I don't know why I didn't get into this when it was on TV a couple of years ago. But Dickens is worth watching properly and not missing an episode. So I've got it from the library. It is very good, typical Dickens: a complex intertwined story with dozens of characters all somehow connected to each other and all fabulous and quirky. I haven't finished watching it yet, I'm halfway through the 18 episodes so the backstories are yet to be fully revealed. There are a couple of characters I don't get, but maybe they will do something useful later. All the families are basically disfunctional, all the social interactions corrupted, and there are few good people with a great variety of bad people.
Highlights are Andy Serkis' evil frenchman, invading everyone's personal space and touching their face and sometimes stabbing them. John the young gatekeeper proposes tragically and beautifully to Amy Dorrit who doesn't love him back, and cries because "he set his heart on her". The BBC has such a wonderful bunch of actors, all those people who pop up all over the place and are always good. Not all handsome, but always well-cast and convincing.
It looks amazing, too. I especially love the inventor's workshop, with the steampunk sort of random spinning engines and parchment blueprints strung across the walls and windows.
I may go on and read the book, now that I'm hooked.
2 comments:
Yes, we loved it. I had never even heard of Little Dorrit before it came on TV.
Nor I. I've got it from the library now, so it's on the list to read.
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