Silas Marner: The Weaver of Raveloe

Nine years before Steve Martin's 1994 `A Simple Twist of Fate' in a garishly modern Virginia/Georgia setting (no slight intended on the beauty of those fine States, but the tale is a frog in a barn in this locale) came Giles Foster's distinctly English and faithful adaptation for the BBC of one of George Eliot's own favourites. With ultimately its optimism and fair balance of life's trials and joys it is possibly more rewarding and life affirming than her bleak tragedy of `Mill on the Floss' or the hopelessness of intelligent women in the all encompassing English novel `Middlemarch'.

The narrative centres on the misfortunes of a lowly weaver at the beginning of the nineteenth century living as an outcast, whose life eventually collides with a wealthy landowner and his seemingly altruistic benefactor. Silas Marner comes to Raveloe after being banished from a close-knit chapel community as a result of being falsely accused by a friend who steals his girlfriend to boot. Marner huddles himself up, keeping apart from the locals other than selling his woven goods to them, and thus he acquires a reputation as something of a witch with his trance like gaze resulting from cataleptic fits. Mind you, he is fortunate in managing to fashion a living out of weaving at a time when industrialisation left the majority of weavers and knitters short of work. After the gold he has frugally amassed suddenly disappears he is mysteriously blessed in the form of a golden bundle of treasure who wanders into his cottage one snowy night. Marner adopts the young girl in the absence of any other parental claim and brings her up, with the pecuniary assistance of the local squire, so that she regards him closer than any blood father. When the squire's wife Nancy fails to produce a child of her own and the truth about the missing gold is unearthed, the squire is forced to bring his own secret into the light.

George Eliot's use of the mechanical trade of weaver with its lowly position in society was undoubtedly influenced by Shakespeare's creation of Bottom who has gentler indignities lumped upon him in `A Midsummer Night's Dream'. The indolent but not wholly bad young squire, with an unfortunate marriage attempting to hinder him from making a new life with another to provide him with an heir for the Red House, brings to mind the not dissimilar troubles of Edward Rochester from Charlotte Bronte's `Jane Eyre' published fourteen years earlier in 1847. It is also pertinent to note that having been rejected by one suitor, Herbert Spencer, as too morbidly intellectual the author made the difficult decision for the time to form a close and by all accounts loving relationship with George Lewes who was estranged from his wife following a sensational scandal concerning their domestic affairs.

Jenny Agutter, the disgraced sassy spymaster in the BBC's BAFTA award winning hit `Spooks', splendidly inhabits the unworldly "rustic beauty" though sublimely goodly second wife Nancy Lammeter to Patrick Ryecart's feckless squire Godfrey Cass. Ben Kingsley, who had earlier won an Oscar for his portrayal of Gandhi and was outstanding as the canny accountant in Steven Spielberg's harrowing `Schindler's List', gives a perfect rendition as the strange and slightly spooky weaver, seeming to even possess his character's protruding eyes. Jim Broadbent makes an appearance as one of the villagers in a familiar trademark characterisation prior to his Oscar winning performance as the devoted husband John Bailey in `Iris'. The role of the older Eppy is taken by a pre rock star groupie Patsy Kensit, who as an actor is still memorable as the sensual and ultra cool, though soon to be iced, personal assistant in Lethal Weapon 2. She is currently starring alongside Nigel Havers in `See You Next Tuesday' in the West End's Albery Theatre. Presumably a fan of both author and actress, Giles Foster later transferred to screen another of George Eliot's novels `Adam Bede' (1991) in which he also cast Kensit.

Eliot's strict religious upbringing that she eventually overthrew gives her an authoritative perspective on theology and philosophy for this tale of pious church elders unfairly expelling Marner from their circle. She also enters into a discourse on the merits or otherwise of adoption, playing devil's advocate that to challenge providence by wanting something that cannot be is to be against nature. For all her championing of social causes, history has not reverted to her real name as an author, Mary Ann (or Marian, as she preferred to be known) Evans, other than for her translation of Strauss' `Life of Jesus'.

Although considered too morbidly intellectual by one of her suitors, Eliot has compassionate understanding and an extraordinary insight into human nature, enabling her expositions on social injustices to be left as a legacy for future generations. The surefooted transcription of this novel paved the way for the masterful `Middlemarch' in the mid 1990's and last year's `Daniel Deronda' (both adaptations from the historical romances' favourite dramatist, Andrew Davies) that brought more accessibility to her erudite tomes for those who may not have appreciated her work before. In a supportive scheduling role that also addressed the oversight in its Great Britons list, the BBC belatedly recognised her powerful influence on the creative world with a drama documentary. Although, rather confusingly with this portrayal, too much was made of her perceived plainness, especially with the choice of the excellent Harriet Walter, who, whilst empathetically delineating her character, rather belies the description. Walter was recently to be seen on screen in Stephen Fry's directing debut `Bright Young Things', and on tour of a few select English provincial theatres in Terrence Ratigan's `The Deep Blue Sea'.

