Rating: 
Summary: Delightful DVD extras!
Review: After seeing the mini-series on PBS, I just had to read the book and buy the DVD! The same production team that made the wonderful 1996 adaptation of "Pride and Prejudice" did a superb job in adapting "Wives and Daughters." The cast also does justice to the way the characters were written by Mrs. Gaskell -- my only reservations were Keely Hawes as the beautiful Cynthia (her hair style was very unappealing; in "Our Mutual Friend" she is ten times more good-looking), and Anthony Howell as Roger had to grow on me after a few viewings to be fully appreciated. But Justine Waddell just shines as Molly, and Bill Paterson as Mr. Gibson and Sir Michael Gambon as Squire Hamley are in top form (the latter justly deserving all the kudos and awards he received in the UK).I was immensely pleased with the 3-disc DVD. The first two have each two episodes, as shown on TV, with scene selection capabilities (my only complaint is that they do not have any subtitles available). The picture is crystal clear and very sharp. Other BBC productions, such as P&P and Emma, which are much darker, don't age particularly well, but the brightness in Wives and Daughters makes it fresh and the quality equals that of a feature film. The third disc is reserved for the extra features: cast bios (the print could have been a bit larger) and two "featurettes", "Who the Dickens is Mrs. Gaskell?" and the "Making-of" of Wives and Daughters. The Making-of is just delightful. It runs 20 minutes long, and shows a lot of cast-member interviews (some in modern clothes, which is a real kick -- Anthony Howell in jeans and t-shirt! Justine Waddell in a bath robe!) and they all provide a lot of valuable insight into the characters. The documentary on Mrs. Gaskell is interesting, but the first 15 minutes (out of 50) are the best, as they again show more behind-the-scenes of Wives and Daughters. The rest mostly follows a group of Gaskell enthusiasts as they visit the places she lived in and discuss her other works. If you enjoyed the book and the mini-series, buy the DVD -- it is worth every penny!
Rating:
Summary: The BBC does it again!! Splendid, romantic tale...
Review: "Wives and Daughters" is adapted from the unfinished Victorian novel of Mrs. Elizabeth Gaskell and is produced by the same creative geniuses that gave us A&E/BBC's 1995 "Pride and Prejudice." This story centers around girl-next-door Molly Gibson (Justine Waddell of "Mansfield Park," "Tess" and "Great Expectations") and her father, the town doctor (Bill Patterson). Their idyllic lives are turned upside down when Mr. Gibson remarries the selfish, self-absorbed Claire Fitzpatrick (Francesca Annis) and her beautiful daughter Cynthia (Keeley Hawes of "Our Mutual Friend") join the household. The brothers Osborne (Tom Hollander) and Roger (handsome newcomer Anthony Howell who reminds me of a young Mel Gibson) Hamley add romantic interest to the tale. However, the Hamleys come from old English stock and the squire Hamley (veteran actor Michael Gambon) desires his sons to marry into "wealthy old English families." Before long, Molly falls for Roger and Roger falls for Cynthia and we, the viewers, find some surprising discoveries along the way!! Memorable supporting characters include the goodhearted Browning sisters, town gossip Mrs. Goodenough, mysterious Mr. Preston (Iain Glen) and the aristocratic Cumnor family. Justine Waddell is luminous as Molly and Michael Gambon and Francesca Annis turn in memorable performances. The scenery, costumes and production values are all excellent. Screenwriter Andrew Davies - who also penned P&P - gives us a satisfying, romantic new ending that would make Mrs. Gaskell proud. I loved every moment of this adaptation! If you are an Anglophile, enjoy a great love story or are a fan of Mrs. Gaskell, this is the film for you!!!
Rating:
Summary: Loved It!
Review: If you liked Pride and Prejudice, Sense and Sensibility, then you will love this one. A clean romance, great story, and overall a wonderful film.
Rating:
Summary: A MASTERPIECE...BRAVO!
Review: This is a superlative period piece and a brilliant adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell's 1865 novel of the same name. This BBC mini-series is a superb costume drama with stellar performances by the entire cast. Set in rural England, the film centers around Molly Gibson, the seventeen year old daughter of a country doctor. Richly drawn portraits of Molly's neighbors and friends quickly emerge and weave an absorbing tapestry of nineteenth century life. Molly and her father, a widower for most of Molly's life, have an exceptionally close and loving relationship. Their relationship is put to the test when he decides to marry a widow and former governess, Hyacinth, who is a pretentious, self absorbed, ridiculous woman. She has a grown daughter named Cynthis, a beautiful young woman, close to Molly in age, but as different from Molly as night and day. Cynthia is best described as a Marilyn Monroe of the Victorian age. Cynthia and Molly become fast friends, while Molly barely tolerates her nigh intolerable step-mother. The series really revolves around Molly's relationships with the all the characters in the production and her handling of the various everyday situations in which she finds herself. Richly drawn, memorable characters, as well as intrigues, secrets, and romance, make this a highly absorbing drama and one that those who love period pieces and lush, well acted costume dramas will enjoy. It is simply a masterpiece. With stunningly crisp visuals and beautiful clarity of sound, the production value of this three disc, five hour DVD is simply first rate. It is also value laden with some very interesting features. There is an engaging fifty five minute portrait of Elizabeth Gaskell, the author of the novel upon which this mini-series is based. There is a also a twenty minute documentary on the making of the film which is entertaining, as it gives a bird's eye view of the thought that went into the making of the film and the development of the characters. There is also a who's who guide to the performers. This DVD is well worth having in one's collection.
