Acensbart Excellent but underrated film

SpunkySelfTwitter It’s an especially fun movie from a director and cast who are clearly having a good time allowing themselves to let loose.

Lollivan It's the kind of movie you'll want to see a second time with someone who hasn't seen it yet, to remember what it was like to watch it for the first time.

Francene Odetta It's simply great fun, a winsome film and an occasionally over-the-top luxury fantasy that never flags.

Marcin Kukuczka Everything changes and every day in every way, one may be getting better. This maxim of auto-suggestion said by Fleur (Susan Hampshire) in 'No Retreat' (19) may also apply to the test of time that only few are lucky to stand, including the products of a new medium that television was in the 1960s. One example, however, that barely changes in impact is this formidable, classic, cult TV series.Ms Hampshire in the extended 1991 interview with Richard Amphlett (the Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham) referred to THE FORSYTE SAGA as an unchanging phenomenon, a 'definite costume drama.' Labeled as 'crescendo of publicity and popularity' and seen as 'national obsession' (Cliff Michelmore) at the time of its airing on BBC, the 26 episode - series may still be regarded as soap opera but...its truly formidable unit which, in passing time, brings about even greater awe and respect. Based on Galsworthy's three trilogies (THE FORSYTE SAGA, A MODERN COMEDY, END OF THE CHAPTER), it not only fanned enthusiasm towards the literary work (raising sales' number to a million of copies worldwide) but also became one of the most cherished soap operas. Even in the Soviet Union and Poland, life stopped with its episodes being showed.Watching them almost half a century later is still a supreme entertainment. Exceptional camera-work by Tony Leggo, memorable designs by Spencer Chapman, ear-catchy music by Eric Coates and a variety of costumes by Joan Elcott predominate as pleasing to the eye and ear. Although the series is black and white and considerably stagy, everything is atmospheric and contributes to the feeling of nostalgia for the times depicted herein. Yet, what truly emerges as unforgettable are artistic personalities, warm hearts, recognizable brains, legal minds... so to say, completely memorable characters. From 'A Family Festival' (1) to 'Swan Song' (26), one can be stunned by this great variety of people that prompt viewers to feel what they feel, identify with their worlds. The eldest Aunt Ann with her elegance among a group of other 'Victorian ladies' meeting at tea; Helene Hilmer singing her love song despite conventions; Winifred described by the actress Margaret Tyzack as 'forward looking and liberal;" Phil Bossiney, the architect of 'simplicity and regularity;' Marjorie, an exception from the Forsyte chronicle, a 'nuisance' who pushes the limits of moral acceptability, and many many others inside or outside the family cannot leave viewers indifferent. The director(s) prove to have 'put actors on screen in best advantage' (David Giles). Developing the theme in a more in depth manner occurs impossible due to word limit. For that matter, reviews on single episodes will occur necessary. In this general review, I will highlight only the few most eminent character starting with Jo, surely no 'true Forsyte', as he says 'a bit of a mongrel' a prodigal son at moments, compared to Prince Rudolf of Austria by Sir Gerald Nabarro, excluded from the established order society but the one who calls our attention and sympathy from the very beginning.Played warmly by KENNETH MORE, Jolyon is a "thoroughly understandable, broad minded man" (Kenneth More in a 1967 interview). The part where Jo actually turns up creates a unique atmosphere of an exception from the rule of legal background, the rules within a sense of property that so powerfully defines this family. Mr More admitted that there was no 'struggle' to find the character because it simply developed itself as a 'decent, open, loving' observer and the one who lives his life fully. We feel at ease watching him.The intense contrast to Jo is the protagonist, the 'man of property,' Jo's cousin Soames Forsyte played with insightful psychology and powerful penetration by ERIC PORTER. His performance alone makes the series worth watching, never to be copied, never to be repeated, the artistic achievement stands in itself as towering. Eric Porter appears most to depict the fact that 'the close knitness in the family came over into private life." He sets his mind and heart on the role. As Donald Wilson, the producer observes, his character brings about a true study. As the story gets more concentrated in later episodes, Mr Porter delivers sheer brilliance contrasting and connecting the 'old man' with the 'young man.' His legal mind for whom a contract is a contract seems to be at war with most of the characters that come and go, especially women. Here, viewers still take sides...Soames or Irene, his first wife?Her musicality and the sense of art contradict with his skepticism and the sense of property. Neither is good or bad, but simply people who can not get on well with each other. Portrayed by NYREE DAWN PORTER, Irene is 'a beauty to be possessed,' a woman who does not change, described by Galsworthy as "born to be loved and love." As Ms Porter admits, she is seen through the eyes of other people. Selfish, confident, loving? SUSAN HAMPSHIRE as Fleur, Soames' only daughter, reveals something different. Richard Amphlett rightly observes: "there is little superficiality about her pragmatic and asture demeanor, and an intuitive intelligence in her mode of thinking." A woman with a passion to know, a passion to have; her feelings correspond to people she meets, a sort of 'mirror of her father' in the quest for possessive temptations and a woman who stands on her own in her quest for emancipation. The rapport (or its lack) with Michael Mont, her husband, is interesting in the context of changing times.In order to get overwhelmed by the entire series, one needs to discover the wonderful entertainment supplied by each scene so well measured, each single person who appears on the screen and provides us with memorable feelings. One needs single episodes and their great continuity.THE FORSYTE SAGA is sheer pleasure to watch for all those who can appreciate an ambitious story and can grasp true brilliance of British performances. Tastes change but genuine work remains.

