| Wives and Daughters Episode 1 |  | Creators: Sue Birtwistle, Jane Tranter, Rebecca Eaton, Andrew Davies, Elizabeth Gaskell
Director: Nicholas Renton
Actors: Justine Waddell, Bill Paterson, Francesca Annis, Keeley Hawes, Tom Hollander
Studio: BBC
Category: TV Series Episode Video on Demand
Buy New: $1.99
as of 7/29/2010 23:32 MDT details
In Stock
Seller: Amazon Video On Demand
Rating:  1 reviews
Sales Rank: 14,290
Genre: Drama - Family Life
Media: Video On Demand
Running Time: 75 Minutes
Clothing Size: 1
ASIN: B000IO8VUE
Original Air Date: November 28, 1999
Release Date: September 30, 2008
Season: 1
Episode: 1
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Synopsis:
After a pupil confesses his love for Dr. Gibson?s daughter, seventeen year-old Molly is sent for an extended visit to Hamley Hall where she falls for Osborne, the charismatic eldest son of the Squire and Mrs. Hamley. The Hamley?s youngest son, Roger returns home with disturbing news about his brother Osborne. Molly immediately expects the worse when she learns of Mr. Gibson?s plans to wed Mrs. Kirkpatrick, a beautiful woman who briefly cared for an exhausted Molly after a grand garden party seven years ago in the summer of 1820. |
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| Customer Reviews:
Wives & D. -- Molly is the original, overlooked Girl Next Door August 6, 2009
M R-H (Midwest, USA)
3 out of 3 found this review helpful
This series should be more widely viewed than it has been. In short, if you like period, multi-part dramas, I highly recommend this mini-series! It is among my top 5 of all time, including the Jane Austens. For more details, keep reading...
This adaptation of the Elizabeth Gaskell novel takes some patience to get into--like most novels for television. So sit back with your popcorn, knitting, or your own daughters. Gaskell is not as widely known (I hadn't heard of her and I was an English major) as her contemporaries and friends, Charlotte Bronte and George Eliot.
The story clearly sets up female characters who are very different women and sets about exploring and revealing which ones should be considered as a good wife or a loving daughter. Although this may seem sexist to us, in her time, I think Gaskell was progressive to expose the tendency of wealthy males to choose "trophy wives" instead of women of intellect and inner strength. Or, if in one case, a gentleman were to marry for love, he may be ostracized for it.
One of the main things I like about this story is that I see a lot of myself in Molly (played to perfection by the lovely Justine Waddell), although she is more patient than I would ever be in her shoes. Molly is lovely in her own right, but she is overlooked because of her class and her status as the ever-present charity case/friend and opinionated do-gooder. In other words, she is the kind of woman the best kind of man would want for a long-term companion, but the man of her dreams becomes enamored with the appropriately annoying Keely Hawes character (Cynthia) instead. Will Molly's sharp, scientific mind be eventually rewarded with the respect she deserves?
Another thing I like about this story is the way Squire Hamley (Michael Gambon) changes and grows. Gambon is brilliant as usual as the stubborn "slave" to his class-based worldview until his heart softens through trials and grief. His love for Molly is beautiful and completely devoid of anything scandalous as he "adopts" her as a source of comfort. The rest of us have to watch until the ending to find out if one of his sons will ever figure out what the father sees. Gambon has also some gems in the script that are humorous or poignant.
In summary, the story makes interesting points about the nature of familial and romantic love, what a wife or a daughter should be and the kinds of women who win hearts while still being true to themselves--as well as the qualities of the men who learn what to look for.
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