Norte y Sur

I'm a history teacher so I'm very critical of adaptations, especially those that sentimentalize the past in any way. This is a superb rendering of the spirit of the industrial age and the many facets of class struggle within it. It's also a richly romantic love story. The acting by all the cast is uniformly excellent but Richard Armitage as Thornton is a stand-out. The BBC is well-known for their meticulous attention to detail with locations and costumes. The working 19C mills used in the film are like watching a Jacob Riis photograph springing to life. The cinematography is gorgeous and the music is outstanding. This is the best historic fiction on screen I've ever seen.

Just what you need for a cold winter Sunday night! It's nice to have something to really get into, but the 4 weeks it was on went way too fast! The sets, costumes and acting were excellent, especially Richard Armitage's performance as mill owner John Thornton. He's got a brilliant deep, brooding sort of look about him, but with a softer, kind side too that is gradually revealed as the story goes on. The way Richard Armitage portrayed these two sides of Thornton's character was amazing. And as well as being a great actor, he's also very, very good looking! Nice smile (though we don't see it very often - so it's lucky he looks good when being moody/troubled!!)and a lovely voice. (sounds a bit like Sean Bean as a matter of fact!) Oh I'm going to miss this series! But honestly, not just because of Mr Thornton; it really was a gripping story and a great drama. The music was brilliant too, really capturing the mood and feel of the dark, industrial setting.

I bought the DVD version for my wife; she liked the book and enjoyed the BBC version of Wives & Daughters. I've probably seen far too many BBC costume dramas, but we were both gripped immediately and watched the whole thing in one sitting - all four hours. The story is set mainly in England's industrial North West during the 1850s, a time when even the rich seemed on the verge of destitution.

The hero is John Thornton (Richard Armitage) a self-made mill owner, who initially appears to be an aloof and brutal tyrant (Mr. Darcy with a Northern accent). The heroine is Margaret Hale (Daniela Denby-Ashe) a clergyman's daughter from Hampshire who finds it difficult to fit into northern society. Hale's family don't have a lot of money and seem out of place. She befriends the family of a union leader and causes controversy by speaking her mind about working conditions in the mills.

The story is based on a novel by Mrs. Gaskell, and the central characters go through some hardships and misunderstandings before they reach the predictable happy ending. The BBC is very good at this sort of thing. The story was well told with excellent acting, especially from Armitage, Sinead Cusack and Tim Piggott Smith. The characters were articulate and the plot was both credible and absorbing. Overall, it was an enjoyable series.

I hope there are high profile producers and directors who will seek out a DVD of North and South to see the outstanding performance of Richard Armitage. His charisma and talent are FAR, FAR BEYOND anything hyped up in Hollywood in recent years (he makes Jude Law, just to take one example, look like a grade school amateur).

This amazing performance should not be missed. I wish I had the means and knowledge to send copies of the DVD to all of the big independent producers, the studios, and directors.

This guy has "it" - talent, stature, intelligence, charisma. Anyone serious about acting should not miss Richard Armitage's performance.

Excellent rendition of Elizabeth Gaskells book.

The production is authentic - set in an impressive, historic working mill - with Edinburgh filling in for Manchester (Milton). The camera work is fluid and modern, and the story is told easily, not stilted, like some period dramas.

The acting is superb - the lead characters John and Hannah Thornton, Margaret Hale, and union man Nicholas Higgins are so natural that you forget that you are watching a movie, and get simply enthralled in their story. The supporting characters are also strong making this an unexpected gem of a movie.

Some of the dialog is taken directly from the book; some scenes are new but feel authentic. Overall I think that the story is very well told - the story of owner vs. worker in the industrial revolution - as well as an unexpected romance between social classes.