The Ring

Caution is usually advised when a movie with the words "Danielle" and "Steel" in the title is on, and "Danielle Steel's The Ring" is no exception. Going from laughable to mildly watchable, this two-parter sees Nastassja Kinski as the grown-up daughter of a wealthy German couple - the female part of which committed suicide after the Nazis killed her Jewish lover - whose life falls apart in the wake of WWII; separated from her father and brother, loses her lover in the fall of Berlin, goes to the US disguised as a Jew...

Though the beautiful Miss Kinski is for most of the film at least ten years too old for her role (given a hand by the cinematographer), she holds this often ridiculous tale together - too many coincidences and silly dialogue make it hard to take seriously, and Michel Legrand's score works overtime to fill in what the plot and in some cases the actors don't provide. (The actress playing our heroine's brother's wife is a particularly strong liability.) And yet, somehow I had to admit the conclusion did work... or maybe I'm just a big softy at heart. Not a must, but not as unbearable as I had thought it would be.

This sweeping tale by Danielle Steel has a surprisingly moving and well constructed story. It is imaginative plausible enough and doesn't cover familiar WW2 fiction territory.

Nastassja Kinski is beautiful and perfectly cast as Ariana a good German girl. She gets separated from her father and brother during the War. Her brother ends up in Switzerland and she endures the War in Berlin. Their journey sends her to New York and her brother to Paris. Because their names are changed and other things they are unable to reconnect.

The characters are interesting and not one dimesional. There are quite a few emotionally involving moments.

Very entertaining and moving.

I read the book The Ring, by Danielle Steel, when i was around 13 or 14, and very quickly became hooked on all of her books. This was one of her best works, and I often re-read it, and knew the story inside out. Often wished they would turn it into a film, but it never happened.

Life moves on, and as teenage years turn into adulthood, lo and behold, what do i accidentally come across on TV during the Easter holidays, but Danielle Steel's "The Ring"! WOW!! What I had been waiting for, all those years ago! This TV movie didn't quite meet up to my expectations of how the story would look on screen, but its an excellent effort. The cast is pretty good - (Manfred is lovely!!) and lets just say, at the beginning, during and after I often found tears running down my cheeks.

Recommended if you have read the book, but still recommended even if you haven't. I admit, most of Danielle Steel's stuff is pretty corny, with disaster following disaster, then happy ending, but, just lose yourself in the film, take it as it is meant, and enjoy!!! I did!

This movie has got to be the greatest tear-jerker I've ever seen. Natassja Kinski is magnificent. She is one beautiful and talented actress. All of the supporting actors and actresses are excellent and well cast. The re-creation of the environment in Nazi Germany in the 30s and 40s is right on; the cinematography is very good, especially for a TV movie.

The film is a little long- 180 minutes- as it was originally shown as a two-part TV movie. However, it moves fairly well, and you're always wondering what will come next. The only negative (minor) is that Nastassja's character could have been aged more realistically.

It's one of Nastassja's finest roles. I recommend it highly.

I like this film because it shows just what a person can go through by losing her family and her husband to the war it shows just how a person uses their character, it is a film of extreme courage and it appeals to me in every way this film and the writer daniella Steel have done a GREAT job well done