The Fortunes and Misfortunes of Moll Flanders

I love this movie, it's excellent. I give it a 10.

Alex Kingston is great. Sexy and funny. Her best performance.

Alex Kingston IS Moll Flanders. Please, forget the cotton-candy version that has Morgan Freeman in the cast (though, I _adore_ Stockard Channing). This is the real thing! We get to see the real, harsh struggles of Moll in this adaptation, and how out of the muck and grime Moll finds herself. There is no happy ending here, you can bet that, but at least you get a real story that is more appropriate to the times. That is worth much more to me than a smiling happy face, in the end. This is a real, gritty film - not cheap. Highly recommended.

You may find yourself watching this entire 4-hour movie all in one sitting like I did. Although it is a Mobil Masterpiece Theater presentation, it is also available on video. If you think you're in for some boring English drama, brace yourself, as it is very fast-paced, erotic, and often shockingly funny. Alex Kingston (now on "ER") delves into this role with a ferocity we rarely see on the screen. Although Moll does many bad things, we root for her the whole way. Diana Rigg is also a hoot as a mother-in-law that reveals herself to be something more. Daniel Defoe's condemnation of society as unforgiving of the monsters it creates is still as relevant today as when it was written. As long as you have an open mind about sex, nudity and immoral behavior onscreen, prepare to be fascinated.

I've seen this 4-part film at once (230 min.) and surprisingly it wasn't tiring or boring at all. On the contrary, the movie caught my attention readily, as it tells this story very well. Alex Kingston is great in the part of this young woman who struggles to be a wealthy gentlelady, even if it requires surrendering her virtue in any way. It's a wonderful movie and I strongly recommend it.

Firstly, be careful if this comes on PBS, because some local stations cut certain scenes out, and just like with "Tom Jones", if you got rid of the sexcapades, you wouldn't get the story at all. This adaption re-arranges her sexual liaisons from the book and leaves a few out, drops any themes regarding religious repentance and "sincere penitence" - it's mostly a fun, saucy romp with some feminist undertones. Moll isn't willing to accept her circumstances and powerlessness for long, something unheard of in most fiction of that time or the next few hundred years: a woman's happiness and security was expected to come from marrying into some kind of fortune, period. The story is quite revolutionary for its time in showing a woman who, from a very young age, tries to control her own fate and be in control of her own life. And what option does a woman have to attempt that in this period but sex, blackmail and, eventually, thievery? Anyone who wants to criticize Moll for leaving her latest crop of children is (always in a stable, good home) is, I'm sure, silent when men in stories do exactly the same thing... Alex Kingston owns the character absolutely. She is gorgeous and completely believable at every age and circumstance. This film was my introduction to Daniel Craig back in 1996 - and it's a really good introduction. In this age of beautiful digital clarity, the picture is a bit muddy, but still a beautiful, visual feast.