The Forsyte Saga

I had never heard of The Forsyte Saga before seeing the mini-series but I enjoyed it so much that I bought the novel, and isn't that really what these adaptations of novels are all about- trying to interest people enough to read the book the movie was based on? I'm glad this version wasn't completely true to the novel considering that so many of the characters in the novel are either underdeveloped or so enigmatic that it's hard to have any kind of feelings about them.It was a stroke of genius to develop Dartie and George into the two jokers of the family, who provide light entertainment when the plot gets a little dark. In defense of Gina McKee, I think the choice to cast her as Irene was a wise one. I can't think of any other actress today who has such an elegant, classy beauty without being "showy" about it and I thought her characterization of Irene was true to how she is portrayed in the book, considering that Galsworthy deliberately made Irene a very shadowy, unreachable figure. Ioan Gruffudd, who, with his dark good looks just seems to be made for these lavish period pieces, was his usual dashing and charming self playing "The Buccaneer" and the rest of the cast put in a fine performance. While I admit these costume drama mini-series aren't to everyone's taste, you can not doubt the painstaking hard work put in by all involved that makes them a cut above the rest.

This second installment lives up to the expectations created by the first series and by the novel itself - To Let. We meet again, with much pleasure, the magnificent cast of the first series (D. Lewis as Soames stands out) and discover the choices that have been made to cast the 4 new main characters : Fleur and Jon Forsyte, Prosper Profound, and Michael Mont. I found the 4 of them to be nearly-ideally suited to their part. May be the actor playing Jon lacked a little bit of brilliance, but he showed a lot of sensibility and looked a lot like his "mother", Irene. The story unfolds with relentlessness but there are also many moving, or funny moments. The films is really faithful to the tone of Galdsworthy and is, all in all, a magnificent achievement. it is as good as the first series, and may be even better. At the end of the 4th episode, we are really sorry to have to wait for the next episodes of the saga, and the lives of Fleur and Michael Mont. Highly recommended to fans of British top quality literary drama.

The screenwriter has once again decided to rewrite the story. Read the book (actually books) to find out all the differences. For example, in the book the governess leaves on her own & refuses any extra pay, Young Jolyon is seen visiting her flat & the gossip starts - that's when Jolyon's wife and father first learn anything is going on. The changes go on and on. If you have ever seen the 1967 version, it would be hard to beat Eric Porter as Soames.

I came across "The Forsyte Saga" and its sequel, "The Forsyte Saga: To Let," in my local library. It was the sequel that I had watched first, not realizing there had been a mini-series made prior to this. THE FORSYTE SAGA is an utterly brilliant film, in my opinion, ranging from the exceptional performances of the actors (notably Rupert Graves, Damian Lewis, Gina McKee, Gillian Kearney, & Corin Redgrave), to the screenplay, to the cinematography, to the music (closing theme). The actors executed their portrayals with such realism that I was engrossed in the mindsets of the major players in the film. Such performances are refreshing in the movie industry, as one loses sight of the actors for the "characters." The plot was very good and well written; as such, the movie never seemed to drag. For me, this drama evoked powerful emotions ranging from: deep sorrow & loss (Old Jolyon), to empathy & sympathy, and even a few moments of unexpected humour. I kept wanting more. All in all, this miniseries shows us many injustices, and that dignity, integrity, goodness, and compassion can prevail. If you can set aside an afternoon or long evening to relax and watch the miniseries in one sitting, it will be worth savouring. I hope others find THE FORSYTE SAGA to be a pleasure to watch. I certainly plan to add the DVD set in my film library soon.

A remake of the 1967 original, the 2002 mini-series boasts some fine performances, especially from Band of Brothers' Damian Lewis as the often unfeeling Soames Forsyte, and Gillian Kearney as June Forsyte (the graveyard scene between these two characters is superb!)

The story follows three generations of the Forsyte family, from about the 1880s to the death of Queen Victoria. There is a nice blend of humour, action, and drama to keep the viewer interested in the proceedings. If you're like me and into family sagas, I recommend watching this, or, if you can't, reading the book by John Galsworthy.