The Tenant of Wildfell Hall

I loved this mini series. Tara Fitzgerald did an incredible job portraying Helen Graham, a beautiful young woman hiding, along with her young son, from a mysterious past. As an anglophile who loves romances... this movie was just my cup of tea and I would recommend it to anyone looking to escape for a few hours into the England of the 1800's. I also must mention that Toby Stephens who portrays the very magnetic Gilbert Markham is reason enough to watch this wonderful production.

Anne Bronte was in the shadow of her sisters Charlotte and Emily and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall less well-known than Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights. Charlotte and Emily Bronte are great writers and their books classic but Anne does deserve more credit than just "the other Bronte sister", and The Tenant of Wildfell Hall does deserve to be up there with Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights as it does have all the ingredients of a classic. The book is hugely atmospheric and emotionally impactful and what further makes it a classic is how direct Anne Bronte's writing was and how she really understood her characters and people around her at that time. This dramatisation is just excellent with its only detriment being the ending feeling rather rushed. It is evocatively shot and the scenery is both beautiful and stark, the mist and rocks really giving setting the tone of the book. The costumes and the rest of the production values are incredibly well-done too. The music is haunting and unobtrusive with a real melancholic beauty to it too, some have deemed it anachronistic, I thought it blended with the mood with no problem and actually enhanced it. The script has Anne Bronte's writing style all over it and just as harrowing and heart-wrenching, and while details-wise it is not the most faithful adaptation there is the gritty and affecting spirit of the book is absolutely there and with a great passion also. Regarding other adaptations of any of the Bronte Sisters' work the 1983 Jane Eyre comes closest to evoking that feeling exactly. The direction is sensitive and lets things flow smoothly, if a little hurried at the end. The acting is without complaint, the supporting turns especially Pam Ferris turn in great work but it is the three leads that captivate. Rupert Graves has the juiciest character as Arthur Huntingdon and he is incredible, he shows an initial charming side to Arthur but later becomes brutish and tormented, making it easy for us to really hate him with an ounce of sympathy too. Tara Fitzgerald is appropriately stoic, determined and passionate, you can tell how into the role of Helen she was with what she does physically(ie. no makeup, making her perhaps less attractive than she actually is), people may be frustrated with how too saintly Helen may seem later on but considering the situation Helen was in it's understandable. Toby Stephens gives one of his better performances here too, giving a tender and magnetic performance with ruggedly handsome charm too. In conclusion, the book is a classic and while not quite as good the adaptation is excellent, recommended highly. 9/10 Bethany Cox

This 3 part BBC adaptation of the Anne Bronte novel runs 160 minutes total.

Nicely shot, with a lot of surprisingly modern camera techniques for a Bronte novel. Usually this works well, although occasionally it gets self conscious (a couple too many 360 shots).

The acting is solid, with Tara Fitzgerald an edgy but still empathetic heroine. But Rupert Graves' switch from flawless seducer to "worst man in the world" type villain is a bit over the top, although that may be the material, or approach more than performance. Indeed, at times I could feel Graves (a very good actor) trying to maintain some humanity under the almost Gothic heartlessness.

The music is interesting and effectively anachronistic as well, often sounding something the Cocteau Twins, but as with the cinematography after a while it starts to get both repetitive and too self consciously avant-garde for a story mostly told in a straightforward Masterpiece Theater fashion.

Lastly, the tidy ending bothered me a bit. The film did a good enough job capturing the complex difficulties of life, that I found myself wish for something that felt more honestly open ended.

All that said, I still enjoyed the story, the scenery, and being transported into another time and place as only good storytelling can do. A quite good adaptation, I just wished it was great, and for 30 minutes or so, thought it might be.

This is the final novel from the lesser-known of the 3 Bronte sisters. Based partially upon the experiences of their brother Branwell, who abused liquor and opium in his adult life. It brought great shame and stress upon the family until Branwell's death at 31. This movie should be seen for anyone interested in the Brontes, but it's excellent viewing just for the acting & story - just how horrible alcoholism can be...

The way the story is developed, keeps the audience wondering what is the tenant's dark past. We get some clues during the series, but enough to keep us interested in the mini-series. The characters are all believable and I personally felt immersed and surrounded by the story.