The Making of a Lady

I was shocked at the number of people who said they didn't enjoy this movie. When it first came on, I thought perhaps it was a new series. I was so relieved when an hour passed, and the plot kept going. I absolutely fell in love with the lead character. Now granted I was a college English major and later earned a Masters of Divinity. I do love the "Hand me a handkerchief" emotion which doesn't seem to reach recent literature. I have a passion for stories which take place in old England. Most of my favorite writers fall into the category of romance in the 1800's, early 1900's. I will very likely now read the book and buy the DVD. I am surprised I haven't run on to it before. Thank you for a beautiful job...such a relief from reality shows and bad comedies.

Brilliantly cast, beautifully acted, and intriguingly suspenseful. Linus Roache is criminally underrated, and Lydia Wilson's performance is impeccable. This film deserves far more credit than it's given, and has more rewatch value than your typical Masterpiece options.

I was also surprised by the negative reviews. I admit this movie is a bit different than most... but I was captured from the start. The first half is a wonderful romance followed up by rather a bizarre, if not particularly scary, horror type yarn. It is different but not bad.

Emily Fox Seaton is poor and works for the very haughty Lady Maria. Emily knows Lady Maria's nephew Lord James Walderhurst who is, older (50s) and looking for a wife. While doing a favor for Walderhurst and moving a particularly annoying potential bride away from him at dinner, Emily is fired by Lady Maria. Walderhurst, follows Emily home and asks her to marry him. His proposal is as romantic as nails with him basically saying... what choice do you have? Emily accepts and prepares herself for a loveless marriage and her "duty". Thankfully, the relationship unfolds in a tender and pleasing way and they come to share a steady mature love that I was rooting for.

But then, Walderhurst goes on a mission to India. Alone, pregnant, and living in a somewhat empty mansion 10 miles from the nearest village she is overjoyed when Walderhurst's cousin and his wife come to visit. Alec will inherit the estate if Walderhurst does not produce an heir and thus is not to be trusted, but Emily is lonely and wants to believe. Things get quite crazy from this point on in the "Lifetime" movie of the week vein. But it doesn't go on long and is very captivating.

I found the first half of this film very enjoyable so even if the second seems not your cup of tea I would recommend it.

The romantic scenes in this movie are beautiful - tender and intimate, and both of the main characters are very appealing. I wish that there had been more development of Emily and James's relationship in the beginning of the film, because it is so compelling. Excellent acting and very believable portrayals of the two main characters and their positions in society, as they come together. The intense, 'horror' part of the movie is unsettling, but also well done. I think this movie would have been considered a great romantic drama if the scene at Emily's bedside after James's return from India had been stronger. He is such a likable character, but this scene falls short. The setting and costumes are also beautiful. Well worth watching for the love story and scenery, just not quite up to the mark for a classic.

THE MAKING OF A LADY is a 2012 ITV adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett's novel, THE MAKING OF A MARCHIONESS. Being entirely unfamiliar with the story, I sat down to check it out, and ended up watching a television film of two parts.

The first half is an entirely conventional romance between ANY HUMAN HEART's Lydia Wilson (keeping her clothes on this time around) and Linus Roache, playing almost exactly the same role as the one in ITV'S TITANIC shown earlier this year. The look, the feel, the script, everything is familiar and safe.

The second half moves into unfamiliar territory as the plot gradually develops into a mystery/thriller, somewhere along the lines of a Wilkie Collins novel. I don't mind a bit of melodrama, but this ends up just as clichéd and predictable as the first half, albeit in a different genre. The would-be villains aren't menacing in the least and there's a pantomime feel to the whole production.

In the end, I didn't buy it. I appreciate the thought and effort that went into this, and I always like new productions of the more unfamiliar classics, but THE MARKING OF A LADY has zero style and not much else to recommend it.