Favorite Videos of Classic Novels
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spiderwort — 1 year ago(June 25, 2024 01:48 PM)
Oh, I re-watched
Billy Budd
recently, and I highly recommend it! Haven't read the novel, but love the film.
Haven't seen or read
Prince and Pauper
, so can't comment on that.
And I know what you mean about the 1941 version of
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
, because the cast in that one is so engaging, especially Bergman. She's the woman you simply cannot watch and love.
Treasure Island
is, of course, an excellent choice. Haven't seen it in ages, but I remember really enjoying it. Jackie Cooper was a wonderful child actor, the first to receive an Oscar nomination as best actor for his role in
Skippy
when he was only nine years old!
And about
The House of Mirth
: I only knew it as the Edith Wharton novel, which I haven't read. Then I chanced upon the Terence Davies' film version of it, and because I love his work and liked the cast I watched it and loved it. It's about a socialite in the early 20th century who risks losing her chance of happiness with the only man she has ever loved. Gillian Anderson is terrific, and she has a great supporting cast. -
PygmyLion — 1 year ago(June 27, 2024 02:49 AM)
I watched the 1931 version of
Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
. It was definitely a step up from the 1941 version. Being pre-code was a plus. Frederic March won the academy award for Best Actor, and is really good in the role. -
spiderwort — 1 year ago(June 27, 2024 12:03 PM)
Yes, I agree with you. It's definitely the better of the two, darker and better directed. And March gives a really outstanding performance, much more realistic and frightening. The 1941 version is more entertaining, I think, and the cast is enjoyable. But the 1931 version is closer to Stevenson's vision. Haven't seen in a long while, but now you've got me wanting to see it again. When director Rouben Mamoulian was good, he was very good.
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spiderwort — 1 year ago(June 25, 2024 02:03 PM)
Adding a couple more, both from novels by E.M. Forster Haven't read the novels, but love the films.
Howard's End
(1992) and
Room with a View
(1985), both set in the Edwardian era, if I'm not mistaken, and both directed by James Ivory.
Oh, and then there's this one that I also love, but haven't read,
The Go-Between
(1971) from the novel by L.P. Hartley and directed by Joseph Losey. -
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spiderwort — 1 year ago(June 25, 2024 02:16 PM)
Now you've got me going! If you count westerns,
Shane
is another that I really love, and I read the novel, too, written by Jack Schaefer. It's one of my all time favorite films and novels.
And
The Searchers
is another favorite western from the novel written by Alan LeMay (read the novel and loved it as much as I love the film). Directed by John Ford. -
PygmyLion — 1 year ago(June 25, 2024 02:58 PM)
I wouldn't be much of a judge of what would be a classic western novel.
"The Virginian" (1902) was one of the early ones by Owen Wister.
I like the movie
The Virginian
1929 with Gary Cooper, Walter Huston, Mary Bryan. -
PygmyLion — 1 year ago(June 25, 2024 03:09 PM)
Emma
(1996) TV movie - Kate Beckinsale, Mark Strong. I am not as high on Jane Austen's "Emma", as I am for "Persuasion" and "Pride and Prejudice". Still this is a fairly good version on the novel.
That Forsyte Woman
(1949) Errol Flynn, Greer Garson, Robert Young, Walter Pidgeon, Janet Leigh - From James Galsworthy's Forsyte Saga.
There are also 2 nice miniseries of the Forsyte saga which go deeper into James Galsworthy's series of novel and deal with the next generation of Forsyte's also.
The Forsyte Saga
(1967) - mini-series - Eric Porter, Nyree Dawn Porter, Susan Hampshire, Kenneth Moore, Michael York. An old style BBC production in black and white.
The Forsyte Saga
(2002) - mini-series - Damian Lewis, Rupert Graves, Gina McKee, Amanda Root, Ioan Gruffudd - A modern color version, a bit more lavish.
I prefer the 1967 version myself, but if you are a younger viewer you might like the 2002 color version the best.
Which ever version I choose, or reading the novels, I always end up feeling sorry for Soames and not liking Irene very much. -
spiderwort — 1 year ago(June 26, 2024 01:48 AM)
Haven't see EMMA, but I did see the 1949 THAT FORSYTE SAGA. Don't remember being a great fan of it, but it was a long time ago, so I'm not sure. Both mini-series look really interesting though. Great casts in both of those. And something tells me it probably works better as a mini-series anyway.
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spiderwort — 1 year ago(July 08, 2024 12:25 AM)
Hey, PL, I found the mini-series
Cranford
, based on three Elizabeth Gaskell novels, on Tubi TV and am dipping into it again. I loved it when I first saw it in 2007-2009, and I love it still. What an amazing cast it has, and what wonderful stories it tells of 1800s British village life. -
PygmyLion — 1 year ago(July 08, 2024 03:02 PM)
I think I saw
Cranford
when it first came out. I liked it, but not enough to read the book.
Another miniseries of an Elizabeth Gaskell novel that is available is "North and South". "North and South" was published in 1854-55. Here the "North" refers to an industrial town north of London and "South" the rural area south of London. Most of the story occurs in the "North" where there is friction between the owners and the workers of the cotton mills.
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0417349/
The mini-series is very good, and I have read the novel. I definitely should add this to the list of favorite videos of classic novels
North and South
(2004) - Richard Armitage, Daniela Denby-Ashe, Tim Piggot-Smith, Brendan Coyle -
spiderwort — 1 year ago(July 09, 2024 12:37 PM)
I haven't read any of her novels, but it seems that she was a real talent. And I haven't seen NORTH AND SOUTH, but it looks like a winner. I'll see if I can find it. (Oh, my list is getting longer and longer! Too many films/series. . .too little time.)
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spiderwort — 1 year ago(July 31, 2024 08:48 PM)
Just saw this one,
The Green Years
(1946), adapted from the A. J. Cronin novel that I haven't read about a 1900s Irish orphan (Dean Stockwell, then Tom Drake) who's raised by his grandparents and great grandparents in Scotland and struggles to get an education. I really enjoyed it. Wonderful cast, including Jessica Tandy playing the daughter of her husband, Hume Cronyn! And Charles Coburn received one of his three Oscar nominations for his performance as the the boy's great grandfather.
Schrodinger's Cat walks into a bar, and doesn't. 