Tuesday, June 06, 2006

Move over, Darcy

For the past few nights the Galumph and I, once Grumbles is soundly asleep, have been snuggling under the still-unfinished quilt, me with my knitting in hand, watching the 1983 BBC production of Jane Eyre.

For the first few nights, it was more about the knitting for me, as the show was plod-plod-plodding along. But then, Jane grew up and became the governess at Thornfield Hall, and in waltzed Mr Rochester. All I can say is I'm sorry, Mr Darcy, but Rochie's the fella for me! That drawling brogue! Those devilish looks! That keen, playful intellect! Those sparkling eyes! Phwoar!

All I had previously known of Timothy Dalton was that he was 007 for a while (a series of movies that I truly doubt I shall ever show any interest in) so this thunderingly handsome appeal of his was quite a surprise. A Milo, once again, was needed to steady my nerves, as I sat, probably gaping, at the screen, willing him to be on again when he disappeared.

Side note: I doubt the Galumph was experiencing the same sort of feelings for Zelah Clarke, who played Jane, who, even though she was a very fine actress, didn't exude the same sort of appeal as MR, which is as should be considering she was playing plain Jane, after all. And a good job she did of it, too. I think I may have turned the whole thing off in disgust if they had of cast a glamorous Jane.

However, here is where trouble really strikes - we've finished the series, and have none more to watch. Now, we all know that the BBC makes a killer series. Jane Eyre? Fab (albeit slow). Wives and Daughters? Terrific. Pride and Prejudice? Need I even say anything? But these are the only ones that I know of. Does anybody have any suggestions for our viewing pleasure?

7 comments:

  1. Someone recently raved about The House of Eliot. I haven't seen it though. Middlemarch is not bad, a little slow, and it leaves out a lot from the novel. I'm not sure if the BBC produced these, but Nancy Mitford's Love in a cold climate is v.g.

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  2. Thanks! I'll keep an eye out for those, especially the Nancy Mitford ones - I love her books!

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  3. Anonymous3:06 pm

    ohhhh no. Im renegging on the date. Your dropped missy. Timothy Dalton???

    I cant talk really. I live with someone who used to look like Eddie Vedder. Thank the lord for scissors and the end of grunge.

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  4. Oh Cookie, let me tell you the shock was all mine. But really, you should go check it out - he's luuuuuustable! (in that production, at least :-P )

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  5. Oh My Jorth! You will see from my profile that that Jane Eyre is my favourite. He is mouth wateringly stunning isn't he. I read the book when I was 12 and fell in love with Rochester. Then at 18 ( when I'd become very PC and thought him such a chauvenist). But then in my 20's I saw this series and fell in love all over again!!! Sad huh?
    You want to watch other bbc series ok here I go...
    'Shooting the Past' stay with it it's so compelling.
    "The Box of Delights' based on the book by Masefield
    All creatures Great and Small ( for some light relief)
    Brideshead Revisited, Stunning
    Any of the Dickens adaptations
    Ant of the BBc Shakespeare ( just being released on dvd ( I think The Taming of the Shrew, with John Cleese as Petruchio is out now).
    I'll stop there as I have to get supper and strangely a certain bbc Jane Eyre is calling me!

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  6. Anonymous8:31 pm

    I just have to add a couple of my favourites:

    Anthony Trollope's 'The Barchester Chronicles' (1980s?) and the 1985 version of A Little Princess, which was made for children but is brilliant.

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  7. Anonymous9:00 pm

    Oh good grief, I second the horn. blower. comment. Horatio Hornblower is amazing - and I'm not even into naval stories! I could just stare at Ioan Gruffudd alllllll day long!

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