Rating:
Summary: If You Like Jane Austen, You¿ll Love This!
Review: I wasn't aware that Elizabeth Gaskell, who wrote "Wives and Daughters," was one of the giants of nineteenth century English literature, but this adaptation of her book is simply wonderful! Molly, the no-nonsense daughter of a widowed village doctor, is forced to cede the running of their household to her new stepmother, who is not quite as evil as Cinderella's but is a lot more supercilious. The stepmother's daughter, Cynthia, is another addition to the household, and Molly becomes her steadfast friend, even though Cynthia puts Molly in difficult situations and admits that she has never loved anyone in her entire life, including her mother. Everywhere, men fall swooning before the beautiful Cynthia, and Molly watches with alarm as Cynthia charms Roger, the second son of Squire Hamley, with whom she is infatuated. Complexities arise as ... well, watch the film. What makes this film so enticing is the fine screenplay by Andrew Davies and the absolutely splendid acting by the entire company. You will enjoy detesting Francesca Annis (so memorable in "Lillie Langtry") as the stepmother who raises gold-digging to new heights, carefully evaluating each of Cynthia's suitors on the sole criterion of his ability to enhance her status and her bank balance. Michael Gambon ("The Singing Detective"), skillfully portrays the hot-headed squire, whose bark (worse than his bite) has tragic consequences. And Molly is played to perfection by Justine Waddell, who, while portraying the placid exterior of a country doctor's genteel daughter, can reveal her emotional interior with the merest twitch of an eyebrow. Ian Carmichael ("Lord Peter Wimsey") is sparingly used, but is, as always, enchanting. Supporting characters are played with consummate artistry, and the costumes and settings will dazzle you in an England in which, remarkably, it does not rain until the last scenes. This production has characters that are not depicted as stereotypes - as in life, the leading roles occasionally falter and make bad judgments, and the flawed characters have their good points. This film will scoop you up and deliver you right into the middle of a world that looks and sounds different from ours, but that feels very, very familiar. "Wives and Daughters" is a winner!
Rating: 
Summary: Realistic and wonderful
Review: This series is one of those pieces that captivate you completely.
I love this so much.
I recommend very deeply Buying this.
you will not be disapointed.
You should read the book as well.
Rating:
Summary: The BBC does it again!! Splendid, romantic tale...
Review: "Wives and Daughters" is adapted from the unfinished Victorian novel of Mrs. Elizabeth Gaskell and is produced by the same creative geniuses that gave us A&E/BBC's 1995 "Pride and Prejudice." This story centers around girl-next-door Molly Gibson (Justine Waddell of "Mansfield Park," "Tess" and "Great Expectations") and her father, the town doctor (Bill Patterson). Their idyllic lives are turned upside down when Mr. Gibson remarries the selfish, self-absorbed Claire Fitzpatrick (Francesca Annis) and her beautiful daughter Cynthia (Keeley Hawes of "Our Mutual Friend") join the household. The brothers Osborne (Tom Hollander) and Roger (handsome newcomer Anthony Howell who reminds me of a young Mel Gibson) Hamley add romantic interest to the tale. However, the Hamleys come from old English stock and the squire Hamley (veteran actor Michael Gambon) desires his sons to marry into "wealthy old English families." Before long, Molly falls for Roger and Roger falls for Cynthia and we, the viewers, find some surprising discoveries along the way!! Memorable supporting characters include the goodhearted Browning sisters, town gossip Mrs. Goodenough, mysterious Mr. Preston (Iain Glen) and the aristocratic Cumnor family. Justine Waddell is luminous as Molly and Michael Gambon and Francesca Annis turn in memorable performances. The scenery, costumes and production values are all excellent. Screenwriter Andrew Davies - who also penned P&P - gives us a satisfying, romantic new ending that would make Mrs. Gaskell proud. I loved every moment of this adaptation! If you are an Anglophile, enjoy a great love story or are a fan of Mrs. Gaskell, this is the film for you!!!
Rating:
Summary: Phenomenal!
Review: This is an incredible movie! Excellent character development, great plot. If you like Pride and Prejudice, you'll definitely like this. One of my top 10 for sure!
Rating:
Summary: Simply Fabulous
Review: This story portrays the life of young Molly Gibson. Molly is a sweet girl with a good heart, but when her father remarries, Molly finds herself with a new stepsister, Cynthia. Cynthia is quite popular and flirtatious but is very troubled. Molly and Cynthia become good friends though Molly doesn't always agree with Cynthia's actions. This story shows how Molly and her sister grow from girl to woman within the gossiping little town of Hollingford, England. I absolutely love this DVD! The DVD gives an awesome and accurate portrayal of the book and I thoroughly enjoyed watching it. I would highly recommend this DVD to everyone! It is a must see!
Rating:
Summary: Finally!!
Review: This movie was fantastic. I finally found another movie as good as the 1995 production of Pride and Prejudice!! This movie is very well developed, and provides all the love, friendship, enemies, secrets, longing, chemistry, grief and happiness needed for a good tale. I got into this movie right away, and I couldn't wait to finish it to see what would happen. I've never read the book, but I am interested in it now. I will watch this movie again and again. Thank you so much for selling this on DVD Amazon!!
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