Jamaica Inn

A very good adaptation, and it's good to see a British period film that doesn't romanticize the characters and setting (well, not TOO much!). "Smugglers" have been so often romanticized in books and films, that it was good to see a film that showed just how crude, violent and evil they probably were.

Watch on Netflix so you do not suffer the mumbling. Do not watch for continuity issues. I was reminded of Crime and Punishment and some sad personal memories. I was very naive at that age and had never experienced true evil. It wasn't until 9/11 in downtown Manhattan that I truly realized that true evil exists. This level of casting and acting are rarely seen on film. I was duly horrified at many points. I was going to recommend it to my daughter but she does not need to see this reality at this point in her life. The brutality is portrayed in its real form, and many of us in America are descended more from the Moors of England, than the pretty pictures of Jane Austin.

I read the novel many years ago, and loved it. This adaptation struck the right mood, it seemed to me, dark and subtly sinister. I didn't have problems understanding the dialogue, for the most part--yes, Joss Merlyn is a mumbler, but I remember that as being in character.

I did think some of the "night" scenes on the beach could have used better light filters--they look like it's mid morning on an overcast day! At times it did seem a little heavy-handed,and as a fan of BBC drama, I wouldn't put this in my upper tier favorites. But I did enjoy it, found the performances to be generally good (Jessica B-F made a very good Mary Yellen, who is not a simplistic heroine)and the sweeping moorland scenery was a plus as well.

It is so very easy to see what has gone wrong with this production. The magnificence of Daphne Du Maurier's work has been taken too lightly, and in some obscure way, it seems to have been deemed old fashioned, and in need of retelling.

The direction is without equal in all the realms below average, and scarcely superior to some of the worst ever set loose on the television or film industry. No attempt has been made to create characters even close to those penned by Daphne Du Maurier, and all seem to have been painted variously good, strong, weak, or evil, with a yard broom, and played to the hilt on that basis.

Daphne Du Maurier was able to write strong female characters without making them creatures that never existed and probably never will, she understood the evil that people do and the reasons behind it, something which seems to have escaped the sensibilities and sensitivities of the people involved in producing, directing, and even acting, in this travesty of Jamaica Inn.

This is a TV miniseries based on a Daphne du Maurier novel, adapted by Emma Frost, brought to life by the superb direction of Philippa Lowthorpe. Great cast (Joanne Whaley, Matthew McNulty, Sean Harris, Ben Daniels, Shirley Henderson) lead by Jessica Brown Findlay (a favourite of mine), none of whom missed a beat in fleshing out their characters. Wonderful themes of finding yourself, your own strength, and making complex choices. There is also an interesting study of the complexities of being both an abuser and a victim. This is not your historic pastoral piece but has dark themes and moods. The cinematography is breathtaking capturing the landscape that is another character in this film. The costuming is gritty and dingy so befitting the mood of the piece. I thoroughly enjoyed this series , although I feel the last episode was the weakest, yet I still give it an 8 (great) out of 10. {Period Drama}