Belgravia

Julian Fellowes has outdone himself with an extremely engaging story on "Belgravia" which starts at one of the pivotal events in human history. This is the Battle of Waterloo and it takes place just as the characters are being introduced and the plot starts up. The director, John Alexander, also gets a lot of credit for keeping everything together. He must be a genius and a humble one at that, based on his "bonus features" comments. Not to spoil the story for anyone who hasn't seen the show, but Waterloo provides the backdrop to a supposed marriage of two young lovers who come from different classes of society. The young man is noble while the young woman is not. He is killed at Waterloo leaving the woman pregnant and a doubtful future. She dies shortly after childbirth and the child, a boy, is brought up the way many orphans of the time were--by a clergyman and his wife. What then ensues are numerous threads of other characters and how their lives are all impacted by the true nature of the boy after he comes of age. Some may think this a bit of a soap opera but if you keep an open mind and remember Waterloo, the nature of the times, and the interweaving of the characters lives, Belgravia is addicting. Casting, scenery, lighting, costumes, indoor opulence, and dialogue are all first-rate. In particular, Harriet Walter and Tamsin Greig are outstanding in their roles as grandmothers, with Walter's character morphing from a despondent old woman without an heir to an ecstatic grandmother. To everyone's surprise, her grandson, Charles, will inherit her fortune and noble place in society while marrying the young woman he has fallen for from another prominent family. Adam James is memorable as the villain everyone loves to hate, and the other players do a fine job too. This includes Tom Wilkinson in a minor role as the fraternal grandfather who is also reborn with the knowledge of a grandson and heir he never thought he had. The actor who plays the maternal grandfather, Philip Glenister, is also noteworthy. His character is a self-made man and main provisioner for the British army that fought at Waterloo. If we had to pick one character who is the hero of Belgravia it would be Glenister's. Time and time again, he displays his grasp of complicated situations and a will to overcome them. One only has to hope that there will be more episodes of Belgravia to follow, akin to Downton Abbey. We now have bought the dvd from Amazon. My wife and I re-viewed the series and then had to re-watch the season finale to take in all the details of the happy endings, one after another. We both had to say how much the uplifting conclusion reminded us of "Pride and Prejudice" from 1995. I even bought the book to flesh out the story further and confirm how closely the dvd follows the novel.. Belgravia is a masterful series and well worth the time to see. The only bad thing is how pitiful most of our American productions look in comparison. It's like filet mignon vs. pablum..

I say this is good after the "old" period films because it is pure story without any modern political comment; it has no sex or bad language. It feels like a by-gone era and, as has been repeatedly said, the costumes and settings were wonderful. The casting was excellent. English actors are so believable in their roles. I never tire of watching them. True to what I've come to expect, they embrace their characters and are able to deliver all the little nuances that make them so believable and real. I didn't particularly like the character Mrs. Trencherd at first, but she really started to grow on me and her slightly annoying mannerism actually set her apart and added interest. I actually came to enjoy her character, mannerisms and all. The story starts with a young couple, the young man from an aristocratic family, and the young lady a daughter of a wealthy tradesman (or working class) family. In this era the classes do not mix and they certainly don't marry. The couple gets secretly married and spend a wedding night together before he is sent off to war the next morning. She becomes pregnant and he dies on the battle field. She witnesses something that convinces her they were not legally married and the man she loved was actually using her for his own pleasure. She dies in childbirth and the baby boy is given to a childless couple. That is all settled in the first episode. The next 5 episodes revolve around the boy as a young adult making his way in life and the discovery of his background with all the puzzle pieces being worked out to its conclusion. There are lies, and letters, and deceptions and surmisings with jealousies and treachery. A great story to watch unfold; very well acted. This has some tense moments and keeps you guessing how it will all get resolved. I highly recommend this for anybody who likes period movies without all the modern additions of unnecessary sex, language and political comment. The story stands on its own with quality directing and presentation.

Love this series!! Captivating, mysterious and throw in some romance!

The first thing I noticed was the faded cover. Not sure if it's designed that way. I think so. The inside is the same as the outside. It's not a good look, but it doesn't impact the content. The show has an Upstairs/Downstairs, Downton Abbey feel. It's a period piece that shows class differences. This one has a twist. There is self-made family that has an entitled son and daughter-in-law. Definitely adds an unexplored element that promises to be exciting. We're on episode in and the story has already gone to places that other period pieces don't wander. There are some familiar faces among the cast. Solid actors. The sets and costumes are eye candy. So although I have only seen the first episode, I am optimistic and can't wait to see the rest. I didn't give it 5 stars because I haven't seen enough, but it does look like it will be something I thoroughly enjoy.

I thoroughly enjoyed this DVD. The story is compelling, the acting is superb, and the characters are complex and human but with some admirable qualities - rather like the characters in Dickens' novels. It was refreshing to see a series where I LIKED the characters and to see change and redemption along the way. The story has strong women characters played with skill and depth. The filming is so seamless that I forgot where I was at times; I felt like I was sitting down to dinner with the characters. I liked this series even better than Downton Abbey.

Have the wonderful audio book and now the movie to watch on those snowy or rainy days. I would imagine it should be equally as good. Arrived in excellent shape and on time.

Very good series if you like a period piece. Well acted and good story line. I’m hoping there’s a season 2!!!

Tout ce qui provient de Jullian Fellows est divin.

A re écouter plusieurs fois.