winstonfg After several dropped hints, I was given the DVD collection of the Forsyte Saga for Christmas and have just finished watching it over a 3-day marathon, including the last 14 episodes in one sitting - it's that good.I've already stated on this site that I think 'I Claudius' was the best miniseries ever created, but this one is a VERY close second. The sheer length of it allows all the major characters to be developed and grow on you, and the acting, as ever, is superb. The choice of Kenneth More for the part of Young Jolyon was inspired - any other actor would have had trouble bringing such a goody-goody character to life - but the bedrock of the series is Eric Porter's masterly portrayal of Soames, interestingly revealed as the 54%/39% winner in a nationwide Irene-Soames poll taken in the week of the last episode.There are a few trifling criticisms - I'd agree with others that Nyree Dawn Porter is a little stiff, but one has to remember that she was one of the youngest members of the cast (2 years younger than Susan Hampshire), and I suspect her 'look' was more suited to those times; the American accents of Anne Wilmot and her brother Francis are unconvincing by today's standards, and there are also the low-budget sets, which move alarmingly at some moments, and a couple of gaffs not picked up by the grips - but they are are minor flaws, and the quality of the acting by all concerned, right down to the small roles of Smither and Gradman (who, I notice, is not even credited in the IMDb cast list), who share a touching mini-scene near the end, is so good that you quickly forget them .These days budgets are bigger and presentations slicker, but you have to go a long way to beat this one. I haven't seen the 2002 version yet, but if 'Rome' is anything to go by, I'll stick with the originals.As a final note, I have to mention that Margaret Tyzack is in both of my top picks. Either she has great judgement or a great agent. Probably both.

overseer-3 Please, oh please, watch this original b/w 1967 British version of The Forsyte Saga instead of the 2002 mini-series. You cannot compare the two; the modern version has terrible casting, lacks charm, and has a terrible script. The actors in that version try but do not reflect the authenticity of the characters in this Galsworthy classic. This 1967 version in contrast has perfect casting, a completely amazing script, multi-dimensional characters, why even the house at Robin Hill is more gorgeous in the original version! The DVD box set you can purchase off Amazon is well worth the price. Buy it before it goes out of print. Do yourself a favor and enjoy this sirloin steak version, instead of the 2002 chopped liver disaster.

Mister-UHF `The Forsyte Saga' was a landmark in the history of television, not just in the UK, but globally. It was apparently the first miniseries to be produced anywhere. It was produced in part to start up the BBC's highbrow BBC2 channel. It was the BBC's most ambitious and expensive series up to that time. It was also the BBC's last major production in black and white, although plenty of color publicity stills were shot for it and BBC2 was intended to inaugurate color television in Britain. The series was originally aired in early 1967 on BBC2, coinciding with the 100th anniversary of author John Galsworthy's birth. It was so popular that it was quickly repeated on the more popular BBC1 channel. The series' popularity was phenomenal. The entire country seemed to rearrange its collective schedule around the show and the streets were empty when it was on. In the following years, the BBC would produce a slew of other period piece miniseries such as `The Six Wives of Henry VIII' and `Elizabeth R.' Britain's commercial network, Independent Television (ITV), got into the act with works like `Upstairs, Downstairs.'`The Forsyte Saga' was exported and had a major impact abroad. Networks in other countries were soon producing their own period miniseries. `The Forsyte Saga' was the first television series from a Western country to be shown in the Soviet Union.`The Forsyte Saga' was first shown in the United States in 1969 on the National Educational Television (NET) network and was its first prime time hit. It was repeated on NET's successor, the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS), which was soon importing and airing similar series under the `Masterpiece Theatre' banner. A few years later, the commercial networks (ABC, CBS, and NBC) were busy producing their own period miniseries like `Rich Man, Poor Man' and `Once An Eagle.'`The Forsyte Saga' had a profound influence on the careers of its cast. It greatly boosted the fortunes of Eric Porter, Nyree Dawn Porter, and Margaret Tyzack, made Susan Hampshire the uncrowned queen of BBC2, and gave Michael York and Martin Jarvis their big breaks. The series gave Kenneth More his best role during the long and inexplicable twilight of his career. On the other hand, June Barry, Dalia Penn, and Nicholas Pennell all had prominent parts in the series, but were little seen in subsequent years.In fact, the same can be said about the series itself. `The Forsyte Saga' hasn't been aired in the Washington, D.C., area in 20 or more years and is currently not available in this country on video or DVD. Its importance in television history is great and undisputed, but it's now spoken about more than seen.