Silas Marner is a tale of the mysterious workings of life and how kindness and love can still be found in someone who has been betrayed and suffered at the hands of an unjust society. It is a worthy demonstration of how life can still bring rewards and riches greater than material wealth.

With first place going to Middlemarch. Silas Marner as a book has everything that is characteristic of George Eliot(pseudonym of Mary Ann Evans), characters with flaws and strengths, sharply insightful social commentary, themes that were relatable then and are now too and compelling storytelling. This adaptation matches those qualities exactly. As an adaptation it's very faithful, but it's its merits standing on its own that is even more impressive. It's beautifully made, the costumes, make-up and scenery show a lot of authenticity and detail and it looks great, not too opulent looking(but the colours are still rich and well-textured) and not too bleak. The photography is fluid and doesn't try to do too much but at the same time it's hardly simplistic either. The understated and unobtrusive music fits the tone of Silas Marner's story and it compliments the drama too, while the script is poetic and literate as well as faithful to Eliot's style, there isn't any irrelevant filler and it allows the story to resonate. The story is still emotional and heart-warming(the scenes with Eppie have so much heart), the themes of the book are sensitively explored and we identify with the characters(who are definitely the opposite of one-dimensional, they are very well fleshed-out). Ben Kingsley is superb, one of his best performance and he has never been more touching than here. He gives the character a lot of subtlety while literally in his scenes with little Eppie, adorably played by Elizabeth Hoyle. Patsy Kensit is much better than in Adam Bede and she is charming enough. Jenny Agutter is alluring and sympathetic, though with not as much to do, while Jonathan Coy is a nasty piece of work as Dunstan, Patrick Ryecaft is solid if a tad strident as Godfrey and the ever dependable Freddie Jones is excellent as he usually always is. Overall, the second best of the George Eliot Collection, splendid as an adaptation and in its own right. 10/10 Bethany Cox

We all know the story of SIlas Marner; we were assigned the story in high school and found it to be plodding and boring. Why? Because we were young, foolish, and inexperienced in the ways of the world. The story is not for high school students; only a few of us appreciated it then. The story is for older adults; the ones who have gone down that road of avarice and/or anti-social behavior. Sometimes, you need a jolt in life to get back on track; and Marner was lucky enough to get that jolt. George Eliot is a wonderful writer; and has that women's touch to the emotional center of humanism that come primarily from women. Ben Kingsley, the actor with the greatest range in cinematic history (from Gandhi to Sexy Beast) gives another great performance. Not to be missed.

In the great Frank Capra classic Meet John Doe, when Gary Cooper first meets up with Regis Toomey and others in the small town that he got off after fleeing the radio station after the speech, among the stories that Toomey tells is about Sourpuss Smithers. He's described as a miserly cuss that no one would bother with. But when the budding John Does investigated they found there was a reason why a person can become as mean and cynical as they are. It can happen when your faith in people is shattered.

Which is exactly what George Elliott wrote about when she created Silas Marner who starts out as a decent soul. He's accused of a theft and while nothing can be proved and there's indication he was framed, the good Calvinist people of his church blackball him and since that's what the majority of his town were, he was left isolated.

Marner leaves that town and settles near another town called Raveloe where he lives apart and alone, hoarding his money made from his weaver's trade and refusing to associate with anyone else. He's robbed of his money and this further embitters him.

But coming into his life is a young girl maybe a year or two old who is found by the weaver in the dead of winter wandering in the woods. The body of her opium addicted mother is nearby. The young girl has a lineage connected to Raveloe's most prominent family. Still Marner takes her into raise and that contact melts him. He becomes quite the caring person.

Ben Kingsley plays the title role of Silas Marner and dominates the film as the character dominates the book. Kingsley is superb in a role that calls for the individual to gradually shift in emotions over the course of the story. Angela Pleasence as the young girl's degenerate mother makes her scenes count as well as does the young lady who grows up to be Patsy Kensit.

Still you will remember Ben Kingsley's performance which will linger with you a long time after you see this Masterpiece Theater production of Silas Marner.

This is the uplifting story of Silas Marner, a 19th century English working man, who seems to be greatly wronged repeatedly by people in his community. As an eligible young man, a rival framed him out of greed as well as envy, leaving Marner wrongly accused of theft, upon which he relocates in a different village.

For some 15 years, Marner lives like a hermit, hording the money he earns as a weaver. Said to be "in with the wicked one", possessing strange magic, town folk avoid contact with the mysterious man. Ben Kingsley is perfectly cast as the reclusive Marner.

Suddenly, in short succession, two events change the life of Master Marner forever, even restoring his faith in a Supreme Being and the good in his fellow man. Without revealing the surprises held by this wonderful story, I can highly recommend this film to viewers of teen age and above. Not just another tear jerker, but a strong social statement as well. An excellent film.