takes us back to another time -- when soap operas were dressed up in lace, gilt, marble and love threatened by society's dictates.
This sprawling, sumptuous miniseries, adapted from John Galsworthy's novels, introduces viewers to the Forsyte family, who never change and uphold themselves with rigid propriety. And the first season of it is a wonderfully dramatic tale of love, possession, and a man's obsession with his unattainable wife.
As the story opens, Young Jolyon (Rupert Graves) realizes that he is in love with the governess, and leaves his wife to begin a new life with his beloved. The Forsyte family shuts him out, more angered by his sin against society than his leaving his wife. (Lovely people)
Four years later, Soames Forsyte (Damian Lewis) catches a glimpse of the beautiful Irene Heron (Gina McKee) at a concert, and is instantly smitten. Irene rejects him, but is trapped by lack of money. Eventually she concedes -- if he promises to let her be free if the marriage fails.
But she doesn't come to love him, although he still tries to get her affection. Finally he commissions his niece's fiancee, Bosinney (Ioan Gruffudd), to build a country palace for Irene. But then Irene and Bosinney fall passionately in love, and the enraged Soames strikes back at them -- with shocking, then tragic results.
Ten more years pass. Soames wants to remarry a pretty young French girl, but is still legally married to Irene. He demands that she name a recent lover, so he can get a divorce -- but then he starts obsessively stalking his wife, trying to win her back. Instead, he drives her into the arms of the grieving Young Jolyon...
Love, sex, violence, death, war, gambling, scandal, babies and seething resentment -- all the ingredients of a juicy drama. And despite the period clothing, this is a very juicy miniseries, as well as being mostly faithful to Galsworthy's sprawling novels, and very prettily made.
In fact, it juggles the various storylines -- Dartie's scandals, Holly and Val falling in love, Irene's affair -- with remarkable flair. And as Galsworthy did, it explores how women were treated ("Miss Heron, will you be mine?" "I will MARRY you, Mr Forsyte"), forgiveness, and how a scandal only affects you if you allow it to. The writing is impeccable.
And it takes place in magnificent period sets. Sure, they're too ornate for the sensible Forsytes, but they are gorgeous -- from the more modern house by Bosinney, to the stately, ornate homes in London. The main flaw is that it slows down substantially in the final third, and some threads are left hanging for the second season.
And the cast is stunning. Rather than making Soames sympathetic, Lewis makes him UNDERSTANDABLE -- he's despicable, but the audience can see how narrow-minded and desperate he is. McKee is quietly enigmatic, and Graves is passionate and lovable. They're backed by equally good performances by Gruffudd, Corin Redgrave as the family patriarch, and Gillian Kearney as lonely June.
"The Forsyte Saga's" first season is a dramatic, intense miniseries, though it slows down a great deal at the end. In all, a spellbinding look at a family that thinks way too much of itself.
Summary of The Forsyte Saga, Series 1
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