Middlemarch

I'm reading MM for about the 5th time - agreeing with whoever it was who said it's one of the really great 'grown-up' novels.

I looked up the TV movie as well (first time since it was released) and it holds up wonderfully well - mainly because it sticks to well to the text - or at least to a stripped-down version of the text. Almost all the characterization is first-rate.

The only thing that gave me pause was Patrick Malahide. A fine actor, but he struck me as both too young and too 'human' for Casaubon; in fact rather 'acting' the part of an older man and a monster of egotism. Can one imagine him writing that truly appalling letter of proposal to Dorothea? I don't think so.

I finished reading Middlemarch (which I loved) and immediately began watching this miniseries, which had been recommended to me. I'm very particular about screen adaptations of my beloved books and I'm pleased to say that this one delivered on every level. Not an easy thing to do for a story that's over 800 pages, but the characters are well-rendered and the adaptation hits all the right notes. (Side note: why is there a non-existent seventh episode listed with a completely fabricated description of events that someone apparently thinks took place after both the book and the telecast ended? Very odd.)

To be honest, I don't think it's possible to translate the richness, depth and refinement of the book Middlemarch to the screen. A narrator gives the most beautiful comments, which is why this book is such high-class literature. The narrator was 'George Eliot', of course, and she was so wise, funny and compassionate that the story is reduced to half without her comments.

It's remarkable how George Eliot has set up Middlemarch. Usually, the narrator is on the outside of the story, and the events that take place with the characters make the story. But not in this case. The narrator is on the inside. He knows about life, psychology, philosophy, religion and spirituality, and he connects all this knowledge to the small lifes of the characters.

So, without the narrator, what's left is precisely this TV adaptation. It's the outside of the story. It shows the most beautiful clothes, gardens, coaches, china, townhouses, and music. The actors tell the story by saying the words their characters do and mimicking the feelings that go along with them. It's not bad at all. But it misses the heart, the inside.

How can we get to the inside of all the marriages without the narrator? How can we get to the personalities of all the characters without the narrator? It's simply not possible in this case. Maybe, with some class A actors we had a better chance, but that's not the case, unfortunately. So, like the characters without the narrator, we stumble through this adaption, which is remarkably fitting in a way.

If you like to see the outside of this story, watch this series. But if you want to see the whole package, please read the book.

George Eliot's classic was brought to life by BBC's miniseries in the early '90s. Starring Juliet Aubrey, the heroine who knows what's expected of her but can't ignore her heart, this compelling story is a must-watch (or must-read) for anyone who loves the genre. Social constraints, class structures, gossip, and daring melodrama feels right at home in this time period.

My heart completely went out to Patrick Malahide, though, so as much as I enjoyed watching this six-parter, I wasn't able to root for the other fellows. Patrick was just so sorrowful! Juliet marries him and is quickly disappointed in their marital life. He's a boring and strict reverend, but she knew exactly what she was getting when she accepted his proposal. In fact, she was drawn to his intellect from the beginning and wanted to learn from him. It turns out he's rather private and doesn't want to have lengthy, intellectual discussions with her; but is that really the end of the world?

For Juliet, it is. She wants more from her marriage. She has a brain, and she wants her husband to appreciate it as much as she does. But while she enjoys friendships with both the new doctor in town, Douglas Hodge, and her husband's cousin with a bad reputation, Rufus Sewell, it's less harmless than she thinks it is. Poor Patrick is also disappointed by his wife's behavior, and he sits at home with a broken heart when she's out galivanting and embarrassing him.

There's a lot more to this miniseries, though, and you'll be entertained by all the delightful characters and plot twists. It's always interesting to see the change in a town due to a railroad station. Progress also brings undesirable elements to an otherwise happy and peaceful community, and some people resent the modernization. You'll see Robert Hardy, Jonathan Firth, Elizabeth Spriggs, Trevyn McDowell, and more familiar faces. And does the voice of George Eliot sound familiar? It's Judi Dench!

Of all of George Eliot's novels, all of which are at least worth reading, Middlemarch gets my vote for personal favourite. It's an incredibly rich story in detail and emotion and the characters are human and complex, though some like Casaubon are purposefully not very likable. And what a brilliant adaptation this is, even better than 2002's Daniel Deronda and that was fabulous as well. Both share the same virtues but 1994's Middlemarch for me is superior because the ending is far more satisfying(if not as bleak as the source material). Middlemarch from a visual stand-point is of very high quality to look, the locations are just splendid, the costumes and period detail very authentic with an eye for detail and the series is wonderfully shot as well, simple but not simplistic and expressive but not overly-elaborate. The music is sensitively orchestrated and understated, not sounding out of place whatsoever. The writing is as rich and human as that in the book, the social commentary strongly emphasised without falling into the trap of swamping things. It also is delivered naturally, has a sense of structure and flow and is adapted intelligently. The adaptation is very faithful(apart from the omission of one plot-point), and the constantly riveting storytelling is layered without trying too hard or feeling bloated. It is easy for a faithful adaptation to be bogged down from being too faithful or trying to do too much, Middlemarch doesn't do that. The pacing is relatively slow and deliberate but the adaptation benefits from that. As anybody who's a fan of the book would argue for a book as detailed as Middlemarch is that that kind of pacing is needed so that it all makes sense and has time to breathe and resonate. The same can also be said for the long(around the 6-hour mark)length. The direction is controlled and subtle, doing nothing to undermine the drama within the story, and the acting is excellent from all. Robert Hardy in particular is a joy to watch, and Michael Hordern also seems to be having a ball. Juliet Aubrey plays Dorothea with strength and passion though the wild streak may take some getting used to, Douglas Hodge is appropriately dashing and idealistic and Rufus Sewell full of brooding charisma. Patrick Malahide makes for a creepy Casaubon, and Judi Dench's voice over is wonderfully sincere and makes the story comprehensible for those unfamiliar and manages to do that without feeling too obvious. To conclude, in every way this adaptation of Middlemarch is brilliant and does justice to a literary masterpiece. 10/10 Bethany Cox