Vanity Fair

I am truly at a loss as to why this adaptation of Vanity Fair is unavailable to the viewing public. I searched for it everywhere; I once rented it from a video rental store and was so grateful to view it once again......To my utter astonishment, when I returned several weeks later to rent Vanity Fair again, the clerk informed me that they did not carry this version with Eve Matheson as Becky! To add insult to injury, she acted as if they never carried this version! Talking about a "Twilight Zone" moment.....I can only conclude that the clerk/co-owner discovered the true value of that rare find and quietly cashed in on it......If you want to enjoy this story without actually sitting down and devouring the novel, this filming of Vanity Fair is the absolute best. I can't recommend Eve Matheson's portrayal of Becky Sharp with any higher regard than I already give it! She is outstanding here.....Please CBC or BBC or whoever it was that gifted us with this gem- Make this available on DVD so everyone can appreciate it.

Vanity Fair starring Eve Matheson as Becky is one of the few film adaptations of a classic novel that allows you to be unashamed that you did not read the novel. Matheson's seemingly heartless, relentlessly maneuvering Becky is a characterization that compels us to cherish the art of film acting. She is hands down the quintessential Becky Sharp. Thackeray's subplots are well executed here with remarkable actors such as Sian Phillips in a tour de force performance as Miss Crawley.

Class consciousness is at center stage here. Everyone seems to be aspiring for a coveted spot in a society that never promised anyone a perpetual rose garden. Some think themselves secure enough in that esteemed class to condescend to amuse others whom they secretly hope will never truly take a place beside them in the register of the "haves". It is with the utmost degree of mortification that the "secure" wake up in an unguarded instant to find themselves hastily uninvited to social events, and stashing away their best silks and laces against the inevitable rap of the creditor on the front door. Beg, borrow, and try not to steal to see this Vanity Fair!

Thank God I taped it way back in 1987...agonizingly editing out the commercials, so that I had a "pure" copy of the original. (Little did I know then how a "copy of a copy" would degrade so.) I'm re-watching it now, going through an ancient copy of the book as I do so, and am newly impressed with not only how faithful, but how entertaining the production is. I may get to watching the Reese Witherspoon version some day, but only as a light amusement - no one could get the full gist of this book in 2-1/2 hours. Sorry to say, my 18-year-old tape has rather more degraded...good enough for me, but not good enough to offer anyone a copy of a copy of a copy. Let's hope A&E chooses to rebroadcast it at some point.

It's been great seeing this series again after twenty years. Eve Matheson plays Becky Sharp to perfection, from the early episodes where she seems sweet enough, to the devious schemer in the Napoleonic wars. In support, Rebecca Saire is a good Amelia, while Jack Klaff and Benedict Taylor play Rawdon and George very well. Sian Phillips, Freddie Jones, David Swift, and others also add good value.

Despite its continued unavailability, this is the best version to see. Far truer to the book than the 60s and 90s version, and much better than the Reece Witherspoon film (although that had its compensations outside of its status as an 'adaptation'). From the cartoon credits and trumpet theme through to its colour, life, and energy, this 'Vanity Fair' is special.

If you've never read "Vanity Fair", this is the version to watch. You'll feel as if you've read the entire book; it is extremely faithful to Thackeray's classic. The production and the story had me hooked, and kept me coming back for each episode even though they were shown at 6am each Tuesday for a number of weeks on A&E. Eve Matheson as Becky was sly and conniving and thoroughly enjoyable. The ensemble cast were every bit as good as she was, and I highly recommend this adaptation for everyone.