The Moonstone

Rating:
Summary: 3 Thumbs up!
Review: A great film! Highly recommended

Rating:
Summary: Overall, an okay read
Review: An interesting and winding plot, the Moonstone puts a twist on the traditional detective story. Containing several narratives rather than just the single side of the story usually pretaining to the detective alone, the reader has a chance to see every possible angle of the story. I really enjoyed this aspect of the novel, and I find myself now wishing that more books had followed Wilkie Collin's example.

The one negative thing about this book, if anything, is that the narratives tend to be dragged out to almost excessive lengths. I found myself wishing at some points that the characters would just shut up and move on with the story. Some of the things that they were discussing in no means were related to the story, so I couldn't see why they had to be mentioned.

But all in all, this is a rather good read, whether for the detective lover or first time reader.

Rating:
Summary: Superb Adaptation of Good Old-Fashioned Detective Novel
Review: I watched this video twice, and found this is simply a superb adaptation of Wilkie Collins' classic
novel, and the film succeeds not only in presenting the
atomosphere of the original novel but in drawing the viewers
into the complicated mystery about the missing stone, faith and
betrayal, and secret love.

There a lot of things in it, which a great mystery fans as well as avid readers of 19th century novels would relish;
the brooding sinister-looking quicksand in the opening secne, a dashing hero and
strong-willed heroine, a mysterious housemaid, and of course,
the Moonstone, a cursed diamond which brings sudden
unhappiness to a peaceful country house. As this beautiful
diamond vanishes one night, a series of mysterious incidents
ensues. Now enters the rose-loving detective Sgt. Cuff, and
his investigation starts, but ... well, after that see what
happens for yourself, if you haven't read the origibal novel yet.

For those who have already read the novel, and know the plot
from the beginning to the end, the way they adapted the original
is so skillful that you will never feel disappointed. The spirit of Wilkie Collins' classic tale is preserved intact
like the acclaimed Sherlock Holmes series featureing the late, great Jeremy
Brett, and no unnecessary liberty was taken during the process
of making it a film. Shot with visually fine production designs
and based on good script which faithfully visualize the original, "The Moonstone" comes out as a winner, including first-
rate cast. Greg Wise, after rather minor role in "Sense and
Sensibility," portrays the likable hero with good acting, and
Keeley Hawes is a standout as the lovely but independent heroine who is not afraid of having her own will (a kind of a woman
Collins loved to portray). Minor characters are also given
moments to shine, and even comic relief Miss Clack is no exception.

Of course, there are several changes done; for example, Mr.
Candy is given another job of explaining something about the
diamond, (which, by the way, he didn't do in the original novel),
but those changes are all reasonable.
And some scenes may look strange to the 21st century audiences,
(especailly how to locate the missing stone with some medical
help), but after all the book was written more than 130 years
ago, and we should accept these things as they are, shouldn't we?

So, to all fans of good, old-fahioned detective story and Victorian novels, this video is strongly recommended, and I hope
you will enjoy watching it, as I did.