Interesteg What makes it different from others?

BootDigest Such a frustrating disappointment

Palaest recommended

Huievest Instead, you get a movie that's enjoyable enough, but leaves you feeling like it could have been much, much more.

aramis-112-804880 "The Forsyte Saga" is a term vaguely applied to a multi-novel series by John Galsworthy. It turns up a lot in old book sales. The thing was first filmed as an Errol Flynn flick then remade in the 60s back when British television was all videotape or badly filmed exteriors--and its soap-opera plotting kicked off the American love of all things "Masterpiece Theater"-ish. I haven't seen either of the earlier versions, so I can spare you any comparisons.On with the show."The Forsyte Saga" is a saga indeed. It's chock full of Forsytes, a family that must be the size of the House of Saud. Apparently in the dead center, Damian Lewis plays Soames, a pennypincher talked into building a house for 8000 pounds by Ioann Gruffudd, playing a rising architect. Well, apparently they didn't have laws protecting consumers from predatory contractors as Gruffudd's architect robs Soames blind, producing a house for more than twelve thousand pounds. It's hard to like people like that.Not only is Gruffudd siphoning off all Soames' money, he's seducing Soames' wife, and she falls for his charms, even though the rat is engaged to her best friend (who introduced them). It's hard to like people like that.Soames wants to keep his wife so when he learns about her affair and her plans to leave he hopes to win her back--misguidedly--by FORCING his connubial affections on her. It's hard to like people like that.By the end of this interminable saga, one is left musing on how much dynamite it would take to blow up all those Forsytes. It's amazing Galsworthy could create so many characters and not have one of them I'd invite into my home . . . apart, perhaps, from the jilted fiancé, who, since she was also abandoned by her father for her governess at an early age, is the only Forsyte who might deserve being warned about the dynamite charges laid under all the rest.As with the thieving, scheming architect, no expense was spared on the project. So if opulence is your bag, this is a big, creamy, decadent desert. But it left me with indigestion.

George Wright Now watching this excellent drama on PBS, I find the characters and story keep me tuning in to each episode to watch the twists in the plot and how the characters change and grow over a period of time. Set in the late 19th and early 20th century Britain, an era of major transition, we see the characters in the Forsyte family clashing with one another. Some trying to keep with the old ways against those who are trying to fashion a less regimented way of life. The class system is coming under tremendous stress and people like Soames Forsyte, performed by Damian Lewis, and his father (John Carlisle) try to maintain the standards of behaviour and hypocrisy against another branch of the family, including Jolyon Forsyte and his son, characters played by Corin Redgrave and Rupert Graves. In this conflict between old and new, we find Soames' estranged wife Irene (Gina McKee) opposing him as he tries to lure her back into his straitjacket world. Not taking no for an answer. Soames stalks her, driving her into the arms of his free-spirited cousin Jolyon. All the cast are superb, particularly Damian Lewis as Somes. Gina McKee delivers the right balance of dignity and strength as she battles Soames who tries to bring her to heel. Interesting to view longtime actors like Wendy Craig, who plays a supporting role as one of the elderly aunts of the family. This series was originally shown in 2002-03 and Damian Lewis has become a major actor with starring roles in series such as Wolf Hall and Homeland; Rupert Graves has been a strong presence in movies and television since the 1980's. They and the cast generally make this a memorable series with its fine acting and script and an enduring story by John Galsworthy.

stuart-halliday Comparisons between the 60s version of this splendid work and the latest one are difficult because they were both great. I have really enjoyed the last version especially as regards the performances of Damian Lewis and Gina McKee.One previous contributor said that he found himself almost liking Soames which 'we were not supposed to do'. Is that right? Galsworthy intended The Forsytes to be representative of the upper middle class with some bad aspects - arrogance, lack of sentiment, conscious always of their respectability - but also with a positive side - sturdy, determined, ambitious, but ultimately concerned with ownership and property. Soames is an extreme example of his kind, to the extent that he regards people - especially his wife - as potential property. Irene, on the other hand, represents the new force which, along with the effects of WWI and the rise of the Welfare State, nationalisation etc will soon overthrow the old order.Superficially at least, Soames is the villain. He appears to terrorise his wife, physically abuses her and more. However, is there another side to this? Irene marries him quite cynically for materialistic reasons. It's not merely a question of 'not loving' him. He positively makes her flesh creep right from the start. We are given the idea that she is forced to marry him by her stepmother and by her poverty. Force her?? As the story goes forward, we see that she is a strong character - no-one can force her to do anything. Her poverty? She has £50 per annum from her father. This might not seem a lot, but it was about what an artisan earned in a year at that time (on which he was expected to keep a family). Despite his treating her as property, Soames does love Irene in his way and he does try his best to give her what she wants. In return she is openly unfaithful to him, denies him children and even conjugal rights. As regards his bad treatment of her, she certainly returns the compliment in kind. She could be looked on as something of a vampire - she sucks the life force from Soames and old Jolyan and wantonly destroys the happiness of her friend June and Bossiney (though admittedly he goes along willingly). As regards her own son her hatred of Soames tempers her dislike of Fleur so even her son is badly affected by her force of character and neurosis.I think Galsworthy, as well as writing a simple commentary on Edwardian and Victorian life was also trying to divide his readers into factions - the pro-Soames camp who like the old ways, and the pro-Irene (the 'new woman' camp) who wanted change.Whatever, I have to congratulate Gina McKee. She carried off that complex character of Irene so well. Her enigmatic Mona Lisa smile, did it display goodness? Or the opposite? I'm still not sure

minart-1 Yes, I enjoyed this version and have recently watched it again, but it is useless to compare it to the original TV series which was far closer to the book. We have both versions and think they both have merit but the first was the best, there is no doubt in my mind, and to anyone who hasn't seen it, I strongly suggest they do if humanly possible. I certainly didn't like the cop-out ending of the second series. The death of Soames is important!I did find it odd that Gina McKee, a brunette, was cast as Irene. Irene is not an easy character to portray admittedly, there is very little to get your teeth into but Gina can be expressionless at times. I did prefer some of the casting of the second series, notably Bossiney and Monty and young Joylon. I think Damien Lewis was fine in the role, but adored Eric Porter (I met him a couple of times in the flesh and though he had splendid stage and film work under his belt it was always difficult not to see him as Soames, even when wearing his habitual blue donkey jacket. It was his part. ) I re-read the book at 2 yearly intervals on average and never tire of it.