Based on a series of nine books by John Galsworthy. I’m only 2 episodes in. I’ll keep updating as I go along.
To be honest, I didn’t really know much about this series before viewing it. I knew it concerned the affairs and the lives of a wealthy family (The Forsytes) beginning about 1874, London. I also knew it starred Damien Lewis and I liked him in the television show, “Life” and the great “Band of Brothers.” Both of these he adopted and American accent and I was tempted by seeing him play an Englishman.
I thought it was really good in that subtle, period piece way. Where a savage kiss is the stand in for years long lust and passion. Intertwining fingers realize furtive stolen moments. I think one of the things I like about these BBC series is the actor’s have real faces. Rather than the open banality of America’s most beautiful, these actor’s have faces that are interesting and show real emotion (Hey! Look, an actor who’s face hasn’t been botoxed into submission!). And the camera’s close-up really serve the story rather than acting as an advertisement for Max Factor magic.
The story is a bit of a mess to summarize because it is indeed a saga. But the look and feel of the era’s glitz is done well. I think the acting is good. Although, Gina McKee’s character is supposed to be a good deal younger than she is. The story is about her character, Irene choosing to marry the wealthy Soames Forsyte (Lewis) even though she doesn’t love him. All she asks is that if the marriage is not a good one, he let her go. He agrees. But a few years later, she falls in love with someone else and Soames isn’t really going to let her leave.
Having read others’ reviews after watching, the only people who didn’t love it were those that remembered the original. And that’s understandable. The original 1967 version is a classic.
